Betta with weird spots on his head

Lauren Olivia

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My betta has these weird greyish spots on his head that kind of look like blisters. No other symptoms and he is very active, currently making a bubble nest. All water parameters and care is perfect. Can anybody identify them? Doesn’t seem like fungus at all as they aren’t white or fluffy, and are just individual dots. Pictures are attached.
 

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Odd. How long have they been there? It’s either bacterial or parasitic. You may want to try some API General Cure. Let’s see what @Colin_T says.
I’ve just noticed them over maybe the past week to two weeks and it started with just a couple I think. I’ve had him for just over a year with absolutely no other health problems, he looked a tiny bit bloated the other day but I fed a pea and he seems better today.
 
Managed to get a better photo. They’re mainly on the top of his head between his eyes and a couple on the top of his gills. None on the rest of his body. If anyone has any ideas or advice that would be great, he’s my best friend so I’m very worried about him. I have some melafix but I didn’t want to dose it because I heard it’s not good for labyrinth fish.
 

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I know you want an answer and I apologize fir the questions but did they all pop up at once or are they increasing?
 
I know you want an answer and I apologize fir the questions but did they all pop up at once or are they increasing?
That’s alright, wasn’t sure what information was needed. I think each one is getting more prominent and they have slightly increased, especially just above the top lip.
 
I’d it were my betta, I would treat with daily water changes of 75% and aquarium salt for 7 days. First day use 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per every 5 gallons of aquarium water. Be sure to dissolve salt before adding to tank. After first day, continue daily 75% water changes but only add 3/4 tablespoon of aquarium salt per every 5 gallons. Again, dissolve salt. If not improved in a week, then you’ll need to look at an antibiotic and bacterial med. I recommend Seachem Kanaplex and API Furan-2 if you live in U.S. Good luck!
 
I’d it were my betta, I would treat with daily water changes of 75% and aquarium salt for 7 days. First day use 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per every 5 gallons of aquarium water. Be sure to dissolve salt before adding to tank. After first day, continue daily 75% water changes but only add 3/4 tablespoon of aquarium salt per every 5 gallons. Again, dissolve salt. If not improved in a week, then you’ll need to look at an antibiotic and bacterial med. I recommend Seachem Kanaplex and API Furan-2 if you live in U.S. Good luck!
Ok, thanks for the plan. I know snails don’t get on well with salt so I will move that over to my other tank. Unfortunately I am in the uk and it is hard to get hold of antibiotics over here so I will have to look at what I can get. My only worry with the water changes is that the level of nitrates in my tap water is actually way higher than in my tank. It is very heavily planted to remove them.
 
No salt if lots of plants. Can you QT betta?
He is on his own in the tank apart from the snail I was about to move anyway. I forgot about salt and plants, is it only certain ones or will it kill them all?
 
My anubias does fine in it but my java fern doesn’t. Start with 1/2 the salt dosage and see how they do. I wish @Colin_T would come on. He may be asleep right now as he’s in Australia.
 
My anubias does fine in it but my java fern doesn’t. Start with 1/2 the salt dosage and see how they do. I wish @Colin_T would come on. He may be asleep right now as he’s in Australia.
I have anubias and a couple of other hardy plants, I have clippings of them in another tank growing so I can always replenish them. More worried about my fish. Yes he solved my last issue with a fish. He isn’t in any kind of stress it looks like so he should be okay for now, still perfectly happy and was begging for food at feeding time as usual.
 
I have anubias and a couple of other hardy plants, I have clippings of them in another tank growing so I can always replenish them. More worried about my fish. Yes he solved my last issue with a fish. He isn’t in any kind of stress it looks like so he should be okay for now, still perfectly happy and was begging for food at feeding time as usual.
@Colin_T will be on later. :)
 
Things aren’t looking so good this morning. Behaviour is still all fine but the spots are still there and there seems to be more of them, they are slightly greyish. It also looks like he is beginning to get a bit of fin rot, the edges of his fins have gone a little brown.
 

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