Signs of fin rot in Betta fish

No pet owner ever wants to have a sick pet…

In the fall of 2012, my roommate and I had a sick betta fish on our hands. We had went away for a vacation and returned to find our boy, Ianto, in a rough state. Although it was scary, we managed to bring our boy back to his usual self with patience and care.

Unfortunately, it can often be difficult to find good information about how to treat sick bettas, so I’m making it my mission to do what I can to help make it easier for other betta owners to diagnose and treat their fish.

Because we were able to successfully treat our sick betta, here is handy information about fin rot and what you can do to hopefully make your pet healthy again as well:

What Is Fin Rot?

Fin rot is a bacterial infection that is believed to be the most common betta fish infection that seems to mostly affect long-tail varieties. It mostly occurs in weakened fish that have experienced physical injury, been attacked by parasites, or live in poor water conditions. If left untreated, the infection (as well as secondary infections) can ultimately claim its life.

Fin Rot Symptoms

• The caudal, dorsal, anal, and/or ventral fins are raggedy (and oftentimes clamped)
  
• Infected fin is often black or red in colouration
  
• Infected areas may take longer to progress, depending on the infection intensity, but can be deadly if left to reach the body
  
• Infection can lead to a host of other secondary problems and illnesses once the immune system is compromised

1. Remove the sick fish (if it’s in a community tank).

If you have a community tank, you need to remove the infected fish immediately and place it into a quarantine tank. At the same time, you’ll have to keep a close eye on the community since it’s possible other fish may be affected as well.