Wound On My Betta! Help?

[nikkifro8994]

He's much worse. The pimafix isn't helping at all. He seems like he is struggling to breathe. He'll move around on the bottom but only goes up to eat. And even then it seems difficult for him. I don't know if he'll live much longer.

I tested the water as soon as I noticed the sore:
pH: 7
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10

I have no idea what caused this or how to fix it. I don't want to euthanize him, but it looks as though I may have to.

Taken on October 10th:

Taken on October 19th:

Taken on October 23rd:

There is a plant root behind him. It's not a string coming out of him.

 

[snazy]

He looks really bad the poor thing. Advanced stage of columnaris more than likely. Primafix may help only against very mild cases. But it maybe too late now for any stronger medication but if you are willing to give it a chance, then get it as fast as you can.

Here is a good article, also suggested type of treatments and medication:

http/www.americanaquariumproducts.com/columnaris.html

 

[nikkifro8994]

I was going to go to the store today to get medicine, but when I went to feed him this morning, he had already passed away. Hopefully he didn't suffer very long.

Thank you all for your help. If I had caught the infection early enough, I'm sure he would have been okay. I'm going to tear down the tank, clean everything very well, cycle it again, and then get another betta.

 

[WILDER]

Bless Him.
Sorry for your loss.

 

[nikkifro8994]

He's in fish heaven. I'm going to break down his tank today and cycle it again for a new betta and perhaps 3-4 pygmy cories. Will they all be okay in a 5 gallon tank? I have another 5 gallon that I can move the betta to if he picks on the cories. But no fish until both thanks are fully cycled.

 

[snazy]

Sorry too. It happens and it's horrible to watch a pet die.
As for pymgy corys, people do put them with bettas in small tanks and although I was initially going to add pygmys to my betta's tank, I read 10G is the minimum and there are a lot of comments on forums about pygmys hiding all the time in small tanks. I had bought them already and it turns out they are very, very active little fish, they are on the go all the time and don't stay on the bottom at all except for feeding time and at night after the lights are out. I ended up leaving mine in my 30G instead(half a year already) and from yesterday I temporary moved them to my 14-15G to try to breed them. My advice is to make sure they are properly acclimated(drip acclimation) as they are way more sensitive to a change in water conditions and chemistry than other fish or corys and although I was sceptical about this before I got them, 3 out of the 6 died on me in the course of a couple of weeks after purchase. They were the first fish to die on me too after purchase and I think I didn't acclimate them long enough. The tank was cycled and stable for a very long time prior to that and they were the only fish that died so I think it's something to do with their sensitivity. They are also supposed to be very intolerant to the minimum ammonia/nitrIte reading and have a better chance if moved to a mature tank.
Sand substrate is a must for them too.
The best of luck and happy cycling time

 

[nikkifro8994]

My tap water has 2 ppm ammonia in it. Every time I do a water change, my ammonia levels go up. Since I have small tanks, I have 2 gallon water changes once a week. The ammmonia doesn't get very high, just 1 ppm. 2 ppm if I have to do a very large emergency change. My filters are all mature enough to handle it within 2 hours.
Would this be bad for the corries? I have read that they are very sensiive fish and they have to go in a tank that has been established for 3 months.