Fuzzy Slimey Coat ?

[Megalodon]

My niece recently purchased a betta from pet smart. He's in a 2 gallon tank with 3 ghost shrimp. His water temp is 75 degrees. She's getting mini heater this weekend. She noticed the fish has a slimey build up that she says appears fuzzy. Her shrimp are attempting to clean it but montoya ( the betta ) won't allow it. When she bought him I thought his face looked a bit velvety. I'm sure it's velvet disease or some fungus.... But I'd like opinions and a treatment plan... There are shrimp in the tank. I've never had to treat sick so a step by step would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Is the fuzziness cottony, fuzzy and white or is it less cottony and have more of a golden type sheen in certain lights?
 
Your tank sounds difficult to treat in that it is so small (ideally a betta alone needs at least a 5 gallon) and you have shrimp.  You also haven't said how long the tank has been running, if its filtered, how frequently the water is changed and (if it is filtered) the tank was cycled before adding fish.
 
Generally, shrimp aren't very tolerant of fish meds.

 

[Megalodon]

The tank was new but she took some of my water a nd live plants. My tank has been up two months and has cycled and has had no problems. Her tank has an air stone she does weekly water changes. It's been up about a week. Had I been there I would have told her to get the three gallon with full filtration has it was only 10 dollars more. She just said it was fuzzy. She said he had some gold tint on his fins under a flash light.but I'm not sure if it's a natural hue in his fin. I haven't seen the fish since monday. Are shrimp susceptible to any of these problems? Should she remove the shrimp and treat the tank and put them back in when the problems have cleared?

 

[Ninjouzata]

Taking your water isn't going to do anything. The bacteria is mainly in the filter media and then some of it on hard surfaces like the substrate, decor, and walls.
 
Can she possibly send you a picture to post here?
 
Make sure the heater she gets can keep the tank at 78+.
 
In that size tank with no filter she's going to be wanting to do 100% changes every 3-4 days I think.

 

[Megalodon]

Well after she returned from pet smart with a whole new setup for the fish ,she found it dead.

 

[Ninjouzata]

I'm so, so sorry to hear that!
 
What sort of set up did she get? Perhaps you can show her THIS and THIS to get this set up started on the right foot? Even better if you can get her to sign up here.

 

[Megalodon]

She won't join a forum. And she took the crecent led lit 5 gallon back. She's giving me her 2 mostly likely as she says she is done with fish. I told her to think about it and maybe she'll change her mind.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Ah okay That's a shame. Was that her first fish?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Maybe you can take the tanks and following the information on fishless cycling and prepare the new tank for her, so when she does add a new fish it will be more the experience she thought she was going to have.  Assure her that a lot of us started off the same way... with a lack of information or bad information from a pet store.