My betta has a weird growth on its scales

My betta has a weird growth on its scales can anybody help me find out what's wrong please? I have put him in a separate quarantine tank away from my other fish.

Well under its scales.

I'm thinking it could be a tumor or obviously some kind of growth. @Colin_T may be able to help

DragonScales+Doubletails said:

I'm thinking it could be a tumor or obviously some kind of growth. @Colin_T may be able to help

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Oh god thanks for the reply. =)

All you people and your sick fish, It's a wonder I get any sleep at all

Looks like the start of an infection. You can try salt or a broad spectrum medication that treats bacteria, fungus and protozoa. I would try salt first and if there's no improvement after a couple of days, then see what the pet shop has.

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SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.

Infection or tumor. Tumors are extremely common and most will get at some point. (If you can't see them they are internal)

Had something similar on one of my female bettas. Never found out what caused it but in my case when I finally euthanized the fish I cut open the growth and examined it under the microscope, and it appeared to be a tumor that extended well into the interior flesh of the fish, I wish I took photos but my microscope is not rigged well for that.

Yours might be a different cause but for me it really was the last straw for bettas. I like the female bettas personalities but they really seem quite prone to various issues that none of my other fish seem to display.

I hope you find out what is wrong and that it is treatable.

Bettas are super prone to tumors.