Betta with white streaks in fins

[NatureNut]

I have a betta that I keep in my son's classroom. His teacher does the water changes and daily care (taught carefully by me, with detailed written instructions to back it up). She contacted me yesterday to say that his fins were turning white on the edges. I went and picked him up today, and sure enough... the dorsal and tail fins have a white streak along the top edge, and it looks like some of the others might be going that way. Nitrates, Nitrites and Ammonia all test at 0. The java moss was gucky with algae, so I pulled it out and just left a small piece of java fern in and I'll put in some new plants when I see that things are settled in there. He's active, eating, and seems fine. The white doesn't have any fuzziness to it, and the rest of his body looks fine. I did a 100% water change, pulled out the carbon filter and put in pimafix and melafix. I did a quick google, and saw that sometimes this can be fin rot, and sometimes it is just a pigment change. I trust you folks far more than the general net. Any ideas, suggestions? I'm keeping him home at least through the long weekend, but those kidlets were sad to see him go! We've had him since the spring, and there's never been a moment where he gave me worry until this.

Oh, and he runs with filter, heater, and was sitting at about 82F in the classroom. It's just one of those 7.5W continuous heaters, so tank temp varies with room temp, unfortunately.

Edited November 8, 2007 by NatureNut

[BlackMumba]

I have a betta that I keep in my son's classroom. His teacher does the water changes and daily care (taught carefully by me, with detailed written instructions to back it up). She contacted me yesterday to say that his fins were turning white on the edges. I went and picked him up today, and sure enough... the dorsal and tail fins have a white streak along the top edge, and it looks like some of the others might be going that way. Nitrates, Nitrites and Ammonia all test at 0. The java moss was gucky with algae, so I pulled it out and just left a small piece of java fern in and I'll put in some new plants when I see that things are settled in there. He's active, eating, and seems fine. The white doesn't have any fuzziness to it, and the rest of his body looks fine. I did a 100% water change, pulled out the carbon filter and put in pimafix and melafix. I did a quick google, and saw that sometimes this can be fin rot, and sometimes it is just a pigment change. I trust you folks far more than the general net. Any ideas, suggestions? I'm keeping him home at least through the long weekend, but those kidlets were sad to see him go! We've had him since the spring, and there's never been a moment where he gave me worry until this.

Oh, and he runs with filter, heater, and was sitting at about 82F in the classroom. It's just one of those 7.5W continuous heaters, so tank temp varies with room temp, unfortunately.

Unfortunately, in my experience that a healthy betta does not loose coloration, it does sound that fin rot is the problem, I would just use some salt to the water with primafix and melafix (half the dose of melafix, *dunno if it is a hazard to use a full dose with a betta as per someone today relaying that melafix might not be recommended for bettas* ) at the same time, it should clear up within a couple days...

Keep us posted :thumbs:

[NatureNut]

Thanks! I'll go add some salt now. I did a full dose of melafix, so I'm hoping that didn't do any harm... I read the post on that right after I did the treatment. Go figure. I suppose I could do another water change, but he seems fine.

[BigA]

..... was sitting at about 82F in the classroom. It's just one of those 7.5W continuous heaters, so tank temp varies with room temp, unfortunately.

Isn't 82F a little too high in the temp range for a Betta? I had always thought they were to be kept in th 65-75 range.

[BlackMumba]

..... was sitting at about 82F in the classroom. It's just one of those 7.5W continuous heaters, so tank temp varies with room temp, unfortunately.

Isn't 82F a little too high in the temp range for a Betta? I had always thought they were to be kept in th 65-75 range.

65 is too low, lowest should be 74 and up to 80, 82 is a wee bit high..nothing seriously bad for them, for my bettas I keep them at 75 to 80.. they do best for breeding 75, fry grow out tank is at 80 degrees...

Now, I jar up my fry which has no heat, so it is a little low prob 72 - 73 range.... I wish I could keep them in heated water, but 78 fry is a little hard to do ... I have currently jared 12 up, and another 15 getting ready to jar up...