White Spot - Oh No!

[AlitaConejita]

Jack has a white spot on his head all of a sudden. When I/my son fed him earlier today, I didn't notice it. When I took some pics today and posted one in the photographs/journal section, I didn't notice it.

Now I went to do his nightly water change and I saw a white spot on his head. What is it and what do I do? I'm already doing daily water changes because of his fin damage. I ordered Betta spa and a filter and a heater this past weekend (should be getting here tomorrow).
I'll put pics up soon - keep getting errors on photobucket



 
sorry for the pic quality - firstly it is a phone camera and secondly, Jack definitely doesn't like anything hovering above him so it was really hard to get the camera to focus on the little spot before he dashed away.

 

[Wildbetta]

Watch it.  It looks like a scale that has been lost to me from those pics.  That could have been done as easily as rubbing against something that was in anyway rough. Just make sure that it doesn't start spreading or looking worse

 

[AlitaConejita]

Thanks WB, will definitely be keeping a close eye on Jack - I just went in to look at him again. He was supposed to be in his jar (with old water) acclimating to the new water (jar in the his tank with half the new water in) BUT he was swimming around, which means he jumped again.
 
He has always been very active, but today is the first time he has jumped (as far as I know) and he's done it twice. *sigh* I'm worried - hopefully for nothing - hopefully it is just a scale he lost. How quickly do those grow back?

 

[AlitaConejita]

pretty sure it is a fungal infection This morning there is grey white stuff around both his fin/gill area. Totally horrible picture, but the best I could do while getting 3 kids ready to go to school/daycare.
 
What do I do for this?
 

 

[attibones]

If it is a fungal infection (I can't tell from the picture), then it may be time for two things: first, some fungal medication and second, a bigger tank. In my experience, fish kept in smaller tanks are more prone to all sorts of illness, probably because it is just harder to keep the water stable. Coupled with your betta's fin damage, plus what looks like a bit of fin rot from before your child tried to pet the fish, it just may be time for a larger tank to help keep the water stable. This does not mean, however, that diseases do not occur in larger tanks. They happen. But issues like fin rot typically occur in less than pristine water which is easier to maintain in a larger aquarium. Since your betta has the fin damage, he was already a prime target (due to his weakened system) for other disease.

 

[AlitaConejita]

 
I have a 10 gal I bought this weekend BUT I haven't even started to cycle it yet. I won't even get the filter or heater till (hopefully) today.
 
What medication do you all recommend? (Hopefully something I can get at the petstore and not have to wait a few more days to get delivered). I also ordered betta spa that is supposed to be coming today (since it has the indian almond leaves others recommended for the fins). If I use a fungal medication, do I NOT use the betta spa?

 

[AlitaConejita]

best pic I can get of the white/gray circle on his side:

 
he seems to have another 2 tiny white spots on his head. The stuff on his sides looks like pictures I've seen on google about fungle infections BUT the ones on the head don't look like that nor like the pictures of ich.
 
what is more weird. on the tip of his mouth (?) there is another spot - it is NOT white, it is the light blue of his fins even though his head is black.

 
If I could get a better camera I would - sorry!

 

[attibones]

I still can't see the pics well, but I'm on my phone. Either way, if you go to your LFS, they should have a bunch of medicines. Probably API or something would have a good brand. Avoid anything with "fix" at the end. These are typically terrible for anabantoids such as betta fish.

You can use IAL or any other liquid containing such properties in conjunction with the medicine. If you've already got the ten gallon, start cycling it as soon as possible so he can move in sooner. I wouldn't try putting him in before it is cycled. Just keeping up with your water changes, warm water, and maybe some medicine. Maybe someone else can confirm if it is fungus. If it is, then your LFS should have a few medicines available. Just be sure to follow the instructions precisely.

 

[AlitaConejita]

Pet store was a bust - they only had bettafix. They also didn't have a master test kit for fresh water - only for reefs and ponds. They offered those at 50% but considering they are selling them for $40, I think it'd be cheaper to get the right kit online than get the wrong kit and buy the missing pieces

So for now, I'll continue with the water changes and start putting in the betta spa that arrived today. The fish guy at the pet store did day that Jack could have gotten sick because of all the stress from daily water changes

 

[Meeresstille]

Do you know anybody with a mature aquarium who might be willing to donate you some filter material? If that idea already came up in one of your previous threads I apologize for repeating it. The mature media would help in getting the 10 gallon cycled quicker which would benefit your Betta and promote his healing process.
 
Since you don't have any access to any meds I wonder if you could do a salt water bath for him. Roughly what that means is you get a gallon of salt water ready at the same temperature as the tank, and put the Betta in it for about 5 minutes. There is more to it so you would have to google it. Hold on I will see if I can find one...OK I found this one, hopefully it's OK to post it here: http/www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=25297  
 
There are a few members here who really know there stuff about Bettas, I do hope they will come by and advise you on whether that would be a good idea! Good luck! 

 

[Wildbetta]

Infections of any kind are hard to be sure about even with the clearest of pictures and descriptions.  From the descriptions that you have given and from previous posts you have made regarding Jack, I would believe you are dealing with some kind of bacteria.  What kind is going to be very difficult or impossible to truly tell at this point.  If you can find some Maracyn II, then I would go with that.  Places like Petco and Petsmart tend to carry it.  Even though it might be a little stressful for Jack to have the 100% water changes done, it is more stressful for him to be in water with high doses of ammonia and nitrite so it is for the better good.  If you want to move him over to the 10 gallon, it will drop the amount of water you change to about 60% once a day until you can either get some media from someone else or you can pick up the test kit and work on cycling the tank.

 

[AlitaConejita]

last night I added the betta spa liquid to Jack's tank. This morning the white/grey around his gill/side fins is gone. I've decided for now that I am not going to medicate (other than betta spa). I've decided this because:

• I am not confident what type of ailment Jack has (bacteria are usually killed by mold [i.e. penecilin] so it's hard to convince me that the same medicine would treat either one like the pet store guy told me bettafix would do)
• Jack is in an unfiltered, small tank so I would have to be extra careful about dosing with meds like Maracyn II and I failed my college chem titration lab (heck, I failed the whole class )
• Jack is active
• Jack is eating and pooping

I will keep a close eye on him, but for now, I think the less I do (outside of keeping him in great water) the better.
 
If anyone is in the Franklin-Hampshire county are of Massachusets and would like to give me some media from their cycled tank, I would really appreciate it Otherwise, I will start cycling my 10 gal as soon as a I have a complete test kit so that Jack can be moved to a better home.
 
Here are the latest pictures of Jack (and I can't see the white spot any better in person than in these pics )
with flash (you can see the light blue spot right behind the bubble and the white spot a little further up and next to the light from the flash):

Without flash (only see the white spot):

What the other 50 or so pics I took this morning look like - he is very fast! :

 
Thank you all for the guidance!

 

[Wildbetta]

I think you have decided on a good plan of action in my opinion.  For future reference, any medications ending in the word "fix" should be avoided.  They contain tea tree oil which can coat the labyrinth organ of fish like bettas and gourmanis.  This makes it harder for them to breathe.   

 

[AlitaConejita]

Quick update - Jack no longer has any white spots. He does still have that light blue spot on his lip *shrug*

 

[Wildbetta]

Glad to see that he is looking better.    The lighter blue spot you are seeing is most likely just coloring so I wouldn't worry too much about it.