Betta rub sores 6/25/09
Dear Wet Web Crew,
<Dawn>
I came to you for concerns about my fish earlier this month, and the exodus continues. Now that he's healed from his encounter with the last filtration system I had AND the leaking aquarium, my Betta Lapis is having another problem.
He's always been a rapid swimmer, and likes to swim against the tank a bit, darting and doing figure eights at the front of the tank when he sees me. But I've noticed something since I attached the light to his tank that has me worried. His scales on the front of his head are somewhat dull, not as shiny as I remember them, and I've also noticed in the last two days, three small white spots on his face around his mouth.
<Nothing to worry re>
I've been keeping an eye on them for the last two days, and more have not appeared, and they haven't changed size. The way Ick was described to me it's supposed to look like salt or sugar, which this doesn't (at least not to me). Could it be a fungal infection?
<Mmm, no>
I'd read somewhere that they can get 'pimples'? My concern is that it might be some sort of infection, because periodically when he's darting around now he'll open his mouth. He won't open his gills at the same time as he might if he were flushing his gills, but his mouth opens and shuts as if gasping or trying to grab at something under water. He's still eating with enthusiasm, and he's definitely not lethargic except when he's been in "isolation" for a while. When I'm home I'll put a cloth over his tank for a little while during the day because there is no low traffic area for me to put him in and I worry that my constant passing by will stress him out and make him sick. Even then he's not really lethargic, but a little mopey, as if he misses me. He perks right up when he sees me again.
As for the tank information I'm sure you'll need:
Temperature: 82 F
PH: 7.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Last water change: Sunday 6/21
Last water test: Sunday 6/21 (I always test the water before and after a water change, just to be sure)
Medication/Additives: StressCoat+, Melafix (added 6/24 when I noticed spots weren't gone), aquarium salt (added at water change)
<I'd leave off with the salt>
I showed a picture of Lapis to our resident Betta 'expert' at my local fish store, and she said she thinks it is most likely Ick from the pictures I had available, and she suggested a medication that they use frequently for fish suffering from that parasite (QuICK Cure, which has Formalin and Malachite Green).
<Too toxic>
Due to the harsh nature of both of those medications, I wanted a second opinion before I dosed him because I don't want to dose him with the medication if it ISN'T Ick. I always seek a second opinion because you never know what a fish enthusiast has learned and what they haven't.
<Not a disease...>
Enclosed is a picture. I've circled the spots. This was the best I could do because he doesn't sit still very well for the camera. He's a bit of a fidget (hehe).
Please help me? I don't want to give him the wrong medication or give him something he doesn't need.
<These are sores from the fish rubbing his face on the container... interacting with you, the world. Not to worry. Bob Fenner>

Betta with tumor that...exploded? (RMF?) 6/18/09
Hello!
<Hi,>
I've spent quite a bit of time on your website (along with many, many other sites) trying to figure out what happened/is happening to my Betta, Pat. My apologies for the number of pictures, but I figured it would be best to show you what's going on rather than attempt to describe it.
<It looks like Lymphocystis, or something similar, such as Fish Pox.>
In September of last year I bought this Betta, Pat (short for Patriot since he is vaguely red white and blue). He seemed perfectly healthy and in fact was for quite some time, up until May 21st of this year. I have been
keeping him in a gallon fish bowl with glass stones on the bottom and some Roman columns that he rather seems to enjoy. Because the house is kept kind of cold, I keep the bowl on a heating pad turned to either medium or high.
I am sure to clean the water often (at least once per week and a half) and feed him a variety of foods: the Betta pellets, flakes, bloodworms and most recently, crisps.
<Lymphocystis is viral, but the balance of evidence strongly favours the argument that the virus becomes dangerous only because the fish's immune system is chronically weakened, specifically by environmental and water quality issues. So, you need to review how you're keeping your Betta. The only viable way to maintain a pet Betta (as opposed to what breeders might do in heated fish rooms) is to keep a Betta in a 5-gallon or larger tank; to use a heater set to 25-28 degrees C; and to use a filter to keep the water clean, ideally a sponge filter. If you aren't doing all these things, that's your problem right there.>
I do not monitor the ph (although I realize now that I should) but have a water conditioner for Bettas that I use each time I clean the bowl that "breaks the chlorine bond" and makes it safe for him.
<I'm not sure you understand what you're doing, which likely exposes the Betta to environmental stress. Dechlorinator is fine and good, and certainly you should add an appropriate amount to all new water added to the tank. Water changes should be 25% per week, assuming a 5-gallon tank with a filter installed. But water changes don't remove the need for filtration unless you're changing 90% of the water daily, which is what serious breeders do.>
So. May 21st I'm cleaning out his tank and take a few photos of him for my own fun. I didn't really take notice then, but a white spot had begun to grow on his lower tail fin (pat1.jpg).
<Lymphocystis.>
As the days passed, I noticed that the white spot was growing, like a tumor. Pat remained frisky, eating plenty, moving around and "puffing up" when I came too near the glass. In other words, other than the enormous tumor, he was acting normal and swimming fine (pat2, 3, and 4.jpg). At this point I did some research online and bought Betta Fix, thinking it was a possible parasite or viral infection. I started treating him with it for a week, then changed the water as directed.
<Betta Fix is a complete waste of money. Indeed, any "remedies" recommended that are based on tea-tree oil or salt are largely worthless.>
The tumor seemed to stop growing and wasn't affecting his swimming or behavior, so I decided not to do a second treatment. Today, I go to feed him dinner and this is what I see (pat5, 6.jpg).
His tumor had, for lack of a better word...exploded. Disappeared. There is a hole where the white lump used to be, and a piece of jagged fin. I don't know what to think--no other site has photos of this kind of tumor, or described one that just seemed to drop off.
<Lymphocystis has a distinct growth and decline cycle, sometimes takes weeks, other times years. You've been lucky here, in a way, and now know that to prevent more problems, you should upgrade the aquarium in terms of space, heat and filtration. I'd also recommend strongly treating for Finrot and Fungus to prevent secondary infections, which tend to be common when the skin of a fish has been broken. Good medications that treat both diseases include Seachem Sulfathiazole and Seachem PolyGuard. The important thing is not to imagine that tea-tree oil or salt would help!>
I tried looking in the tank to see if it was possibly sitting on the bottom, but I can't really distinguish between a possible growth and the other "trash" on the bottom of the bowl (I am guilty of feeding him a bit too much, so the excess food sinks to the bottom). He still is eating, moving around, acting like he always has. I am at a total loss.
I guess what I want to know is if there is anything specific I should be doing (medication-wise, food-wise), watching for, and if this is something he can recover from.
<Do review the needs of Bettas. They can't be kept in unheated bowls as small as yours, and invariable die from something or another when kept thus. I do make this point repeatedly here, but I'll say it again: Bettas
are tropical fish. They need all the same things as other tropical fish. If you don't have the space/money/inclination to keep tropical fish correctly -- Bettas or otherwise -- then don't keep them at all.>
Thank you for this site--it surely makes me feel better that I'm not alone!
Stephanie
<Happy to help. Neale.>
<<Appears viral, cancerous... only "internal" self-cure is possible... RMF>>

Beta 6-15-2009
My Beta has a fungal growth growing on it's dorsal fin area-how do you suggest I treat this??
<Anti-fungal medications (not salt, and not tree-oil remedies such as Bettafix, Pimafix or Melafix) should do the trick.>
Appreciate any insights you can offer
<I'm hoping your Betta (not the two Ts; the word rhymes with "better") is in that glass thingamajig just so you could photograph it. Contrary to what the guy in the pet store might suggest, Bettas cannot be kept in unheated glass bowls. They are -- and this surprises some people -- actual fish.
Like any other tropical fish they need heat and filtration. Just to run through the basics, the MINIMUM requirements for a Betta are a 5 gallon aquarium, a heater that keeps the water at 25-28 degrees C, and a filter of some kind, ideally an air-powered sponge filter but other types will do provided the water current isn't too strong. They CANNOT be kept in bowls without heaters regardless of how warm your house is -- unless you happen to live in tropical Southeast Asia where they evolved! Angle-poise lamps and other such "solutions" won't work. I mention all of this because Bettas develop fungal infections when kept badly; their immune system weakens, and fungal spores are able to 'germinate" on the surface of the fish, leading
to the cottony threads you can see. Only by correcting the conditions will anti-fungal medications such as API Fungus Cure, Seachem Sulfathiazole and Seachem ParaGuard work. It's a shame some people buy Bettas assuming they're virtual pets you can keep in a bowl of water; you can't. Don't be one of those people!>
Greg in Woodland, CA
<Cheers, Neale.>

Lapis a tail biter? 06/08/09
I've had Lapis about two weeks, and he's been fine until yesterday. When I left my place Sunday morning he was fine, but when I got back at 4:30 in the evening, about six hours later, his tail was tattered and there was what appeared to be clotted blood stuck to some of the shredded parts.
<Usually such "shredding" is either physical damage, e.g., from another fish, or else Finrot. However, Finrot takes some time to develop, and if it really did go from perfect finnage to shreds in size hours, Finrot is
unlikely to be the issue. That said, it's always worth checking water quality.>
He's in a 5 gallon tank with a heater and a Marineland Duetto Mini filtration unit, and completely by himself.
<Do check the filter isn't over strong for the aquarium; it is possible for a Betta to get stuck to the inlet, and in trying to work itself free, shred its fins. That would be consistent with seeing just a single fin damaged,
as would happen if one fin was stuck to the filter. It goes without saying that air-powered filtration systems, such as box filters and sponge filters, are the correct choices for Betta aquaria.>
The only changes I have made to his environment was to add a couple of decorations to what was already there. There was already a lace rock and four soft plastic plants in the tank. I only added three small pieces that look like coral. I removed them immediately when I saw his fin was damaged, thinking one of them might have been the culprit, because there was no sign of damage beforehand.
<It's improbable that a fish could do this kind of damage merely by swimming past an abrasive rock; this is much more like ripping rather than scratching.>
This is not the first Betta I have had, and the last one died of fin rot; and I don't remember it coming on this fast. Could he be biting his tail??
<No.>
Could he have gotten his tail stuck in the filtration unit somehow??
<Yes.>
Included is a before and an after photo.
<Quite a difference!>
I've changed his water, removed the other decorations except what was originally in his tank, and added a water conditioner after the water change, Bettafix, and aquarium salt. Is there anything else I should do??
<Well, you could stop with the salt and the BettaFix (it's a Betta by the way, pronounced like "better", not "beater"). Treat with a reliable, vet-tested medication appropriate for Finrot, such as Maracyn, to prevent
secondary infection. Tea-tree oil is pretty unreliable, so while cheap, it's also useless.>
Is there anything else I CAN do??
<Review water quality, filtration and act accordingly. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Lapis a tail biter? 6/11/09
Neale,
I just wanted to say again - THANK YOU!
<You're welcome.>
He's already on the mend, and the tail is looking much better!!
<Cool.>
I was so worried about him I could barely sleep until I started to see the clear membranes that were indicators of his fin healing. His tail has already been partially restored. I had no idea they heal so fast.
<With the right medications and good water quality, yes, fish are astonishingly resilient.>
Thank you so much for your help!
Picture was taken yesterday. ^_^ He looks so much better!
<Indeed he does! I like the sponge filter you're using; ideal for Bettas.>
I bought a water testing kit so that I can keep track of his water conditions too, so hopefully all will be fine from now on.
<I hope so too. Good luck, Neale.>
>Hi Bob,
> You might want to add to the title "Re: Lapis a tail biter?" something like "Look what happens when you switch from Melafix to a *real* medication!"
> Cheers, Neale
<Ah yes. Will do. BobF>

Re: Betta now better... 6/26/09
Mr. Fenner,
Thank you so much for responding. I will hold off on the medicine and just keep an eye on the spots just to be on the safe side. Lapis seems to be doing okay, but I'm an ever-worried Betta mommy. Someone should tell PetSmart that malachite green isn't very good for the fish... they dose the water that the little Bettas live in (in those little cups).
<Lesser of two evils... while this protocol surely increases the rate at which their Bettas die before sale, they'd lose even more if they didn't because water quality is so bad.>
They say it's to "keep them from getting sick" but I agree with the mom and pop fish store I use when they said it's probably more because they don't want to clean the water (laziness).
<Quite possibly the case.>
The mom and pop place doesn't use it on the Bettas, just conditioned tap water, and their Bettas live quite well (my first Betta was from them and lived for 3 years). They did recommend the QuICK Cure to me, but she also stressed I might want to use it at half strength or something because the medicines are often stressful on the fish's system. That's the reason I contacted you, I felt it was better to seek a second opinion. Thank you so much for your help.
BTW, tell Neale (who helped me when Lapis got his caudal fin stuck in the old filter I had) that Lapis tail is almost completely healed and I really appreciate the help on that too.
<I'm glad everything worked out well.>
I'm amazed at how quickly he healed.
<Under the right conditions, fish are remarkably healthy and resilient animals. Cheers, Neale.>

Emailing: Fish 001, Fish 002... Betta vision/hlth. 6/8/09
Hi! I am writing about our Betta. His name is Only Named Fish (just Fish for short, my then 3 year old named him!) Fish is now over 2 and a half years old.
<A very good age for a Betta.>
He has always been feisty and ornery. He taps the bowl if I forget to feed him! About a week ago I noticed a perfectly round white spot "on" his eye, on closer inspection it is inside the clear of his eye.
<It's mechanical damage; i.e., he bumped into something, and the outer surface of the eye became damaged and died, hence the white. Not really much you can do beyond making sure the infection doesn't spread further.
The use of a reliable anti-bacterial used for treating Finrot would be appropriate. By this I mean something like Maracyn or eSHa 2000, as opposed to salt or tea-tree oil (Maracyn, Bettafix and other make-believe solutions).>
I haven't noticed any behavior changes, and he still eats like a piranha, but I am pretty sure he can't see out of that eye (I had a terrible time getting a picture because he kept turning his good eye to me). When I saw the dot, I, of course, panicked and headed for the store. They told me it was either PopEye or Ick and gave me some stuff to treat it.
<Poor advice.>
The thing is, I came home and did some research and it looks nothing like any of the diseases. Could he have just whacked himself on the bowl?
<Yes, or more likely, a flat rather than curved surface, e.g., the filter, the hood, or a rock.>
Or could it just be old age?
<Certainly, as fish get older, their repair and immune system likely gets less effective, so problems such as this one become more probable.>
Though the pictures aren't perfectly clear, you can see the dot in his eye in both. (No, that isn't a reflection.) Thanks so much for your great site and all the info. This is the first time my little guy has been sick and I kind of like his ornery old hide! Thanks
Alexis
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Emailing: Fish 001, Fish 002
Thanks a bunch! I appreciate the advice. I will get an antibiotic right away.
Alexis
<Good luck! Neale.>

If all else fails...? 06/04/09
Hello again to the WWM crew!
<Hello,>
I have written in before asking about problems with my mollies, but this time I am writing about my Betta, Betty. Betty lives in a 5 gallon heavily planted tank by herself. Temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, nitrites zero, ammonia zero, and nitrates zero. Prior to her move into this tank, she lived in a 55 gallon tank with tetras but she was upgraded to a home of her own and really seems to like it.
<Cool.>
I purchased Betty at a corporate chain, Petco. Obviously, I have no way of knowing how old she is. I have had her for about 6 months now. After moving her from the 55 gallon into the 5 gallon tank, I noticed that she started getting larger. I cut back on feedings to once every 2-3 and started treating her with Epsom salts. The bloating did not go away. The current treatment is still 2 teaspoons of Epsom salts in the 5 gallon tank during the water changes. The water changes are done weekly.
<This "bloating" is not uncommon among female Bettas. Overfeeding may well be part of the issue, as might constipation, but I'd also factor in possibilities such as egg-binding and simple dropsy. It's not easy to tease these possibilities apart, but at a pinch, I'd order overfeeding as the most common problem, dropsy the second, constipation the third, and egg-binding a distant fourth. Dropsy isn't any one specific disease but a symptom caused by a variety of things that lead to issues with osmoregulation. There's no easy fish, but Epsom salt plus the use of antibiotics may help. Certainly stop feeding altogether, and if, after a week, the swelling has gone down, then overfeeding and/or constipation were the likely causes. If the swelling doesn't change, the look at Dropsy, particularly if the scales seem raised from the body. Egg-binding isn't easy to cure once established, but if she's merely ripe with eggs rather than bound, introducing a male might lead to laying of eggs, and if that happened, you'd have your answer.>
Her bowel movements are stringy and sparse; her output is definitely not what it used to be. I have attempted to feed her peas, bloodworms-both freeze dried and frozen, algae, and other foods that search engines said would relieve possible constipation. She refuses to eat any of it and will only eat a little bit of flake food.
<Lack of interest in food does often go along with parasitic or bacterial infections, and these in turn often lead to Dropsy.>
Her feedings are still cut back to every 3 days, but nothing has made a difference. The scales are not pineconed, so it does not appear to be dropsy.
<I'd still consider this possibility.>
My fiancée even suggested a possible tumor or even if she had eaten a small piece of gravel when she was in the 55 and it never came out.
<Tumours do happen, but usually result in asymmetrical swelling, so one side of the body bulges. As for swallowing gravel, because of the way fish work, it's pretty unlikely. They have gill racers in the throat that allow them to swallow substrate and sift out food without choking.>
Behaviorally, she hangs out in a corner and rarely comes out except to flare up at the cell phone (with which I used to take this picture; I'm sorry about the quality!). The only way to find out would be to cut her open, and I'm not sure I could bring myself to do that even after she passes away. Betty used to be red but her belly is now so bloated and distended that it is white in color. Attached is a picture of her that I took this afternoon. Does anyone on the crew know what else could be causing possible Betta bloat besides constipation and/or dropsy?
Thank you much for the help!
Jenni
<Cheers, Neale.>