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I'm really worried about Willard and I'm hoping someone can help me figure out what's going on with him. Two days ago, I noticed his fins were deteriorating, so I started doing some research. From what I've read, it seems like fin rot is the likely culprit. I added a bit of aquarium salt to his tank, and at least that's stopped him from flashing and scratching. Today, I decided to quarantine him while I gave his tank, decor, and gravel a good cleaning in hot water. Now that everything's clean, I've put him back in his tank. I've taken some pictures to show you what's going on - the first one is from today, and the other two are from last week. As you can see, his fins are in pretty rough shape - there's a hole in one of them, and the others are deteriorating too. I've also noticed a split in his top fin, and the color in his bottom fin is fading. I'm really hoping someone can offer some advice on how to help Willard feel better.

I appreciate the concern about the plastic plants - I've had them in there for a while, and I'm not sure if they're the culprit. As for the holes and edges on Willard's fins, I do notice some discoloration, it's more of a brownish tint around the damaged areas. His fins are definitely looking tattered, especially the one with the hole.

Regarding my tank, I've had it set up for about 6 months now, and I'm pretty sure it's cycled - I've been doing regular water changes and monitoring the parameters. Speaking of which, here are my current water parameters: Nitrates are around 10 ppm, Nitrites are 0, Ammonia is 0, pH is 7.4, and alkalinity is around 80 ppm. My tank is 10 gallons, and yes, I do have a heater - it's set to around 78°F.

You're right, I did do a massive water change when I cleaned the tank, which seems to have helped a bit. I'm still worried about Willard's condition, though - I've never dealt with fin rot before, and I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to help him recover.

I appreciate your response, thanks for taking the time to help me out. I'm a bit embarrassed I don't have a test kit, I know that would be super helpful right now. I've been wondering if that new pointy plant could be causing some damage, I just added it recently. Upon closer inspection, I think I see a bit of black on the outside edges of some areas, but it's really faint. Someone else mentioned stress could cause fin nipping, so I'm keeping a close eye on him. I've noticed one rip and a few areas on his fins that look uneven.

My tank is 2.5 gallons, and I have a filter set at 80°. It was cycled, but I did a full water change, so I'm not sure if that's still the case. I did keep the filter insert, marimo moss balls, and bamboo unwashed, so hopefully there's still some good bacteria in there.

I'm curious about your water change routine. Do you have a regular schedule for water changes? What percentage of the water do you usually change at a time? Also, what kind of water conditioner are you using to keep the water safe for Willard?

goldminer wrote: ↑Sat May 17, 2025 5:38 am I'm curious about your water change routine. Do you have a regular schedule for water changes? What percentage of the water do you usually change at a time? Also, what kind of water conditioner are you using to keep the water safe for Willard?

I do 25% water changes every 2-3 days, and I've been using API betta water conditioner for my tank.