HELP! Strange growths on betta splenden

[Here There be Dragons]

Here's the meters.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Poor little thing. I’m going to send this to a friend and see if she can get her aquatic vet to look at it.

 

[Essjay]

I will be very interested in the answer because one of my previous bettas looked like that, only worse. The first lump to appear was just above his gill and it grew so big it was inside his gill be the time I put him down (he couldn't swim, wouldn't eat and just lay on the bottom of the tank)

In my betta's case the lumps would sort of deflate every so often leaving a greyish crater, then the lump would regrow even bigger. The photos were taken a couple of weeks before I decided enough was enough.

 

[Here There be Dragons]

Oh dear. Thank you very much,
Deanasue. I’m sorry, essjay. Luckily he hasn’t had any very close to his gills. I have worried they might get there though. I hope nebula will be alright. Thank you guys. I think I’m going to do large weekly water changes with the easy balance. And feed the shrimp and blood worms and clean the filter cartridge more often.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Well, here’s the response I got...”From the way it looks most likely lymphocystis. Can’t completely diagnosis from pic though. Nothing to do for it but hope the fish doesn’t get secondary infection. If it’s got ulcers or body rot of any kind then treat with gram negative antibiotics. It’s an Autoimmune issue. Usually goes away and comes back. Fish can live normal lifespan.”

 

[Here There be Dragons]

Okay. That's what I thought it could be. Thank you all so much.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Okay. That's what I thought it could be. Thank you all so much.

Just keep him comfortable and let him live his life.

 

[Essjay]

I did wonder at the time if my betta had lymphocystis.

 

[Colin_T]

It is not Lymphocystis.
Lymphocystis is a stress virus that causes white lumpy (almost cauliflower) shaped growths to appear. They normally occur on the edge of the fins. It does not cause bubbles to appear and disappear/ pop.

 

[Essjay]

The lumps on my betta weren't bubbles, they were solid and lumpy. They weren't white, though it's hard to tell with a dragonscale betta. The lumps never disappeared, the first would grow bigger then sort of deflate and within days it was back bigger than ever and always in the same place. The smaller lumps appeared after the first and they always stayed the same appearance, just more of them and getting bigger.
I did try treating with the strongest anti bacterial medication available in the UK (not an antibiotic) but it did nothing.

So what could it have been?

 

[Colin_T]

The lumps (especially the one on the head) on the fish in post #18, look like tumours.
Tumours are usually hard, cysts are soft and squishy.

 

[Essjay]

Whatever it was, once the lump overwhelmed his gill, it was obvious by his behaviour that it was cruel to let him go on.

The big lump first appeared about 3 weeks after I got him as a raised scale on his back. I assumed he'd caught himself on something and would go away as he healed. But it didn't, it turned into what you can see in the photos.

 

[Essjay]

Sorry Here There Be Dragons, I've taken over your thread. My betta behaved quite normally until he suddenly went downhill as the big lump went into his gill. As your betta does not have lumps there, he could live quite happily with them. His behaviour will tell you if the lumps become a problem to him.

 

[Here There be Dragons]

Don’t worry about it, essjay. Collin t, the lumps are white and cauliflower like. They haven’t disappeared completely at any point. How are we supposed to know if the lumps are hard or squishy? They start bubbly and then turn into what you saw in the pictures. If it’s not lymphocystis than what is it?