Help!?

[redbetta]

Hey,
My brothers betta has gotten these white spots over him, mostly behind his head over his back... I really hope it isnt ich or fungus, would someone know? Right now I don't have time to look it up on the net, but what should I do? We got him about 2 weeks ago and he was fine coming from the lps. He's eating fine, his water is luke warm, he's active and he gets weekly 100% water changes.
Can someone help me please? Thanks.

 

[afireinside]

100% Water changes? That's your answer, he's stressed.

 

[redbetta]

Ok my bad... like 80% water changes once a week, I'm sry but as far as I know he's not going to get white spots from stress... I thought they were liek stripes? He's doesn't have clamped fins or anything.
Anyone else?

 

[afireinside]

80%! Bettas aren't very messy fish. You should be doing like 10-20% water changes.

 

[redbetta]

Not in like a 1 gal tank... I like to keep it clean, and I didn't mean to come off rude in the above post. I also have a betta and he's perfectly fine. I know they are all different and my brothers was fine this morning, they just came over the course of the day. He just did a water change and the fish is fine, except for the spots.

 

[redbetta]

Ok I just searched and it's ich/ick as far as I can tell... Will salt and some aquarisol cure him? I just want him to get better

 

[riogal_11]

I'm not sure what aquarisol is or what to use to medicate Ich, so sorry I can't help you on that. You are right about the stress lines, and I really doubt that 100% weekly water changes is what did it. You only got him 2 weeks ago, so that's only two water changes. 100% weekly in a 1 gallon is the widely recommended times on TFF. Even two would not be too far fetched. Make sure before treating that it is actually ich. Do you have any pics. How many spots are there, I know I thought last week that one of my boys had it and it ended up being just a rub mark from the net. So make sure you know what it is, you don't wann stress him out with meds for no reason. Before I start any medicating I always just do a water change and add salt. That's what works for me anyways. Goodluck, and hope your boy gets better soon!

 

[redbetta]

Riogal thank you so much. I really want to have our fishies healthy and I am planning to just add some salt for now. Aquarisol is treatment against parasites I guess. I would definetely show pictures but my camera isn't very specific.
He probably has around 30 little white spots on him now, mostly over the back and a few on the sides.

 

[riogal_11]

Yeah it definitely sounds like ich. Is it cottony stuff or like grains of salt?

 

[redbetta]

No they aren't cottony like at all. They are just plain white spots, kind of like grains I guess. How long do you figure it will take to cure him? And my brother has him by his side like all day and noticed it just like an hour ago. This morning he was perfectly fine, is that normal?

 

[riogal_11]

That seems very odd that it just occured , maybe it was just not as noticible before. Do a water change and raise the temperature. . Once again I'm not very familiar with meds, as all I have ever had to use was melafix. Is he flicking/rubbing against anything or swimming eratically(sp). CopperSafe I know is a common med around here for treating ich, so that is one you could look for.Sorry I can't help more. Oh and I'm pretty sure you do several treatments, even after the spots appear to have gone away.
Is this kind of what the fish looks like?
http/eric.petfish.net/bettaich.jpg

 

[redbetta]

Riogal you're great! Yes he does look like that except he has not so many on the head but more on the back. Is this parasite like killer dangerous? I am getting treatment tomorrow, I really hope he will be alright. I live in Canada so we might have different treatments here, I'll check the lps.
It could be possible that they were there before but seeing as they weren't as noticable this morning I hope he will recover soon and it's not too late now.

 

[wuvmybetta]

80%!  Bettas aren't very messy fish.  You should be doing like 10-20% water changes.

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I'm sorry but this is just false. Please refrain from giving advice in the future unless you're certain. Thanks in advance!





redbetta~ Aquarisol is good stuff And I believe you caught it early enough, so it shouldn't be life threatening.

 

[redbetta]

Wooo wuvmybetta, you're my hero LOL. That makes me feel a million times better! I'll definetely try and get a hold of some aquarisol.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

Maracide is another great treatment for ich. I have used it on my boys before with great success.

Other ich meds available in Canada:

Nox-ich
Rid-ich
Aquarisol
Malachite Green(most ich meds contain malachite green, but you can get it pure as well, I have seen it at Petland Superstore)
Jungle makes an ich med, not sure about the name

I really suggest Maracide, only because I have had the best success with it. It is kind of pricey, but well worth it, especially because you are treating a 1g tank. I just happen to have an old bottle of Maracide here. The directions call for 10ml/10G, so the conversion is easy, 1ml/1g.

The bottle says to treat on days 1,3 and 5. I usually treat daily, with a water change right before I treat. I also continue treating for 3 days after the last visible sign disappears.

Ich has I believe 3 different stages to it's life cycle, and is only suceptible to treatment during the free swimming stage(i.e. before they become spots on your fish).

It is important to note that ich is always present in your fish(water? not sure which). They are usually able to not get infested. It is when their immune system is compromised in some way that the signs appear. I gave my boys ich by not paying close enough attention to the temp of the replacement water I was using during a water change. The sudden drop in temperature made both my boys get covered in spots virtually overnight. Try to avoid stressing the fish out by making sure the temp of the water you use during water changes is the same as the temp of the water in the tank.

HTH