wound on betta? not sure whats wrong?

[krozlowa]

so recently my male betta fish has (i think) an opened wound on the side of his body. I was changing his water last week when i noticed it and there was a few drops of blood in the container I had him in prior changing the water. I have been using betafix and changing 1/4 of the water to keep the tank/water clean but the wound has grown a bit bigger, im not sure if its a fungus/ infection. My betta still swims around and is blowing bubbles in the tank, but he chills near the heater/filter and lays on his side. However, when he swims he does seem to struggle a bit and does sink. Pictures are attached below.
!!!!!!help!!!!!!

last friday post pic

today's photo

thanks

 

[FroFro]

so recently my male betta fish has (i think) an opened wound on the side of his body. I was changing his water last week when i noticed it and there was a few drops of blood in the container I had him in prior changing the water. I have been using betafix and changing 1/4 of the water to keep the tank/water clean but the wound has grown a bit bigger, im not sure if its a fungus/ infection. My betta still swims around and is blowing bubbles in the tank, but he chills near the heater/filter and lays on his side. However, when he swims he does seem to struggle a bit and does sink. Pictures are attached below.
!!!!!!help!!!!!!

last friday post pic
View attachment 86957

today's photo
View attachment 86958

thanks

That looks like a nasty burn to me, but I could be wrong. You said he lies against the heater? Do you have any other fish in the tank that might injure him? Sharp decor or plants? A strong filter flow that might have knocked him into one of these pieces of decor?

 

[krozlowa]

That looks like a nasty burn to me, but I could be wrong. You said he lies against the heater? Do you have any other fish in the tank that might injure him? Sharp decor or plants? A strong filter flow that might have knocked him into one of these pieces of decor?

The heater is behind the the black wall as you can see in the picture, i think it might have been the plastic plant that was in his tank, i have now removed it and will be putting him into a larger tank

 

[FroFro]

The heater is behind the the black wall as you can see in the picture, i think it might have been the plastic plant that was in his tank, i have now removed it and will be putting him into a larger tank

Your picture is remarkably unclear when it comes to anything other than the betta tail and gravel. What I mean is, sometimes fish will lie against or on heaters to rest, not realizing they will get burned. My first BN pleco did this often and I eventually had to crowd fake plants around the heater to keep her from latching onto it.

If you are going to move your betta to a larger tank I suggest you wait until the injury is healed. A sudden change of environment will cause extreme stress on an already wounded fish and you may lose him. You can take this time to properly cycle his new tank while you monitor his recovery in his current. Keep up with 30% to 50% weekly or bi-weekly water changes to keep his tank pristine. You'll be amazed what clean water can do to help an injury. It might be best to make it difficult for him to rest on the heater by blocking it with a few plants.

By cycle, I mean allowing his new tank to establish a mature bacteria colony needed to maintain water parameters. If you add him to his new tank and do a fish-in cycle, you will cause him extreme stress and eventually death. Here is a quick guide to help explain the cycle. Please research further if you are unsure as there are many helpful articles just a gogle search away.

https://aquariuminfo.org/cycling.html

 

[krozlowa]

Your picture is remarkably unclear when it comes to anything other than the betta tail and gravel. What I mean is, sometimes fish will lie against or on heaters to rest, not realizing they will get burned. My first BN pleco did this often and I eventually had to crowd fake plants around the heater to keep her from latching onto it.

If you are going to move your betta to a larger tank I suggest you wait until the injury is healed. A sudden change of environment will cause extreme stress on an already wounded fish and you may lose him. You can take this time to properly cycle his new tank while you monitor his recovery in his current. Keep up with 30% to 50% weekly or bi-weekly water changes to keep his tank pristine. You'll be amazed what clean water can do to help an injury. It might be best to make it difficult for him to rest on the heater by blocking it with a few plants.

By cycle, I mean allowing his new tank to establish a mature bacteria colony needed to maintain water parameters. If you add him to his new tank and do a fish-in cycle, you will cause him extreme stress and eventually death. Here is a quick guide to help explain the cycle. Please research further if you are unsure as there are many helpful articles just a gogle search away.

https://aquariuminfo.org/cycling.html

Hello sorry, i have uploaded a photo, on the right is where the heater is and the filter is on the left. People from other forums have suggested moving him into a bigger tank but I was very sceptical about it and wanted him to heal first. Currently, I have been changing 1/4 - 1/3 of his water every second day just to help with the healing. He is also blowing bubbles, the bubble nests? as they are called. His persona isnt changed, nothing on his body has changed either so it is just the wound on the side of his body. it looks like a scab (kind of like a human scab) but he seems unbothered by it, however, you can tell he struggles to swim by it. Thanks

 

[Essjay]

there was a few drops of blood in the container I had him in prior changing the water.

Do you mean that you take the betta out of the tank while you do a water change, and keep him in a small container till you have finished? This is not a good idea, it is more stressful for him that leaving him in the tank. You just need to be aware of where he is while the siphon tube is in the tank as bettas are nosey fish and will come to see what you are doing.

Bettafix (which is just dilute Melafix to make it easier to dose in small tanks), or any of the products with -fix at the end of the name, are not good in tanks with anabatids such as bettas or gouramis. They contain aromatic oils which can interfere with the labyrinth organ. Just because a product is made does not mean it should be used. Lots of clean water is the best cure.

 

[FroFro]

Hello sorry, i have uploaded a photo, on the right is where the heater is and the filter is on the left. People from other forums have suggested moving him into a bigger tank but I was very sceptical about it and wanted him to heal first. Currently, I have been changing 1/4 - 1/3 of his water every second day just to help with the healing. He is also blowing bubbles, the bubble nests? as they are called. His persona isnt changed, nothing on his body has changed either so it is just the wound on the side of his body. it looks like a scab (kind of like a human scab) but he seems unbothered by it, however, you can tell he struggles to swim by it. Thanks

Following with essjays advice, make sure that when you replace the water you've removed from the tank that its treated with water condtioner and as close to the water temperature of the tank as possible to avoid temperature shock. Also, pour the water in gently and slowly as to create less sudden water movement that will force your betta to swim harder than he should. The sudden exertion will stress him and what he needs right now is lots of clean water and quiet.

 

[krozlowa]

Do you mean that you take the betta out of the tank while you do a water change, and keep him in a small container till you have finished

i do this when i do a large water change, when i do a small water change (250mL-500mL) i do not take him out because i find it harder to try and get him out and i do not want to accidentally hit him if he tries to escape me/net. When i do larger water changes i do take him out so he isnt stressed out by the excessive water movement.

lso, pour the water in gently and slowly as to create less sudden water movement that will force your betta to swim harder than he should

I pour the water slowly behind where the heater/filter sit as shown above, using a beaker type cup. It doesn't distract him from swimming or swimming harder as the water also slowly goes in from the back of the tank.

 

[Essjay]

What is the volume of the tank?
Water changes should be around 50% of the tank volume every week, not just 250 to 500ml. With his injury, something like 25% a day is advisable until it heals.

 

[krozlowa]

What is the volume of the tank?
Water changes should be around 50% of the tank volume every week, not just 250 to 500ml. With his injury, something like 25% a day is advisable until it heals.

larger water changes are like 75% usually, 30-40% is weekly, his tank is around 5L at the moment

 

[Essjay]

Does 5L mean 5 litres or 5 gallon long?

If it is 5 gallon long, that's fine. If it is 5 litres, that is far too small.

 

[NickAu]

That looks like an injury from netting the fish or while he was trying to get away. Netting a fish is very stressful and should only be done as a last resort.

i do this when i do a large water change

Stop taking him out of the tank, When doing large water changes only change 75 to 80%.

What your fish now needs is lots of clean water, do two 60% water changes a week till he heals.

 

[krozlowa]

That looks like an injury from netting the fish or while he was trying to get away. Netting a fish is very stressful and should only be done as a last resort.


Stop taking him out of the tank, When doing large water changes only change 75 to 80%.

What your fish now needs is lots of clean water, do two 60% water changes a week till he heals.

hello, he seems to be getting better.. people on other forums suggested that I should be using a fungul treatment and use rooiboss tea in his tank while also changing the water. I have been doiing this as he seems to be more active and the fungus/wound/whatever it is, appears to be going away

 

[krozlowa]

hello, he seems to be getting better.. people on other forums suggested that I should be using a fungul treatment and use rooiboss tea in his tank while also changing the water. I have been doiing this as he seems to be more active and the fungus/wound/whatever it is, appears to be going away

I didnt take him out of the tank frequently, i only took him out to have a closer look at the scar, when i did take him out that time i didn't use a net i just let him swim into the large jug and picked the jug up out of the water so he didn't have such a stressful transition from water-out of water. Ive had my betta for nearly 2 years now, ive taken him out 2 times.