Betta chunk missing please help!

[Lyns23]

Sorry about the poor photo, will do my best to describe. This is Bella, we have had her about 2 months. Last week I noticed she had a small white spot next to her gill and she was hiding a lot which is unusual. We were away at the weekend and now she has this open wound/sore- it is white with a tiny bit of red in the middle and looks like she has a sizeable chunk missing on her side. I've moved her to the hospital tank (she lives nornally in a 100L tank with other fish).
I don't *think it's injury as while she and the other bettas occasionally chase I haven't seen any nipping. Also I assume it started with the white spot.
I've looked up sores, wounds, fungus and it doesn't seem to be a good match for any of them.
I'm treating with Melafix and salt but read this may not be right depending on cause.
Has anyone any advice? She's eating a tiny bit and staying near top. Tails and fins fine. Water levels fine.
Thank you!

 

[Deleted member 149562]

You should stop using Melafix immediately as it damages the labrynth organ, often fatally, which is possibly why the fish is at the surface trying to breathe.

Can you give your full stock, water chemistry results and maintenance routine please as that will assist greatly

Thank you

 

[itiwhetu]

What other fish were in the tank. This looks like a war wound to me

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I spotted in the intro post that you have/had Dwarf Gourami with the Betta.

I would say that is the cause of your issue with the Betta. They are a related species and are highly territorial in their own right, thus should not share the same space...especially in a small aquarium of 100 litres with the rest of your fish.

Could you post a full photo of your 100 litre showing everything within it please. I suspect your species mix might well be contraindicative.

Many thanks

 

[Lyns23]

You should stop using Melafix immediately as it damages the labrynth organ, often fatally, which is possibly why the fish is at the surface trying to breathe.

Can you give your full stock, water chemistry results and maintenance routine please as that will assist greatly

Thank you

Thank you, I will do.
Full stock- 5 female bettas, 5 guppies, 5 neon tetras, 2 platys, 2 dwarf gouramis, 1 catfish.
100L tank. Planted.
I do a water change every 4/5 days.
Ammonia 0
KH 6
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 6.8
GH 7
Thanks

 

[Lyns23]

I spotted in the intro post that you have/had Dwarf Gourami with the Betta.

I would say that is the cause of your issue with the Betta. They are a related species and are highly territorial in their own right, thus should not share the same space...especially in a small aquarium of 100 litres with the rest of your fish.

Could you post a full photo of your 100 litre showing everything within it please. I suspect your species mix might well be contraindicative.

Many thanks

Thank you, we were told this after getting them all and they said to observe- we haven't seen any aggression between the bettas and gouramis but maybe there has been at night.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

In relation to the Melafix, I would do a 75% water change today and for the next 3-4 days unless you have activated carbon that you can place into the filter to get residue of that stuff out of the water as it will also be damaging to the Dwarf Gourami.

Your aquarium is overstocked, quite significantly imho. The species mix..is potentially very troublesome. Are the Dwarf Gourami male or female?

 

[Lyns23]

What other fish were in the tank. This looks like a war wound to me

Thanks, see my other replies for fish.
If it is a war wound, what treatment would you recommend?

 

[Lyns23]

In relation to the Melafix, I would do a 75% water change today and for the next 3-4 days unless you have activated carbon that you can place into the filter to get residue of that stuff out of the water as it will also be damaging to the Dwarf Gourami.

Your aquarium is overstocked, quite significantly imho. The species mix..is potentially very troublesome. Are the Dwarf Gourami male or female?

The melafix is just in the hospital tank not the main one.
Ah I was told 1cm per litre? Not true?
Dwarf gouramis male.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I'd concur that the damage has probably come from the dwarf gourami and, given the apparent difficulty in obtaining females, I'll guess your two are males? If that's the case, then aggression will occur on a fairly regular basis, both during the day and at night. These are bolshy, territorial little fish.
That said, it is possible that the damage was done by one of your female Betta. Whilst groups of females are significantly less feisty than the male, they can still squabble and hurt each other. (This should be reduced by the size of your tank and planting, breaking up line-of-sight.

For treatment, remember that almost everything can be improved by a water change, so if you could manage it daily, or at least two-daily.

Having ditched the Melafix, I ask you to consider aquarium salt, 1 tablespoon per 5 gallon.
If the wound appears to be getting worse, then salt can be upped to 1 tablespoon per 3 gallon.
Salt replaces the minerals absent from tap water and facilitates a fish's immune system and restores electrolytes.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Thank you, we were told this after getting them all and they said to observe- we haven't seen any aggression between the bettas and gouramis but maybe there has been at night.

Thank you for the photo

Since the Melafix is in the hospital aquarium, I suggest that you get a large tub or jug, get some water from the main aquarium into it and transfer the Betta to the jug for as long as it takes to sort the hospital aquarium.. Empty the hospital aquarium of all water, transfer some of the main aquarium water to the hospital aquarium, grab some filter media from the main and put into the hospital aquarium's filter with some aquarium salt (dosage as per instructions). Daily water changes of at least 60% on the hospital aquarium for the next 7-10 days until the Betta is sorted out. Fresh water is natures own antiseptic.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Ah I was told 1cm per litre? Not true?

This 'rule' was originally intended as a guideline and has since developed to be a Rule. There are other similar ones, such as 1" per imperial gallon.
These 'rules' do not take into account the specific needs of fish, with regards space to thrive and completely ignore compatibility issues, such as needs for territory, etc..

Sadly, armed with this info and exploited by shops trying to sell stock, newcomers aim for the maximum stocking allowed and things may go well...for a while.
But when they go wrong, then there's often a catastrophic collapse, with much trauma and death for the fish and trauma and anxiety for the keeper.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Fresh water is natures own antiseptic.

Especially when supplied with minerals.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

As for the rest of the fish......

The Dwarf Gourami will likely fight with each other and everything else that is male once they are sexually mature. You might want to consider returning one or both to where you bought them or getting more aquariums.....they will fight to the death over territory once fully matured.

The Betta sorority shouldn't have any other fish with them as they can be aggressive with each other at the drop of a hat....might be weeks, months...but they will inevitably get bolshy with each other

Please say that the Pleco on the side glass is not a Common and is a Bristlenose....if not a Bristlenose, it will outgrow your aquarium, 100 litres is probably cutting it fine even for a Bristlenose with the current stock levels tbh.

The Platies and Guppies and Neon's would have been fine in that aquarium on their own....maybe

To be brutally honest here, I get the feeling that whoever supplied your fish "saw you coming" and has frankly gone crazy with what they have sold you for such a (relatively speaking) small aquarium

Are you able to return some of the fish...or set up 2 or 3 more aquariums to cater for them?

 

[Lyns23]

I'd concur that the damage has probably come from the dwarf gourami and, given the apparent difficulty in obtaining females, I'll guess your two are males? If that's the case, then aggression will occur on a fairly regular basis, both during the day and at night. These are bolshy, territorial little fish.
That said, it is possible that the damage was done by one of your female Betta. Whilst groups of females are significantly less feisty than the male, they can still squabble and hurt each other. (This should be reduced by the size of your tank and planting, breaking up line-of-sight.

For treatment, remember that almost everything can be improved by a water change, so if you could manage it daily, or at least two-daily.

Having ditched the Melafix, I ask you to consider aquarium salt, 1 tablespoon per 5 gallon.
If the wound appears to be getting worse, then salt can be upped to 1 tablespoon per 3 gallon.
Salt replaces the minerals absent from tap water and facilitates a fish's immune system and restores electrolytes.

Thank you that's helpful. I did add aquariam salt yesterday then read conflicting advice about that so wasn't sure if it was right.