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I need some help!!! I did not get a chance to come home yesterday and when I came home today I noticed that my betta was resting on the bottom of the tank, which is not normal for him. I figured at first he was just hanging out for a few seconds, but when he did not move I noticed that he appears to have some white patchy spots on his gills and body. It looks almost like he is shedding or something. PLEASE HELP I love my little buddy and don't know what this coudl be!
HE is also gasping for air. I did an immediate water change and gave him some time, but he still looks jsut as bad.



Christina

could it be white spot?

No it is not Ich. He has patches of white not little white specks. Thanks though.



Christina

could it be a fungus infection? it does sound like it. according to my betta book, QUICK AND EASY BETTA CARE, change all the water in the tank, and dip him in a salt bath... hold him in a net in a solution of 4 tablespoons of non-iodized salt per gallon of water until he appears stressed (about a minute or less). then swab the infected areas (NOT THE GILLS OR GILL COVERS) with mercurochrome. let it work for about 30 seconds and then return him to his tank full of nice clean water. repeat the dip every day and swabbing every 3 or 4 days. The book does say that since it is a stressful treatment many unfortunately don't survive :#(:#(:#(. Perhaps your lfs has a fungal treatment for bettas?
Again, all this was from the book entitled Quick and Easy Betta Care.

Wouldn't Melafix or Pimaix work for this?

I do not want to stress him out anymore than he is i want him to live!!!

a pic would be best, but if it is a fungus infecting, then there are alot of products out there, but u really cant beat nature, so leaves like alamond, and banana leaves will help, but if u cant find those, i would suggest jungle buddies fungus clear, given the tank size, and if it has a filter.

My beautiful betta is gone!!!! I am SO mad at myself! I should have gone to wal-mart to get something for him that night. It was late and he was just kinda hanging around, so I thought he would be okay for a few more hours. I went to get him some medicine yesterday but he looked really bad all ready and when I checked on him this morning he was gone. He was the most awesome betta! I hope I can find one as cool as him again one day.





Christina

Dont berate yourself, if it died that quick the meds wouldnt have helped it anyway.It generally takes them 24-48hours to even begin having an effect.

Its an unfortunate result of evolution that sick fish look healthy right up until a few hours before they die. Its designed to stop them getting spotted as ill by predators and picked off, but unfortunately it also means that we cant always see the symptoms in time to treat them.

Chin up. Better luck next time.

I think I will definitely hold off on getting another one for a while though. I actually kinda got him by chance. I saw him out of the corner of my eye and said OMG I HAVE TO HAVE HIM! I only wish I had taken some pictures of him. I was actually goign to this weekend when he got sick. I am going to wait till I see another one that just says TAKE ME HOME! before I get another one. I might look into getting myself a crowntail this time as well.



Christina

I totally understand your feelings. I work at a fish store and get to hear stories all the time. i would suggest to you a few things. Make sure that the temperature of the water is around 76 degrees F. because Bettas are tropical fish and may get lethargic in cooler water. Therefore you would want to keep him away from drafts, windows, heating vents, etc. to prevent temperature fluxuations that could weaken the fish. Second, consider your water conditions. I didn't read all your entries, so I may be shooting in the dark, but you need to keep a close eye on the condition of the water. If the betta is in a bowl or vase, the water will become dirty more quickly than a 5 gallon tank. Personally (not that everyone else is wrong) I suggest putting a betta in a tank with a heater and air pump. You will be able to clean the tank with a gravel vac and not have to empty most the water in a bowl to clean it. The heater will keep the water warm enough and the air pump will add air to the water (which is helpful, even though bettas breath air from the water surface.) As for disease treatment, I am thinking that you may have had a fungal problem. Pimafix is made from rasemosa pimenta, which won't stain. It will also help with secondary bacterial infections. Jungle also makes some easy to use products that you can get at your local department store. Fungus Clear is made by jungle and are fizzy tabs you drop in the water. I believe they also help with secondary bacterial infections. Just remember your proper dosages!

I've got a fever... and the only prescription... is more cowbell!

Dont forget to gut the tank and recycle it before adding new fish, give all the equipment a good soak in some disinfectantant, rinse it well and dry it before using it again. You dont want it all happening again with your next fish. Some fungi and bacteria can lay dormant for months possible even years , waiting for a chance to infest a new fish. Presumably there may have been something to do with the water or setup that might have caused the fish to become weak enough to get fungus in the first place. This might be a good time to check out your setup and make improvements.