# Red streaks on tail. Septicemia??



## shmac (Jan 17, 2016)

Hello! So I had to leave town unexpectedly and didn't get to do water changes for about a week (I have a small 2.5 gal tank). When I came home, my betta had a few red streaks on his tail that weren't there before. I'm worried about him because I read this can be a sign of septicemia. 

I'm trying to remember but I'm honestly not sure -- I think I performed a 100% water change and cleaned the tank the week before I left. So he started with a "new tank" before I had to leave unexpectedly, and I think this may have contributed to whatever's ailing him.

He's acting perfectly normal -- eating fine, very active. Just has red streaks on his caudal fin and a bit of red color where his tail meets his body.

I'm new to betta keeping, so please be as specific as possible if he needs medication/to be put in a hospital tank. Thanks!

Housing:
How many gallons is your tank? *2.5 Gallons*
Does it have a filter? *Yes*
Does it have a heater? *Yes*
What temperature is your tank? *78 degrees*
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? *No*
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? *None*

Food:
What food brand do you use? *Betta Buffet Flakes, with the occasional Aqueon pellet*
Do you feed flakes or pellets? *See above*
Freeze-dried? *No*
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? *Once in the morning, a few flakes (hard to measure because size varies, I try to keep it consistent though) and then a few in the evening.*

Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? *Every 2-4 days, depending. See above for *
What percentage of water did you change? *20-40%*
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? *Vacuum gravel.*
What additives do you use? *Aqueon water conditioner or Seachem Prime*

Water Parameters:
*I don't have a test kit -- I've got a 2.5 gallon tank that I never cycled; I keep up with frequent water changes. (Obviously with the exception of the week I was out of town)*

Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms? *About a week ago.*
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? *Red streaks on caudal fin.*
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? *It hasn't.*
Is your Betta still eating? *Yes*
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? *No*
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? *No*
How long have you owned your Betta? Was he or she a rescue? *Three months.*


The streaks appear much brighter in person than they do in this picture. He's also got a bit of red where his tail meets his body that you can kind of see in the picture.


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## shmac (Jan 17, 2016)

So far no answers, so I've gone ahead and set him up in a smaller temporary tank with the intention of doing daily water changes.

I'm not sure if he needs antibiotics or not. Can somebody provide any info for me?

Edit: Ugh, I've noticed that he's got some more red veins showing up where his dorsal and anal fins meet his body. Is it safe to assume septicemia? How do I treat it?


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## XTashX (Jan 7, 2016)

I would say septicemia. You need a antibiotic for this. There are many on the market. I will wait for someone else to advise which one to use as the most effective. I believe Tetracycline is very effective, can be a bit harsh though maybe treat with it in a hospital tank as it may kill the good bacteria in your tank. Here's a link to one:

http://www.aquaristiconline.com.au/products/blueplanetaquaricycline25tablets

I remember back in the day you used to be able to by penicillin capsules, worked like a charm but it's illegal now. :roll:


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## cakes488 (Dec 2, 2015)

Has the streaking increased any further?
I think if it was septicemia that he would not be acting normal. However, I am no expert but that's what I think from all the research I've done.


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## shmac (Jan 17, 2016)

The streaking hasn't increased that I've noticed.

He's in a 1 gallon tank right now with fresh water. Overnight the color seems to have dulled a bit -- it's brown rather than red. Not sure if this is a good or bad sign. He's still got some redness in his body, but it's not as angry as it looked last night.

He's also suddenly got a rip in his tail. Either it's from his leaf hammock, biting (unlikely), or thrashing as I cupped him from one tank to another. Wasn't there yesterday, so I'm stumped as to what could have caused it. At least his water is as fresh as can be.

Additionally, he's spitting out his food now, which he normally doesn't do. He's still eating, though. It could be the new environment throwing him off, or the illness.

I'll pick up some antibiotics today. Hope my little man can pull through.

Thank you for your responses!


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## cakes488 (Dec 2, 2015)

Why is he in the one gallon? I would hold off on the antibiotics...I mean they are good to have on hand. But I think it would be better to determine what if anything is wrong before medicating him. 

I was hoping one of the betta experts would take a look at this thread.


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## shmac (Jan 17, 2016)

I put him in there so that I can do water changes easily, since I don't know the water parameters in my main tank and I don't want him getting sicker. I figured fresh water wouldn't hurt, but let me know if I should put him back in his main tank.

I haven't medicated yet, but I'm wary on holding off much longer in case he gets worse. I'd hate to lose the little guy. Really hoping that some of the experts chime in!


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## XTashX (Jan 7, 2016)

I recommend you invest in a liquid test kit, it will really help you to know where you stand. If it is septicimia it will get worse. Keep an eye on how long the streaks are and see if they spread at all i would definitely treat as it does not look like a colour change to me.

Where are all the experienced betta peeps?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

There's nothing wrong with him. The red at the base of his caudal is an extension of his lateral vein. The red in his fins is from bleeding. This is much easier to see in light Betta which is why people with darker Betta seldom notice before it's gone. I imagine he either bit or damaged his caudal and they did a bit of bleeding.


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## shmac (Jan 17, 2016)

That makes sense. The streaks really threw me off and I started looking for any signs of red in his body...obviously I kind of overdid it! 

So I guess the verdict is that he's damaged his tail. It's hard to tell in pictures, but his whole tail has sort of a brownish tint to it (I'm assuming from blood) and it has the rip in it that I mentioned in one of my other comments. He's lost the beautiful, healthy color that he used to have. Is this something that will clear up with time and frequent water changes?

Additionally, I'm planning on getting a test kit once I upgrade his tank...I'd love to have a 5 or 10 gallon eventually, but I'm running low on funds at the moment. Thank you!


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