Yeah, the box says tablespoon but long ago someone broke it down into tsps to make it easier for those with tanks smaller than 5g. I personally would go with the tsp because it's a lower dose and not as likely to shock his system but if you've had him at the tablespoon and he's been handling it fine, then you can definitely continue with that. You'll see a lot of difference of opinion on how much salt to use. Some say 1 tsp per gallon, some say 1 tablespoon per 2 gallons. Always go for the lower dose and increase as needed. That way you can monitor your fish and make sure he doesn't have a bad reaction.

I'm really glad to hear his wound is healing up. It's amazing how fast fins and scales can regenerate on a fish. Often, with torn fins, you can see new growth in as little as a day.

I'm really glad I've been able to help you. :) I've been there myself, worrying over my little betta babies so I totally understand how you feel.

Merry Christmas to you too. :)

PT 2



Tomorrow morning I'm going to purchase a heater for the 10gall, and I've decided that maybe I'll wait before buying an antibacterial medication. As you've said it seems my betta is more than OK in the whole 'bacterial infections' department. [I'm actually beginning to think that the red in his fins may be a part of his genes; under incandescent lighting I can even see a red tone in his main body!] His right ventral fin wound also seems better than from the night before. Looks like the wound is closing up, in a way? I think the AQ salt is helping, and plus I just added a filter to his tank today, so hopefully things will go smoothly from here.

Again, thank you so much Sakura. Can't tell you how much I was stressing over all this but you really helped me in my time of need! I appreciate it!

Merry Christmas!

I see! Thank you for clarifying on the AQ salt; it makes a lot of sense.

I think that I will keep my boy in his AQ salt'd 10gall for a total of perhaps 4-6 or so days. Around tomorrow I'm probably going to change 50% of the water (5 gallons worth) and do as you suggested with replacing the salt.

If I'm not mistaken though I believe for each 5 gallons it is 1 [rounded] tablespoon, not teaspoon? o.o At least that's what it says on the carton and what I've been seeing on the internet. XD

Thank you for the additional warning! I'll keep that in mind for the future. :]

Well, it's true that the more you use salt the more chances you have of the bacteria becoming resistant. That's why, among other reasons, I discourage adding salt in on a regular basis (as some people do). But this one time won't hurt him at all. He'll grow some extra slime coat so it'll help prevent any bacteria from getting into his open wound. You can keep him in the salt for a few days to a week, with 14 days being the absolute max. If you change the water, be sure you add the same amount of salt that you took out back in. So if you changed say, half the water, add in half the salt.

I'm not sure I told you but the usual dosage for salt is 1 tsp per gallon. So if you took out 5 gallons in a water change, you would add in 5 tsps of salt with the new water.

Oh, and don't use salt if you have live plants or cory catfish in the tank. They're super sensitive to it.

The more I think about it the more I'm guessing that throwing the AQ in the 10gall might have not been so good of an idea. The bad side to that is that salt-resistant bacteria may develop, is that true? o.o

Oh shoot, I already used the Aquarium Salt for the 10gall. I'm just a bundle of anxiety with my boy's open-wounded/strange right ventral fin and his tailbiting, so I decided to fill up the rest of the tank and put some AQ to use. There won't be any dire consequences, will there? Or do l have to take him out of there?

Hmm, I don't think I can get any stress coat anytime soon, but I will do my best to keep the water clean. I'm assuming near-daily water changes in the 10gall for the next several so-and-so days? :o

I also -do- have frozen bloodworms in my fridge, but they've been sitting there for months because I was uncertain about them for a few reasons. I don't suppose they have an expiration date?

Thank you~

Since he's only taken two bites out of his tail, I would hold off on the salt for right now. Just make sure the water stays clean and you should see new fin growth within a day or two. It's amazing how fast fins regrow. To speed up regrowth, you can add API Stress Coat (medical dose, which is a capful) to his tank and also feed more frozen foods like frozen bloodworms. The high protein helps the regrowth process.

He sounds like he's got loads and loads of personality. :)

If you start to see more tears or blackened edges and large chunks of fin coming off at a time, then it's a concern and definitely time for AQ salt. AQ salt helps them produce extra slime coat which can "lift" bacteria off the body and coat open wounds so bacteria can't get in. Shouldn't be a concern if the water is clean though.

Nope, no trouble at all, I'm happy to help. :)

Oh you're lucky, I don't have a betta with cute freckles. :D I think they're cute but I can definitely see where they'd cause a moment of worry. They do look like fleas or something on the fins.

So now he's started tailbiting too? Oh, naughty boy. Some bettas can be grumpy, I think, especially if they're used to a schedule and all of a sudden, it's thrown off. My sleep schedule/light schedule is always so wacky that I guess my bettas got used to the lights being on and off at weird times. I've had them bite for other reasons but not the lights . . . yet. *fingers crossed* Your guy apparently is expressing his mood and taking it out on his fins.

Yes yes! Those are the 'freckles' I spoke of. :)

And urgg, I came home at about 9:40PM to see that my betta had 'teeth marks' at the end of his caudal tail fin. There was also a floating thin piece of gravel in the tank o.o I think it might have been that he was in total 'darkness' since about 5PM today; he's not used to it being dark until about 12AM-3AM when I turn off his aquarium light. (I did not turn his light on for his first afternoon today in the 10gall because the incandescent bulbs seem to make it hot and I don't want to risk temperature fluctuations.)

Betta fish are very sensitive to day/night schedules, I'm assuming? I'm guessing he may have gotten a little moody that 'nighttime' arrived hours earlier than usual and bitten at his tail out of stress?

Also with this new injury to his tail should I Aquarium Salt the 10gall? And if so could you instruct me on the procedure?

Sorry to trouble you so much!

Are the little tiny dots arranged in almost a pattern in his dorsal fin, like along the fin rays? Or are they more random? Any dots on his anal (bottom) fin? Some bettas do have wonderful "freckles" in their fins.


You can see how both these guys have spots in their fins. If the spots your fellow has don't really look like this, then I might need a pic of them to see if he could have fish lice.

I panicked quite a bit when Riceball started marbling because of that red color. I thought for sure he was getting septicemia and all sorts of things but once he started getting a few patches of black in with the red, I calmed down (a little). Kinda disappointed, I liked him all white. He always looked like a crazy runaway bride or something when he was swimming.