fin rot and elodea

Question
hi amber, I have two male bettas divided in the same tank.  Originally they had no plants in there, however i have recently bought some elodea and put it in the tank.  Both fish, almost over night have come down with fin rot.  Their tails are fraying and splitting and getting shorter.  I dont know why because i thought elodea was safe.
thankyou


Answer
Hello Jessica-

Some plants have sharp leaf edges or sharp stems poking out from them. Usually, when fins are getting sliced up, it's from a plant or decoration. If you run your hand over the plant, it should feel soft and very "limp," as anything rigid can easily split fin. I would advise removing the plant, trimming off anything stiff, returning the plant, and dosing the tank with both aquarium salt and QuickCure (from WalMart or PETsMART.) Keep up with the treatment (only the QuickCure needs to be dosed daily) until the infection subsides.

Hope this is useful!
-Amber Worman