Marine Betta Fin Rot

[cahermit]

I have a 28 gal tank set up until I can get my 150 repaired..... Contained within is 1 huge ass jeweled damsel, a sergeant (or 4 striped) damsel, and my 4 inch marine betta. Quite recently the betta's tail fin started to rot away and now there is a slight chunk missing and a larger chunk missing from it's dorsal.... enough to where several of it's "spines" are pertruding. It is depressing to see my poor fish in this condition, and it has onset quite rapidly (5 days from nothing to now). I run the salt @ 1.019 to 1.022.... all of the levels are 0, but nitrates were @ 40 BEFORE my last 20% water change (3 days ago). Ph 8.2. I feed Tetramarine granules and occasional shrimp chunks, small feeder goldfish, live brine, and spirulina. Temp is constant @ 80-81 degrees F... I have 1 floro strip running across the top and no inverts. I use no additives, and RO water for water changes... but it was originally set up with Tap about 3 months ago when the brace on the top of my 150 dislodged, glass started bowing and scared the ---- out of me. The only thing I have tried thus far (other than the water change) is Copper, which I have had luck with in the past, but I've never dealt with marine fin rot... Tomarrow is dose 2 of 2 on the copper and I am not seeing any improvements yet (although it is not getting worse yet either). Other than the betta, the jeweled damsel has a tiny bit of fraying on his tail, but the betta is definately not being attacked by the 4 striped, despite their violent nature. This IS bacterial or fungal for sure, and the betta appears a bit dull colored............................................ Suggestions?

 

[beth]

Are you sure it is not aggression?? You really need to watch unobtrusively for awhile to see what is going on. Fish can be really sneaky about aggression.
How long have you had the Beta? And, if for a good while, did this problem just start up since the move to the smaller tank? Why are your nitrates so high?

 

[cahermit]

It could have started with aggression, perhaps I will move the damsel, how do you think it would do with a 1 inch huma huma? Should I leave the jeweled in? This tank is in my living room, and I don't have cable tv, so it is basically my television, so it definately get's watched quite a bit by tons of people, if there is any aggression it must be happening at night.
I have had the betta for about a year now, and it was doing fine in the tank up until recently.... Actually when I had the disaster happen (or close call) with the 150, I put him into a 10g for about a week while I tore down the 150 and set up the 28.
A few things that I did notice as recent changes are that when it was colder, I opened the blinds on the windows and was not using my lighting, but recently it has been warmer so I leave the blinds shut and have been using the lighting again.... and with the change in weather my tank has been running extremely high temps like 86-88 at the peak in the day. I was actually debating dropping a frozen bottle of water in there to keep the temp more regulated, but that might cause a sudden spike in temp, and is an unreliable method, although an extremely cheap alternative to a cooler.
I have no idea why the nitrates are so high, I am running a fluval 404 on this little tiny tank (in comparison for what the filter can handle).... To combat that, I am just planning on weekly 10% water changes and vacuuming until they drop back down.
The ammonia level is fine, and there is definately no ich, especially with the increased temps I am experiencing.
I am planning on medicating with maracyn if fin rot progresses or doesn't show signs of improvement by tomarrow or the next day... So the question now is this-> I also have a 10g tall with a 1 inch huma huma, and a 19g tall nano reef with a 1/2 inch clown, 1 inch green coral goby (aka rumpled goby), 1 polyp specimen, 2 mushroom specimens, and an atlantic anemone... If I am to separate these damsels, who should go where to avoid setting up another tank? Obviously the betta will stay in the 28g by itself, and the sergeant can't go into the reef. Also, it has come to my attention that Jewel damsel refers to a shitload of different damsels, I am referring to Neoglyphidodon oxyodon , aka black velvet damsel, not the spotted traditional jeweled.... As far as I know it should be okay to put it into my reef, other than the fact that it may pick on my other 2 tiny fish..... So my assumptions based on that is to put the sergeant in with the trigger, and the jeweled in the reef..... and thus I will eliminate the need for a QT tank and my betta will be better off..... Is this correct? If all else fails, I have a few extra 10gs, coral and filters to set up for a damsel tank. Thanks for your input peoples, it is greatly appretiated and I express my gratitude.

 

[cahermit]

The copper apparently worked because the finrot stopped, and everything is growing back together now........ But I still need to know what to do with the damsels.

 

[beth]

That temp is really too high and could be causing the problem. Do you run AC in the house? What is causing that high temp? The fluval could be the cause of the high nitrates. What other filters do have in there??
It is likly that beta being on his own resulted the fin growth rather than any copper treatment.
Why don't you see if you can do a trade with the LFS on the damsels?