Fin Rot in Aquarium Betta Fish: Causes, Treatments And Preventive Measures

Keeping a betta fish at home is basically having fish as pets. And so they require our utmost care and love like any other pets we keep. Having betta fish as pets may not be so convenient or conventional for many Households, as they require our continuous attention and supervision. 

Since an aquarium (no matter how fancy it might be) isn’t the betta fish’s natural habitat, the owner must first understand the responsibilities to ensure the best possible care for them. A betta tank at home spreads joy, relieves stress and anxiety, and brings a sense of peace to all who see it. In fact, in many popular cultures, they are believed to be symbols of Good luck.

What Is Fin Rot?

Fin rot literally means rotting of the fish fins in the most of aquarium. By paying a closer look at the betta fish, one can identify this disease. The fins of an infected fish will usually appear ragged, discolored, and torn. 

This disease is sometimes referred to as tail rot as they attack the tails and fins both. Fin rot is the most common bacterial disease in your betta fish tank. So, if identified, it is easily treatable in its initial stage. 

For an easy-to-follow guide on how to treat fin rot in betta fish tank, find more resources on Aquarium Fish City(AFC).

What Causes Fin Rot?

There are many reasons or factors which cause and aggravate Fin rot. 

• But the primary factor is caused by bacteria aero Monas, vibrio, or Pseudomonas bacteria.

• These bacteria breed on dirty tank water. If the aquarium is not cleaned or changed frequently, it can trigger a chain reaction.

• Overfeeding your betta fish pollutes the water in the tank at an abnormal speed, and also feeding fish feeds not only harms the health of the fish but also adds more toxicity in the water. Hence, you need to avoid overfeeding and check for the expiry dates of the fish feeds.

• Every fish in the aquarium needs a different level of pH, so erratic pH Levels of the water tank may also contribute to their stress. 

• Overcrowding of the betta fish tanks, some dominant fish may chase around /attack and nibble the smaller fishes’ fins.

• “Stress factor” is the dominant cause of Fin rot. This will occur when dominant aquarium fishes bully the smaller ones. The bacteria attack the already stressed or the injured fish, causing it to rot.

Measures We Can Adopt To Prevent Fin Rot.

• Don’t overcrowd the tank.

• Keep the new betta fish in a different tank for some time before introducing them to the aquarium immediately. 

• Change the water regularly.

• Don’t overfeed the betta fish; twice feeding will suffice.

• Before introducing your betta fish to the aquarium, test the water for pH (acid-base balance) Values, ammonia, nitrate, etc. Depending on the species of the fish.

• Make sure to clean the aquarium filters according to the manual instructions.

Treatments Available For Fin Rot-

• There are lots of antibiotics available at the counter to treat Fin rot. So it is advisable to seek a medical opinion to treat severe cases. As mentioned earlier, fin rot at its initial stage is curable. Hence, it is imperative to take quick actions.

• Consult an aquatic veterinarian if available or any veterinarians to get them to prescribe appropriate antibiotics for the fish.

• Using Aquarium Salt for treatment: You can add some aquarium salt in the water tank to hold back the various fungal and bacterial growths. But again, depending on the fish species, you should use the suitable salt.

Some fish species, especially the scale-less, are very sensitive to salt. Ideally, for five gallons of water, one tablespoon of aquarium salt is recommendable.

• Addressing the main causing factor for fin rot, which is dirty tank water, the aquarium water needs to be cleaned and changed regularly.

• Drain the water tank completely and clean all the aquarium accessories.

• Check for any trapped food or plant debris in the gravel, pipes, filters, etc. and remove them.

• Separate the infected fish from the rest and after it is treated with antibiotics, and once its fins start growing, transfer it to the main aquarium.
• Lower the fish tank’s temperature to about 75° F. This will slow down the growth of bacteria, which is, in turn, causing the fin Rot, as bacteria naturally thrives on warm temperatures.