Betta - Fin rot Help

[Taurus]

A fish’s tail does not simply fall off. Not even current will take a fishes tail off. It may shred it a bit if it is an insanely strong current, but I doubt it will take it off. Sort of like your hair in strong wind, it gets mussed, but doesn’t fall off. A betta’s tail will fall off because he is stressed and biting it off himself, another fish is biting it off, fin rot, and maybe poor nutrition. Am I accusing you of this? No, just telling you what I know to be causes of a fish’s tail separating from its body. You suspect fin rot. Fin rot is caused by poor water conditions and stress compromising the fish’s immune system, that’s a fact, take it or leave it, it doesn’t change that truth, and there is no cause for you to kill the messenger.
The betta is already stressed and the oto’s appear to be fine. Betta's are finicky fish and the oto’s might be stressing him, so I would move the oto’s to another tank, no need to stress the betta more than he already is, and do daily water changes and add some more plants so he can hide. I’ve had betta’s that love big spaces and some that don’t, you may have one that doesn’t like bigger tanks and open area's, and it is stressing him to the point of biting his own tail.

Now you can calm down and maybe we can find an answer or you can continue with your emotional outbursts and pretend no one here cares about fish but you. This is the second time you have accused me of being uncaring and I find that insulting. Whether you choose to see it as a lecture or not, the fact that I take time to give you any sort of answer shows that I do care.

There it is...take or leave it...awesome post Mom.

[Tiari]

Excuse me, this would be the first time. I have never to my knowledge confronted you on anything before.

Second, I am aware that a fish's fin does not just "fall off". I never stated that it did.

Poor water quality may be the #1 reason for fin rot, but its not the only reason. I think somehow in this hobby, people begin to think a single web page or possibly two on the inter-web is the holy bible of fish keeping. No illness is 100% preventable, there are plenty of Betta owners in my position, who keep excellent water quality.

Stress, accompanied by damage to a fin can cause fin rot by the fact that the bacteria that causes fin rot is present in ALL aquariums, even well maintained one. One does not need to be lazy, or slack off to get a case of fin rot.

As an aside, on another forum, which I went to for lack of answers, I gained an answer and remedy in less than five minutes.

Temperature is the problem too low, raise it, remove cats, add salt, if no improvement use Maracyn 2.

[Honey Badger 1]

How quickly you forget: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...light=stunting

I also told you stress was the main contributor because it compromises the fish's immune system and allows the bacteria to affect the fish. I also told you to remove the oto's and do daily water changes, I personally don't advocate the use of salt in most instances, but that's just my personal preference because clean water will do the same as salt without the irritation to the freshwater fish. I also told you to add more decor to the tank because he may need more decor to feel comfortable. I did not mention temperature as a stress factor because as you didn't mention it in any of your posts and as you are a self professed betta expert I assumed you knew to keep his tank at the proper temperature to keep him healthy. My mistake.
With the exception of adding salt, you got the same answers here as you did at the other forum, you just chose not to listen here. Please by all means, don't let me stop you from frequenting the other place.

[Taurus]

Stress, accompanied by damage to a fin can cause fin rot by the fact that the bacteria that causes fin rot is present in ALL aquariums, even well maintained one.

The betta could have had the bacteria that causes fin rot already on him when he was introduced to the his new surroundings as well.

[lacefacefish]

Tiari,
It sounds like your doing everything you can to keep him healthy and your right, illness and disease (like in all other people and animals) is not always black and white.
A few months ago my Betta Harold had a slightly inflamed gill on one side and I was super worried, so online I went and everything said nitrite or ammonia burn. So I tested my water (which I always do weekly, with changes) and nothing was out of the ordinary. But it was clear that regardless of my water tests coming out clean every week, his gill was inflamed! So that day I put him in a 5gal with non-iodized sea salt (found the ratio online). I changed almost 100% of the water everyday and continued to keep it mildly salted. His gill went back to normal after about a week, and he returned to his normal self. I tested and changed the water in my big tank, and it was the same as it always is, clean. So I returned him to the big tank and everything was fine. I think quarantine can be good for stress relief in solitary fishes like Bettas, and maybe some live plants would make him more comfortable? I know Harold LOVES a pond plant i got him.It floats on the surface so he can lurk in its roots and doesn't have to go far to get a breath of air. I hope your Betta gets better :)