I am at a loss of what to do. My betta has been struggling with fin rot for over a month now and it is painful to watch him decline. I’ve been doing 25-50% water changes in my 5g tank every 3-4 days for the past few weeks and I medicated him with Melafix for a week with no improvement. Also sprinkled in aquarium salts every other water change. He had some slight fin rot previously, about 2 months ago, but he perked up and was looking better after a week of medicating with Melafix. However, that is not working at all now. I haven’t been able to get a picture of him until today because he’s usually hiding in his cave on the bottom. He hasn’t come up to eat in at LEAST a week and I am just so sad. When he does swim around, he’s obviously struggling and bumping into the bottom of the tank. I just noticed some silver discoloration on him today. Is this velvet? I don’t know what to do. Well, I know I could get a test kit for water parameters, but I’m trying to treat his symptoms without spending a lot more money. A little tight on my fish budget, unfortunately. Any advice? Or is he too far gone already? 🙁
https://i.redd.it/t9vjp8t4zngd1.jpeg
Posted by Waste_Chest8479
3 Comments
I would euthanize him. He’s in a lot if pain and without the money for treatment and a test kit there’s no use to keep him alive, if he didn’t eat for a week too it’s about to die. It’s sad but that would be the best thing you can do right now for him.
If you can (of ask someone) put him in a bag and smash his head with a big book really hard, thats the best way to do it.
Also for future reference, dont get a fish if you can’t afford a test kit !
I am very sorry to have to tell you this. A fish in this condition will not survive the antibiotic treatment.
Petsmart, petco, etc will test your water for free if you bring in a sample. Given the perisstent fin rot, recent snail death, and how the fish looks, though, my guess is ammonia poisoning. Can’t know for sure without a test, though.
Either way, this fish looks really rough. I’d euthanize it. I’m not sure it would live much longer tbh.