Need help identifying this disease!

[AlexCGGG]

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to figure out what disease is afflicting my betta for over a month now.

A little backstory - I adopted this Betta when COVID-19 began. It was our "office fish" and unfortunately, lived in a 2.5 gallon, without a heater or filter, for close to a year due to lack of fishkeeping knowledge. A bit of medical background - this little guy got pop-eye during his office residence, which I successfully treated with Furan-2. Fast forward to COVID, before adoption, he was losing big splotches of color - his once beautiful blue was turning a weird orange color.

He continued to lose color after he moved in, so I thought it may have been a case of fin rot that reached his body, as well as stress from a lack of equipment. He moved into a 5 gallon tank with a heater and filter (and medicated with Furan-2 as well), and then to a 10 gallon, which included new schooling buddies. His color came back very vibrantly for a few months. Last month, I noticed that he was losing color once again. I quarantined him in the old 5 gallon and medicated with Furan-2, following the instructions closely, however, this medication does not seem to be working anymore. His fins have been falling apart and I've tried Melafix, Furan-2, Indian Almond leaves, and Maracyn-2, without much luck.

With that said, he's still pretty active - once he sees me, he swims right up to the glass. After I'm there for a while to check up on him, he'll eventually mellow out and rest at the bottom again. He's still decently interested in food, although sometimes, it takes him a while to find the food so I would have to assist him by waving my finger near where the food is. He still flairs on occasion at me.

I am looking for any advice on what this disease could be as well as what medication can be used to treat my little guy. He has fought through so much in the last 2 years and I really don't want to lose him. I'm certain he's having fin rot issues but I'm not sure if this can also be considered Columnaris as most of the photos I found online, the Bettas all have white colored growths/discolorations and not orange.

The pictures attached in order are:

1) First adopted and moved into 5 gallon with heater and filter
2) 10 gallon, gained color back
3) Today, left side
4) Today, right side

 

[AlexCGGG]

I've done some more research and it's looking more and more like it might be Velvet or Spironucleus. I am purchasing some metronidazole in the form of API General Cure and am hoping this will help.

 

[Naughts]

No disease is obvious from the photo. Columnaris kills fish in days and is an aggressive infection.
It is not unusual for betta to change colours, especially the marbled betta.

I would stop using medications and keep the water clean.
Betta do not need schooling buddies and it actually increases their stress. I recommend setting up the other tank just for him - added bonus is that diseases are rarer if a fish is kept alone.

The filter, heater and almond leaves are all positive additions and should be retained.

 

[Colin_T]

Metronidazole won't do anything to treat velvet (Oodinium).

You can check the fish for velvet by shining a torch on the fish after dark. If there is a yellow/ gold sheen to the fish's body, it has velvet.

Velvet will also cause fish to rub on objects in the tank.

 

[AlexCGGG]

No disease is obvious from the photo. Columnaris kills fish in days and is an aggressive infection.
It is not unusual for betta to change colours, especially the marbled betta.

I would stop using medications and keep the water clean.
Betta do not need schooling buddies and it actually increases their stress. I recommend setting up the other tank just for him - added bonus is that diseases are rarer if a fish is kept alone.

The filter, heater and almond leaves are all positive additions and should be retained.

Thanks a lot. I'm going to use all of your tips. I have already taken a break from using medications and he seems even more active than usual. I appreciate it!

 

[AlexCGGG]

Metronidazole won't do anything to treat velvet (Oodinium).

You can check the fish for velvet by shining a torch on the fish after dark. If there is a yellow/ gold sheen to the fish's body, it has velvet.

Velvet will also cause fish to rub on objects in the tank.

Thanks! The only reason why I suspected velvet was because the top of his head and top portion of his body is all coated orange when he was initially blue. He does not glow yellow/gold when shining a light on him or rub against objects.