A hello from Singapore!

**Bloodyheadbang** · 9th Jun 2010, 10:34

Hello everyone! I am Lynda. I am new here and to the fish keeping world too. I joined the forum to gain more knowledge about keeping these pretty creatures. I hope to learn a lot.

I am currently keeping an albino senegal bichir (aka dragon fish, as the shop keeper calls it) with an albino sucker fish, and I just added three new fighting fish to my collection.

Sad to say, one of the fighting fish is suffering from fin rot and is back in the shop for healing and another dude is showing signs of fin rot!

So currently I am very worried... My bichir was more of a put there and can live in anything kind of situation so I am kind of lost with my fighting fish.

**eviltrain** · 9th Jun 2010, 10:43

welcome here, hope you will find solution from some betta expert here.

**Bloodyheadbang** · 10th Jun 2010, 10:53

Thank you!
I am still reading the current topics posted! Looks very interesting!

Especially your thread, saw your process in making your shrimp tank! Very informative!

**eviltrain** · 10th Jun 2010, 12:03

haha, thanks alot. are you poisoned like some of the bro here by me? going into shimps too?? haha

**b0r3db3ar** · 10th Jun 2010, 14:07

Hi Lynda, your Betta's fin rot issue is most probably as a result of poor water quality.

Just to ask a couple of question, is your tank properly cycled? What is the pH of your tank? How do you define fin rot? Is it just a case of fin-nipping?

Fin rot is easily spotted by tiny pin holes in the betta's fins which get considerably worse over time if not treated. Keep 3 bettas in the tank (assume they are all males) would result in territorial disputes and hence they might nip at each other. Hence they are affectionately known as 'Fighting Fish'. If you would still like to keep all 3 of them, kindly consider a big tank, say, 3FT or so, with plenty of plants for cover. Please use real plants as plastic plants MAY result in their fins being caught by the sharp ends of the plants.

Additionally, Bettas love acidic water (pH 6) and Betta keepers do this by adding ketapang leaves. You can get the dried leaves form (from C328, in a big bag) or 'Miracle Leaf' product by Oceanfree is basically just crush dried leaves in a tea sachet quite cheaply. Alternatively, you could purchase Blackwater Extract or Attison Betta Spa which are considerably more expensive due to its convenience.

That being said, most betta keepers here only use Ketapang extract when the betta is sick. In most of the cases, fin rot is attributed to poor water quality and not the pH level.

Correct your water quality (if thats the issue) and add some Ketapang extract and your bettas will heal shortly after. It can be healed but the fins will not grow back as nice though.

Hope this help. Do enjoy this great hobby. Cheers!

**Bloodyheadbang** · 10th Jun 2010, 23:22

Hello BoredBear! Thanks for leaving me such good tips, I will go to my lfs to look for said ketapang leaves.

I do keep my bettas in seperate tanks.

Heres the story, I did some research before buying my betta, but not extensive research. Most claim bettas are able to be kept in fish bowls, relatively easy to keep and are hardy.

So I went ahead and bought 2, Ichigo and Kurosaki. I kept them in seperate bowls. Ichigo started becoming moody, but I did not know the signs as I am new to fish keeping, but soon Ichigo's fins started clamping, I changed the water and still it got worse. Initially I thought it was velvet!!

This is Kurosaki

I went back to the shop to ask for help, it is very bad fin rot and they offered to heal Ichigo back up. During this time, I started researching further and realised that I needed bigger tanks and filtration. Kurosaki is not showing signs of being moody, but I am not very sure if his fins are showing signs of fin rot.

I went to Qian Hu and saw a very pretty betta and bought him, Gin. (As you can see, I like Bleach.) Along with real plants and gravel which are black crystals. I prepared water with a little bit of anti-chlorine and then moved Gin into his new home. He was OK for 3 days, and then suddenly I saw a huge tear in his tail fin, which was this Tuesday. I did a 50% water change on Wednesday with water prepare on Tues with Anti-chlorine and salt, removed the bamboos from my tank setup and the wire mesh holding plants down, just in case. Today, it got worse. I had already bought some anti-fin rot medication. I am not sure if I should use it or not because I have a cardinal tetra and 2 small sucker fish type living with Gin.

Please could you (or anyone else) kindly tell me what to do step by step? I am really lost at this point.

(About Ichigo, I went to the shop to check on him today, the shop keeper asked me if they could cut off his fins, because even after 3days of medication, hes not healing. I said ok after knowing that they are going to numb him first!)

Upgraded Kurosaki to this tank

This is when I just bought Gin

He is very camera-shy, Gin with fin rot.