# Another sickness, are you kidding me?! WHITE FUZZ



## BunnyCates (Nov 18, 2011)

We got two new fish at the beginning of Feb. Everything has been going fine, until this past weekend. I noticed Mini's top fin and tail were clamped, and she had like a white thing hanging off her back. I immediately took out the filter and treated the entire tank with Parasite Guard. She did not look any better the next day, so I put her in a smaller quarentine tank and treated her one day of epsom salt, and a day off. She didn't look better. So last night I treated her with Maracyn. Today she looks HORRIBLE and there is white cotton/fuzz all over her back and head!


Here are a few pics (there are many in this album if you want to see more)




























I'm really mad. I take very good care of my fish. Why can't I keep one healthy?!

Housing 
What size is your tank? 5 gallon / divided
What temperature is your tank? 79 steady
Does your tank have a filter? yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no, used to but took it out. they didnt like it.
Is your tank heated? yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? alone on her side but snail and male on other side

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? flakes, pellets, and blood worms on friday 
How often do you feed your betta fish? twice a day

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? weekly
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? abt 75% and 100% monthly
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? betta safe water conditioner (yes it removes chlorine too)

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? yes If so, what are the following parameters? everything is good. 
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? yes, white fuzz
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? yes, clamped fins resting on bottom
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 5-6 days ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? yes - see above
Does your fish have any history of being ill? no
How old is your fish (approximately)? don't know. Walmart rescue bought in Feb - healthy until now.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Im not fish Dr, but my guess would be columnaris or fungus.
A treatment for both is continued aquarium salt and maracyn 2. If it is columnaris, maracyn wont work because that treats gram positive bacteria whereas columnaris is gram negative. They are often combined together to treat columnaris and any secondary infections. I have also heard that hard water makes maracyn 2 uneffective - you may want to try triple sulfa or furan2.


*Columnaris*
•Symptoms: White spots on mouth, edges of scales and fins, Cottony Growth that eats away at the mouth, Fins rapidly disingrate, starting at the edges
Gray areas around head and gills, As the disease progresses the gray lesions may change in color to yellow/brown/red, Lesions often occur in front of the dorsal causing a “saddleback” appearance, Lethargic, Loss of appetite, Clamped, Gasping for air
•Treatment: There are 2 versions of Columnaris: chronic and acute. Chronic Columnaris can take days to progress while acute can kill within a day. _*It is contagious so isolate sick fish. If more than one fish shows symptoms then treat the entire tank. Perform daily 100% water change in small tanks or ¾ water change in larger tanks. Make sure to clean the gravel. Treat with Aq.Salt: add 1 tsp/gal Aquarium Salt 3 times, 12 hours apart so that you end up with 3 times the normal concentration. Do NOT raise the temperature as it thrives in temps over 85*F, however, lowering the temperature does not seem to help fight it. Combine salt treatment with Mardel’s Coppersafe, Maracyn I & II, API Erythromycin, OR API Triple Sulfa, combined with Jungle’s Fungus Eliminator (if possible).*_

*True Fungal Infections*
•Symptoms: White cottony like patches on its body or head, Lethargic, Not eating, Clamped Fins, Pale Colors
•Treatment: *Conservative: Lower temperature below 76* F and treat with Aq.Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Never continue salt treatments for more than 10 days. Medication: If Conservative treatment is ineffective after 10 days or you see the fungus spread rapidly during the course of conservative treatment, move to medication. Add “Fungus Eliminator” by Jungle, API Erythromycin, API Fungus Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR Mardel’s Maracyn II. Change water every day and add a new dose of the same medication. Continue until all fungus has disappeared*. 

*Body Slime Infection*
•Symptoms: Your betta is covered in a white film. It may just be in a few areas and may rise of the skin a bit. Lethargy, clamped, loss of apetite, may have cloudy eyes.
•Treatment:* Body Slime infections or Slime Coat Sloughing are due to bacterial infections. Perform daily 100% water changes. Use 1tsp/gal Aq.Salt for up to 10 days. If that does not work then use API Tetracycline, API Fungus Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR Jungle’s Lifeguard.
*


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Also, you should up the water changes - even with a filter, you should do 25%-50% a week 



> I'm really mad. I take very good care of my fish. Why can't I keep one healthy?!


 I doubt it is you. Alot of times the fish looks healthy when we buy it off the shelf but poor conditions from walmart/petco/petsmart weakens the immune system. All my fish came from walmart and even though I give them superb care, they still get sick. What is even more infurating is getting a fish from walmart that obviously needs tlc - you give it clean, warm water, room to swim and a week later dies from columnaris.


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## BunnyCates (Nov 18, 2011)

I do about 75% water change every Friday, with 100% once per month.
all of my water readings are normal 0's (baby green, baby pink, baby orange - on the strips) hardness is 7.5 so water quality isn't the issue. Heat isnt the issue - my heater keeps it steady 79(f) 

I just don't get how she can be fine - and nothing change or be added and then WHAM - crazy white growing all over her. My snail and other betta seem fine.

So I should stop the Maracyn and do Maracyn 2 instead. Maracyn 2 + salt or just M2, I wonder?

I seriously give up on fish. I wont be buying any more. I can't grow plant and apparently can't raise fish.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

I would not switch to the Maracyn 2- it works against gram negative bacteria whereas the Maracyn works against gram positive bacteria and fungus. Personally, this looks most like a fungal infection to me.

My personal favorite is fungus clear by Jungle Labs. It treats both bacterial (gram positive and negative if I remember correctly) and fungus so you get a comprehensive approach. It is the only medication I have found to be truly effective in later stages of disease. That being said, I would not try treating with salt alone at this point simply because I don't feel it would be strong enough to combat such an established infection. Also, do not treat with salt while you are using medications and many already contain salt and even if they don't it can be overwhelming and unnecessary. Hope this helps! Good luck.


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## Tobythefish (Nov 14, 2011)

Maracyn 1 & 2 won't work. Sakura8 said that if your PH is higher than 7.2, the Maracyns won't work.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I have a ph of about 8 and I had to seriously OD my fish on maracyn 2 for it to work, which was a gamble in itself.

If its a fungus then I agree with kim on the fungus eliminator meds, if you can find them.


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## Thomasdog (Jan 26, 2012)

Best of luck, my girl, Luna got something like this... I never had the chance to fix her but I would just say to keep him warm and happy. And please don't give up on fish!! You are going everything perfect, it is simply the ups and downs of fish ownership. Just ride out the storm and see how you feel.

Best of luck


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

How is she doing??


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## BunnyCates (Nov 18, 2011)

she's been on Maracyn 2 / salt since the last time I posted and the white fuzz is almost all the way gone now. I mean you wouldn't notice it at all, unless you knew to look for it. And she is eating and active again. Tail is now unclamped. Top fin still about half clamped. I would say in another day or two she will be back to 100%. Fixing to do her nightly water change so will be able to get a better look here in a bit, but I am very pleased with the Maracyn 2.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

That's awsome:-D


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## BunnyCates (Nov 18, 2011)

Well, Mini is all better. Was going to take her out of quarantine tonight but I just noticed that Kong now has a spot on his face.  So I need to treat the 5 gallon. Can't find if Maracyn 2 is ok for snails though. Read tons of discussions all over the net and half say yes and half say no. Not sure what to do, I don't want to kill Mr Snailerby, but he won't stay in a bowl. He gets out of my 5 gallon all the time, no way will he stay in a bowl. haha....


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## BunnyCates (Nov 18, 2011)

just updating. Both my fish are better. 

I still have Mini in a quarantine bowl though because she will not unclamp her top fin. Not sure what's thats about but other than that all is well. Her color is good, no discolorations and she is swimming and eating fine. She does turn her stress stripes on any time someone touches or moves her bowl though. She likes it right how it is and doesn't want anyone to touch it. I think I may have one of those weird fish who just prefer a smaller living space. 

Kong doesn't seem to mind, he likes having the whole 5 gallon to himself, he stalks around it like Jaws. Flaring at her though the side of the tank. The white spot on his face must have just been food or something because it was gone the next day - no treatment needed.

Now if I can just figure out where Mr Snailerby is going when he gets out of the tank - all will be right in the world. lol.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Glad all is well :-D


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