# What's wrong with my little guy?



## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

I noticed that my black ( with some iradescent blue ) HM male has a gray patch on his head and it looks almost like he scratched off the scales in that area or something. A small part of his tail looks frayed or shredded So I first thought fin rot but then in the descriptions I read it said nothing about gray patches. Then I thought fungus but he didn't match any of the pictures I saw. He is swimming around normally. I feed him like 2 pellets 2 times a day alternating between Aqueon color enhancing betta food and Hikari betta bio gold and today I got him some aqueon freeze dried blood worms. Last night he didn't seem to want to eat but he ate that morning and this morning he ate with no hesitation and he is swimming around normally. I just added a snail today so I don't know if that's a problem if he is sick. What could be wrong with my little guy? :-(


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

I think this may be hole in the head disease.


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

Don't panic about it.

Chance his water more frequently for a few days to see if that helps him out.

If it looks as if he's doing worse, then remove either him or the snail and start with 1 tsp/gal aquarium salt. Treat for 7-10 days. If he isn't responding or getting worse by days 3-4, then go ahead and bump it up to 2 tsp/gal.

Be sure to dissolve the salt completely before adding to his water. Salt crystals can and will hurt him.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

How big is your tank ? How much and how often you do water changes?


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## Basement Bettas (May 12, 2012)

Armani33 said:


> I noticed that my black ( with some iradescent blue ) HM male has a gray patch on his head and it looks almost like he scratched off the scales in that area or something. A small part of his tail looks frayed or shredded So I first thought fin rot but then in the descriptions I read it said nothing about gray patches. Then I thought fungus but he didn't match any of the pictures I saw. He is swimming around normally. I feed him like 2 pellets 2 times a day alternating between Aqueon color enhancing betta food and Hikari betta bio gold and today I got him some aqueon freeze dried blood worms. Last night he didn't seem to want to eat but he ate that morning and this morning he ate with no hesitation and he is swimming around normally. I just added a snail today so I don't know if that's a problem if he is sick. What could be wrong with my little guy? :-(


My guess is columnaris. And it is a real bi^ch to get rid of. Kanamycin and nitrofurazone with feed laces with oxolinic acid. Keep water clean. Do salt dips daily [ http://www.ukda.info/library/discus-health/salt-dip.html] or even a few times a day. If that don't knock it out net him and use a q-tip and apply some peroxide. Do not get in gills as that will kill him. Lay on a wet paper towel or I just hold them in the net cupped in my hand so they can't flop around. Dab some peroxide.. give about 2 seconds to bubble then back into clean water. Keep water clean and feed a well balanced food so imune system can fight it back. Make sure you feed till his belly is slightly rounded. You want some fat reserves if he is fighting something off. This stuff is always present in water.. stress weakens fish and they become a target for stuff like this. If you get fin rotting you can get other things going on so go after this aggressivly.

Good reading..
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Columnaris.html

http://www.jnfkoifarms.com/symptoms...tmentsqtpage934346.html?refresh=1329738671217


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

My tank is 2.5 gallons with a filter,heater and thermometer and I do water changes usually 50 to 75% once a week sometimes sooner but no later than once a week. My snail died but I currently have Armani in a "hospital tank" which is really just a big glass vase but it's nice and wide and is I'm guessing 1 gallon. I have his heater and thermometer in with him and this morning he ate with no hesitation. He does have fin rot and after more research I don't think he has hole in the head. I think the gray patch on his head is from a fungus or some kind of bacteria. I put some solution in his water that is completely natural and kills any kind of bacteria and can't hurt him and it seemed to help. earlier last night he was staying at the bottom of his vase and only swimming up for air and then going strait back down but a little bit after I put the solution in his water he perked up and is now swimming around and acting completely normal. Last night he ate 2 pellets and a blood worm. when he ate the pellets last night he wouldn't come up to eat them he just ate them when they sank but when I put in the blood worm he swam up and ate it. This morning he ate 3 pellets with no hesitation what so ever and is acting like I said normal. His fin rot has not worsened since last night and neither has the patch on his head. I am going to get some treatment for fungus and fin rot today and continue with the solution and see if that helps. I am also going to clean out his 2.5 gallon tank entirely and rise the gravel and plants and change the filter cartridge and rinse the filter and wipe the acrylic and everything to make sure it's totally clean.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Basement Bettas sound interesting. I will keep your instructions in mind to recommend . I don't know how easy is to hold the fish and apply peroxide but i guess when you need to do it you do it.

Also i saw people recommending Kanamycin. Is it easy to find in the stores? Or need to order on line? 


Also Armany how is your fis?. And it very important to also find out why he got sick. How big is your tank and how much , how often you do water changes.

Basement Betta you gave link about salt dips . Not sure if you know about other instructions which is also very effective. All learned it from Oldfishlady who does it for life.
Aquarium salt (unscented) use (1tsp/gall up to 3 tsp/gall, depends why you treating) with daily water changes. Better to pre mix in one gall jug for the right dosage. Shake make sure it dissolve. Nee to do 100% daily water changes.

Also i want to say i think if it columnaris it spreads wary fast if i am not mistaken . So if you can treat him asap.....Also when fish has columnaris lower the water temperature since fungus grow and get worse in the warmer temperature.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

post at the same time. For 2.5 gall i really recommending to do 1-50% and 1-100% water changes a week. Rinse the gravel when you do 100%.

I am wondering what kind of solution did you use. If it fungus i would really recommend aquarium salt . Treatment is 10 days with daily 100% water changes. And aq salt has anti fungal/bacterial effect.

If it really fungus like i wrote lower the temperature. Since he still have something going on it can get worse.

Don't know what you decide but it it was fungus you need to do more frequent water changes for now. 

You saying that you going to clean his tank. I would disinfect it and put betta back only when you 100% sure he recovered .

I know for love plants you just quarantine them in the water NO conditioner for 2 weeks or even 3 weeks. Chlorine will kill bacteria, well it also may kill the plants. Some plants die though. But i am not sure if quarantine kills fungus though. BTW cold water is better. Fungus don't like cold water.

I would recommend to disinfect 2.5 gall tank with 10% bleach. Do you want me to write instructions for that?

Also i can write instructions how to disinfect the gravel and ornaments with vinegar and water.

Don't know how to disinfect the filter? Is it safe? I guess you have to run water through it make sure no disinfection solution left.

Now when you disinfect the gravel i would do it only if stones don't have ridges.It they are smooth.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

ANHEL123 I used silver solution. How come it is better to leave him in his hospital tank? I would think the water would stay cleaner with the filter running and would help him get better. I don't need to use water conditioner because I have a whole house filter that gets rid of a good amount of chemicals and a separate one for drinking water that literally filters out ALL the chemicals and I use the drinking water for Armani. I did a 100% water change this evening and added a silver solution and a couple drops of API bettafix. Tomorrow I am going to clean out his 2.5 gal and put him in with like one or 2 of his small silk plants and keep a super close eye on him.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

Pataflafla, What is the diff between aquarium salt and natural sea salt? Not table but like the sea salt I use for my hermit crabs fresh water it's called celtic sea salt.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

i would keep him in the hospital tank until you sure he is recovered. Don't need to use filter when you treating especially if you adding medications. I don't know anything about silver solution. I never saw anyone recommended it.
Be really careful with bettafix i read that it can kill the fish if you overdose. A lot of people on the forum don't recommend to use it. Especially if it contain aloe don't use it. Not sure about ingredients.

If he don't have any visual symptoms on the body, his behavior back to normal (active like he was before and not laying on the bottom or just hanging on the top), he is eating. I would just keep him in the hospital tank and do 50% daily water changes for a few days and see how he doing before you put him back in his tank .

I would also quarantine live plants. And silk plants i would disinfect before you put it back with him. But just hot water is not enough though. I can give you instructions on disinfection tank and silk plants.

Also even though you do 50% and 75% you still need siphon the gravel in the tank regularly

I hope he doing good.

I would rally recommend to stop using bettafix...not sure about other medications. I always research a lot before i use anything from the store. There is some medications that people recommended because they had experience with that. Don't believe what you read on the bottles , be careful.

I didn't know that you can use filtered water without water conditioner. I though you still need water conditioner. But i guess you know better since you are using it for your betta.

I would have aquarium salt on hands in case you need it.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

The gray patch on his head looks like it's getting better he has not worsened at all and and is swimming all over his hospital tank and eating like a little pig. The snail which I thought was dead twice now is very much alive and also in quarantine. Armani has been quarantined for a couple of days now and will be moving back into his 2.5 gal. The snail however will stay in quarantine until I make sure that he is totally healthy as well and that he didn't bring in any bacteria that made Armani sick. The ingredient in bettafix in melaluca or tea tree oil and I am being ultra careful with how much I give him.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

As long as there are absolutly no chemicals in the water than you don't need to use any water conditioners. The only reason you need them is if there are chemicals in your water such as chorine,floride,chloramines ect.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I am glad he doing good. Still will give him a few more days just to make sure he don't get worse . Better safe than sorry. Because gray spot is something new that he didn't have before so i would make sure he is fine before you move him. Especially if you disinfected his tank. But it me not sure what other people think. And i don't know what is the gray spot is. Is it just scratch ? 

Also why you making 75% water changes why don't you do 100%?
Also if you don't do 100% water changes you need to do regular gravel siphoning. Sorry if i repeat myself. Not sure if i already wrote it before lol

Good luck give us update.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

I have done the 100% water change and Armani is back in his 2.5 gallon. The gray patch and the fin rot appeared at the same time. The snail is still quarantined until I make sure it's totally healthy. When I cleaned the tank I just rinsed the gravel and plants thoroughly and sprayed them with silver solution to kill any bacteria and ran some water through the filter and put in a new cartridge. He is eating and acting completely normal.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Hold on you wrote fin rot and gray patch appeared at the same time, did you mean disappeared?

I am glad he is doing good. I guess just keep the water super clean and keep eye on i am not sure gray spot appeared or disappeared


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

No I meant appeared. I noticed them both at the same time. The gray spot seems to be clearing up and his fin rot has not worsened so The bettafix and silver solution must be helping.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

For 2.5 gall really recommending to do 1-50% and 1-100% water changes.

And watch make sure that symptoms will not get worse ,and new symptoms not developing….

And give us update


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

Good news! His gray patch is almost gone and the fin rot has not worsened and appears to be getting a little better. The snail seems healthy as well. It is a gold apple snail in case you were wondering.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Oh good i am glad. I really want to know about silver solution. No one mentioned it on the forum or at least i didn't see. What is the brand ? What kind of symptoms it recommended for?
I am curious. 
I am glad he is better. And since you was doing 100% also now you know it fine and you can do alternate it for you tank along with 50%


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

I will get a link to the website for the silver solution. It's not just for fish it's actually sold for people but you can use for pretty much anything and it can't do any harm and it's 100 percent natural and works extremely well at killing any type of bacteria.


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Can you add a pic? I think it may be normal, some of my bettas have gray scales on top of their head for no reason.


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

If it looks liek this (even a lighter or darker gray, or even brownish or black seems normal)
EDIT this is not my betta


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## acadialover (Nov 17, 2011)

*whats wrong with little guy*

What is the silver solution ?


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

pogthefish, it looks nothing like what the fish in the photo has. His gray patch which actually made a little indent in his head went away and his fin rot got much better so I put georgio ( the snail) back in. The next day I noticed worsened fin rot ( which I discovered was actually tail rot being it only affected his tail) and had another gray patch a little above the other one. I took the snail out upped his does of bettafix to the dose for 2 gallons ( before he was getting the dose for 1 gallon but he dose live in a 2.5 gal) and he is getting better. None the less the snail will be returned to the petstore where I bought him.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

Pogthefish, I see you breed gold apple snails which is what I bought...do they have any history of making betta's sick???


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

If he will still continue to have a problem i would definitely stop any medications since it not helping. I would really try aquarium salt if his fins or grey spot getting worse. Too much medication I think for poor guy. Aquarium salt less stressful on the fish. But if you decide to switch to salt you will need to get rid of those medication first, so do 100% water changes. 
And when you switch from medications to just clean water make sure you acclimate him to new water right …


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

They don't seem to make them sick, but I think this is amonia related, fin rot is. Do more water changes, even no fin rot, gill burn is likely. so alot more water changes. The snail should not go with him if there is that much amonia.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Armany how often you do now your water changes? I always for more water changes more then anyone else. My problem that if you are using medications for almost i think 10 days and it still didn't help you need to stop them. It stressful for fish. 
What is instructions on the bottles?
Even if medications helped there is the point where you have to stop using them or you are overmedicating....


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

The medication is working great as he is recovering from his second gray patch and tail rot and is almost completely healed. I do water changes about once a week or sooner. I had to wait a full week this time because of the medication and I was going to do it yesterday but I was riding my lease horse and was out a lot so I just never got around to it so I'm going to change it tomorrow once I get back from another ride on my lease horse. Thanks for all your advice. Armani seems to be out of the woods now and like I said the snail will be returned to petco so no issues there. Again thankyou for all the replies.

Armani33 and Armani =)


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

If you want you could ship it to me for about $6 with the usps. i can teach you how (I have never done before, although I know how)


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

pogthefish,We are going to give the snail another shot as he seems more active lately I'm hoping the third time around will work out. You know what they say "Third times a charm".


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Ok


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

All went well with trial number three!! The two are successfully living together. Armani seems to have nipped off some of the snails tentacle/antennae thingys but other than that they are living peacefully together.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Oh good!!! Did you considerate to do 1-50% and 1-100% water changes a week for your 2.5 gall


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

I do at least a 50% change once a week I always have.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

For 2.5 gall it also better to do 100% on weekly basis.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

okay so as you know I put the snail back and it was a success ( or so I thought) turns out my little Armani is more aggressive than I thought he seemed to find it amusing to bite of the poor snails tentacles( ouch! ) and he started to show signs of tail rot ( again! ) so the once again the snail was removed and put in a large glass vase and Armani healed up fine. Now the vase we had him in wasn't one we would never use again soooo we got him a little half gallon glass fish bowl and put some gravel and a large plant in it and I planned to keep until he died. Well the day I got his bowl and a little while after I had set him up in it he wasn't moving ( he was in his shell though) but I picked him up to make sure he was fine weeeeelll I'll just say this quickly I dropped him, his shell broke and he died...Rest in peace little guy sorry for dropping you. So I had this fish bowl with a plant and gravel so I thought what the heck I'll get another betta so I did and I now own Georgio ( my first betta's name is Armani get it?) a very pretty DT male. So there is how my adventure with a snail and Armani's illness ( He is healthy now knock on wood ) and I will never EVER pair a Betta and a snail again. Thanks for all your replies. Oh and feel free to reply to this I just don't need anymore medical fish advice or snail advice lol.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I love your updates!!! I am glad you rescue Georgio and i am glad Armany doing good. Feel bad about snail though 
I know you said you don't need any advice anymore , but i always worry for every betta in the world to get sick lol Just one more advice for 0.5 gall bowl do 100% water changes every 3 days . 

Good luck.


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

Thank you! I do water changes every other day for the 0.5 gal bowl is that too often?


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I would say do every 2 days. But make sure no food left and sink to the bottom . I am glad they doing good!!!


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## Armani33 (May 13, 2012)

Okay Thanks =)


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