BETTA FISH FIN ROT; Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
Fin rot, tail rot or fin melt is a condition in which your fish’s fins are burnt. Betta fish are more susceptible to fin rot due to their delicate long finnage, specially if they’re not in good health and have a weak immune system.
The disease can be bacterial or fungal. If the fins are burnt in a lumpy way the condition is caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and if they are rotten more evenly and a white edge becomes visible on them, the infection is fungal.
Betta fish fin rot symptoms
The symptoms start with discoloring of the fins. White tiny spots will occur on them and they might be unnoticed until expansion. Then the edges of the fins or tail become frayed. The fins might also turn brown or black in some cases.
The thing you should know is that the bacteria causing fin rot naturally exists in your aquarium water and it’s only dangerous if your fish’s immune system is weak. But in case it is not cured soon enough, the bacterial infection or bad mobility and impaired balance caused by the disease can be lethal. Also notice that because fin rot is a disease caused by gram-negative bacteria, it can be transmitted to other fishes through physical contact and infected aquarium water. So act quickly if you see any symptoms.
Here are some reasons causing fin rot:
-Unsanitary or cold water
- High nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels
- Inappropriate feeding (overfeeding, underfeeding or using improper food) which can increase your fish’s stress level. Uneaten food floating in the aquarium can also help the bacteria and fungus grow.
- Overcrowding aquarium (which decreases water quality, makes the PH fluctuate and increases levels of nitrite, nitrate and ammonia due to waste products.)
- Some underlying disease weakening your fish’s immune system
Betta fish fin rot treatment
The treatment can be easy in first stages of the disease. You should change the aquarium water to clean, non-chlorinated water and perform a temperature of about 25°C and a PH between 6.5-7.5. In severe cases you can use efficient antibiotics to kill the bacteria and fungus causing fin rot. Also consider feeding your fish in low quantities. Food maintained floating in the aquarium is the most common reason causing poor water quality which leads to bacterial overgrowth. Feeding your fish with outdated food can be harmful too.
According to some people’s experiences and recommendations, using medications such as, API Fungus Cure, API Furan-2, Kanamycin can be very effective. Erythromycin is also a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is recommended. In case of a developed fungal infection, methylene blue is an appropriate antifungal treatment. You can also add aquarium salt to the water to reduce the harmful effects of nitrite, reduce stress and improve the efficiency of medications.
As we all know, preventing a disease is much better and easier than curing it. So always make sure that your fish are in good condition and there is no danger threatening your precious pets.
