I don't know the age of my fighting fish, Fred, but I bought him from the local pet store in May 2005 for a school science project. He has this... white growth on his butt (where the poo comes out). This developed quite a while ago... I can't remember exactly when, but I'm sure it developed last year. I was thinking it would be fatal so I was super nice to him, but he is still alive, fortunately.
Recently, he suddenly stopped eating. He didn't eat for three days, and then ate one pellet, the fasted for another three days, then ate another. Usually he eats 4 pellets a day (2 in the morning, 2 at night). At first, I thought he had an eating disorder ("YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY") but then I realized that perhaps he stopped eating because he hasn't been able to poo due to the white growth covering his poohole. He has started to eat these past few days (one/two pellets a day) but I see no poo in his bowl at all (I cleaned his bowl a few days ago), so I'm super worried.
Fred is a rather lazy fish, he has had no interaction with another fish for 1.5 years and he spends most of the time either lying on the floor or up near the surface of the water. I've heard that this is a sign that the fish is dying, but he's been like that for a year. He does respond positively when I approach the bowl.
Can anyone possibly tell me what that white growth is? And how to cure it... if that's possible. Remember that he's had it for more than a year now and he's still alive. Otherwise, please suggest any other reasons as to why he has cut his diet down.
Recently, he suddenly stopped eating. He didn't eat for three days, and then ate one pellet, the fasted for another three days, then ate another. Usually he eats 4 pellets a day (2 in the morning, 2 at night). At first, I thought he had an eating disorder ("YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY") but then I realized that perhaps he stopped eating because he hasn't been able to poo due to the white growth covering his poohole. He has started to eat these past few days (one/two pellets a day) but I see no poo in his bowl at all (I cleaned his bowl a few days ago), so I'm super worried.
Fred is a rather lazy fish, he has had no interaction with another fish for 1.5 years and he spends most of the time either lying on the floor or up near the surface of the water. I've heard that this is a sign that the fish is dying, but he's been like that for a year. He does respond positively when I approach the bowl.
Can anyone possibly tell me what that white growth is? And how to cure it... if that's possible. Remember that he's had it for more than a year now and he's still alive. Otherwise, please suggest any other reasons as to why he has cut his diet down.
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