# will fin rot go on its own?



## inthepacific (Oct 21, 2012)

So backstory: I have several tanks one shrimp, one with fish etc. I also had a cylindrical vase I used as a betta bowl. I had the betta in the vase for almost 2 years now and I noticed it had fin rot. The tail had dramatically reduced in size and the fins were tattered looking. I tried to feed it medicated food while in the bowl but it didn't help much. So recently i decided to house the betta in a breeder box in my shrimp tank. I was wondering if the fin rot would go away on its own or if i had to medicate it. The only thing im worried about is the medication harming the shrimp. Advice? Usually to medicate, I feed my betta brine shrimp soaked with erythromacin or tetracilin.


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## g4search (Aug 10, 2014)

inthepacific,
sick fish (or other animals) should ALWAYS be placed into a hospital tank and treated there (unless it is the only critter in the tank).

While "fin rot" can be due to many things, it is most often due to an infection with Gram (-) bacteria. Usually some "white stuff" covers the fins and other body parts. This infection RARELY disappears on its own and it is recommended to treat this infection with kanamycin. Since kanamycin is water soluble, it can be applied directly to the water column and treat the infection from the outside (where most of the bacteria are).

( btw, erythromycin is only useful for treating Gram (+) infections and will definitely fail to treat _columnaris_. Tetracyclin is mostly useful for internalized Gram (-) infections since it has limited water-solubility.)

Also, when fish are sick they frequently don't eat.


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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

I think there are actually two forms for fin rot, either being bacterial or fungal.
I know there is a columnaris (gram negative) form of fin rot, but there MUST be another form of fin rot, because I have seen meds that ONLY treat against gram positive are were able to successfully cure the disease (yes the tattered fins had white tufts indicating infection and not just damage from injury).

I would definitely treat the sick fish. While technically the fish should be able to rid the infection on it's own with a healthy immune system and pristine water, I just assume the fish is already far too weakened and by now the disease would have developed to the point that it may be too great to overcome without some help from medications, or at least it would take a really long time to recover on it's own and may ultimately have done more damage and could possibly shorten the fish's overall lifespan. 

If the infection is gram positive, there are plenty of safe meds to use. Even salt or melafix (use 1/2 dosage for bettas)/bettafix can work for mild cases.


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## lksdrinker (Feb 12, 2014)

Pristine water conditions is all I've ever needed to treat these kinds of issues. Lots of big water changes usually works very well for me. However, I suppose I cant say for sure that the issues I've experienced were due to infection and not due to being nipped at and stressed by other fish.

I try to avoid using meds if possible. Dont forget that the beneficial bacteria in our tanks/filters is basically the most important thing to keep things in check. Antibiotics added to a tank are a surefire way to deplete (sometimes completely) that colony of beneficial bacteria which usually leads to even more deaths and problems.


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## inthepacific (Oct 21, 2012)

I do not see any white spots or things that look abnormal on the body. Its mostly just tattered or reduced fins. But i will try finding treatment for it.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Instead of using meds, just do a water change every day. That should fix it.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Ditto several of the comments above:

Fin rot can be caused by several organisms. 
If you see white tufts a fungus is usually involved. Usually fungi will attack weakened tissue, not healthy tissue, so there might have been an injury or a bacterial infection first. 
No tufts, perhaps red at the base of the fins, leading into the body is bacterial. 
High ammonia levels can also injure the fins, especially the soft tissue between the rays. 

Most fish diseases are caused by Gram negative bacteria. 

I would put the Betta in a hospital tank such as a 5 gallon tank with heater, filter (with cycled media), some drifting or floating plants, but no substrate. 

Melafix and Pimafix work OK when you first see the problem. They are labeled not for labyrinth fish. 

When the infection has gone on longer than a few days then you need a medication that will enter the fish's system to fight the bacteria. Kanamycin does this, even if you dose the water. It can be added to food if the fish is still eating. 
If the fish is eating, and you are able to feed medicated food, then you could also add a UV sterilizer to the tank. Do not use UV with medicines in the water, though. 
Some medicines are OK with a bit of salt in the water, and this may help the fish with the stress. 1 tsp per 10 gallons is a low dose, you might double it if the fish is handling the low level OK. 

Beneficial bacteria can be OK with medications. The bacteria live in a biofilm, which is a complex web that may not allow very much of the medication to reach the bacteria. Monitor the water parameters and do water changes as needed. Re-dose the medication promptly so the therapeutic level is maintained.


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