Betta with tail rot. Please help!

[Anpa1019]

Hi everyone,
I have a male betta fish that has developed fin/tail rot. He is in a 1 gallon tank without a filter and I really can't afford to upgrade him right now but I do want help make him feel better. I washed out his tank, marbles, and plant with hot water. I treated him with jungle fungus clear but although it slowed down the rot, it didn't stop it. I gave him about week free of meds and another 100% water change but the rot got much worse during that time. Then I tried using the Madrel TC for about 2 treatments but found a huge new hole in his tail. I didn't want to waste more time so I switched to a Maracyn I and II combination about 3 days ago. When I came home today, his tail looks even worse. I have also beed adding some aquarium salt during the water changes. Am I doing the right thing? I don't want to overmedicate him but I don't want to just sit there and watch him get worse. He eating and acting fine, and has even made some bubble nests since I have been using the tetracycline.

Here are some pictures of him. The first picture is from about a month ago, during the treatment with jungle fungus clear. He is much worse there than when I first started treatment. The second picture is from today and he looks horrible. Please help. I am really worried about my Bubble and nothing I am doing seems to be making him better.

[emc7]

I couldn't load the pics. But doing one treatment at a time with 100% water changes in between is the right thing to do. Being without a filter is fine if you do 100% water changes twice a week. If you find the "cure" the fins should stop eroding. Aquarium salt is fine as long as you keep the concentration the same. Especially don't lower it suddenly. If you decide to stop using it, taper off gradually.

[mousey]

Pics loaded fine for me.
Can't really see anything wrong with the fish.
IS that plant plastic?
Betta really should have silk plants as the tails are too delicate if they get caught on anything.
They will tear. Fresh water and Betta fiX is great for tail rot.

[twitchygirl]

Hey,
Im sorry to hear about Bubble. Tail rot is really nasty.

What is your pH? It may be too high or low and so his tail may be deteriorating as a result.

As for the M/M2 - how long did you keep him on it for?

What water conditioner do you use? StressCoat+ is great for encouraging fin regrowth. VitaChem, a nutrition supplement (and appetite enhancer) is also really great for encouraging regrowth.

Since you're having such an issue killing the infection, Id really take a look at your water parameters - especially, particularly, the pH. I've had a fish with what thought was tailrot and it turned out he was just particularly sensitive to it. Its really worth looking at.

Good luck!

[trashion]

I've never heard pH having anything to do with fin/tail rot, mostly ammonia. How often do you do water changes?