# WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BETTA'S HEAD!? (pictures encluded)



## Shinkutsunami (May 6, 2012)

I once posted a thread about this months ago but it has progressed by A LOT! it looks like a tumor around his left eye to me. Any ideas on what I should do??? :shock:


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Might be a Tumor. But I do not know why it would get better. Glad he is recovering. What is his origin sorry did not read that thread.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Omg im so sorry this is happening! He looks like an oranda goldfish! D:


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Aw. :'( The Betta didn't get better Choco, the OP said he got worse. :\


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Actually, yu know what? That might be fatty deposits. How much do you feed him?


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## Shinkutsunami (May 6, 2012)

How much do I feed him? a lot but not too much... More than I used to though. He looks miserable  I've never seen anything like this before... I always feed him Omega One Natural Protein Formula Betta Buffet Pellets I don't know if that has anything to do with it though. It also looks like he is developing a cataract on his left eye so I don't think that's the case.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

At first I thought it was a bubble head goldfish. o - o


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## Shinkutsunami (May 6, 2012)

I need professional advice here! is this going to keep progressing until it eventually kills him? should I let him go on like this??


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## Friendlyfishies (Aug 16, 2012)

finnfinnfriend said:


> Omg im so sorry this is happening! He looks like an oranda goldfish! D:


Thats exactly what I thought. Thats sad, im sure hes in a good home tho and that makes it better. Sorry you're going through that!


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Contact Sakura8 or Oldfishlady quickly! Meanwhile, keep him in a QT tank and add in some IAL or Oak Leaves. I'm so sorry.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Yikes! Poor thing! Have you tried any sort of treatment? How does he act? Is he eating? It could be a tumor, but I've never seen one form like that before! It's possible that it's a really bad internal bacterial infection and his head is filled with liquid.


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## Shinkutsunami (May 6, 2012)

Okay I'll contact them about it! I feel so bad for him he's just at the bottom of his tank not moving at all... he's been acting like this for a couple weeks now. and yeah, I've tried treating him with epsom salt... it didn't help at all. :/ back in May, I put up a thread about this and everyone came to the conclusion that it was either a tumor, or a buildup of dragon scales. (he's a dragon scale betta) It did look a lot different back then though. I can't believe how much worse it's gotten. Here are some pics of it back in May


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Interesting. If it had been white, I would have said lymphocystis, which are growths that look like cauliflower (hence it's other name, "cauliflower disease." But I don't think lympho takes on the same color of the scales. 

There are definitely two possibilities. One is a tumor, like you said. The other is that he's got a rip-roaring infection under his scales. How is his behavior aside from the growth? Does he eat? Can he swim and breathe okay? Is he lethargic at all?

EDIT: 
What dosage of epsom salt did you use? For how long? 

I'm definitely not a dragon-scale expert but I don't think the scales can build up like that. There's got to be something else going on. 

Hmm. Another possibility, although a small one, is gas bubble disease. You know all those little bubbles that cling to the side of a tank after a water change? Those are nitrogen bubbles that occur when large amounts of cold water is rapidly heated up (such as during a water change). On rare occasions, those bubbles get inhaled through the gills and they can travel through the bloodstream and attach themselves to the walls of the body cavity. It's common for those bubbles to end up near the eyes or in the fins. But, the only problem I see with that is those bubbles usually absorb after a few days. :/ Hmm. The poor guy. Do you think you can get a pic of his eye too? Bit concerned about that. Looks almost like the growths are forcing his eyeball out at a funny angle.


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## missketie (Aug 2, 2012)

Poor baby. :-( I hope he gets better.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

If it is a tumor-not a lot you can do-Epsom salt may or may not help-all Epsom salt will do is ease some of the symptom to help make him more comfy-it won't/can't cure him.

Usually they will not die due to the tumor per se, however, as the tumor grows it can impede on daily living and organs and this is what kills the Betta. Tumors grow at different rates and if it is growing to the point that he is suffering-you may need to make the hard decision and do what is right by him....Only you can make that decision.......

Another thought-it could be a parasite.....but it really looks more like a tumor to me based on the growth....

Sorry I couldn't be of more help....


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

So sorry for your guy, i just had to put my little guy down for a tumor on his side.. His fins were falling apart and he couldnt swim right... Hope your guy can hold on longer then mine did.


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## Shinkutsunami (May 6, 2012)

Yeah he still eats like a pig he just seems a lot slower and has a very hard time seeing the food with his left eye. he mostly hangs around the bottom of the tank and honestly seems very miserable! He's swimming around right now though. I had him on epsom for like a week I think and I couldn't see any improvements so I just stopped with the epsom. that was months ago though and it didn't look nearly as bad as it does now! Here are pics of his good eye and bad eye. (note the white on his left eye is not a reflection! it's actually turned white like a cataract or something)


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I would go ahead and get him back in the Epsom salt 3tsp/gal and tannin source if you have one. 

Premixed the treatment water to use for 50% every other day water changes-offer good nutrition.

The Epsom salt is safe to use long term if needed......


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## Shinkutsunami (May 6, 2012)

Okay I'll put him back on it! I really don't know if he's gonna make it for much longer though judging by how he's acting.


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

_Omg..the poor fishy..I do remember breifly that thread..it progressed like that..have you tried Aq salt, or Epsom better for that..I am in the process of trying to figure out if my Sapphire is going blind, in one eye, his eye color changing, and looking like a cataract..wth..these fishy's get really bad diseases..maybe with age, idk..I feel for you, have you had him long time? Is he a VT?_


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## Shinkutsunami (May 6, 2012)

Yeah I remember you lelei! I put him on epsom way back then when I had my other thread up... It didn't help at all. Yeah I've had him since November last year!! Back then he was perfectly fine and had no sign of this whatsoever. He's a dragon scale betta or at least that's what he was labeled as at the petsmart that I got him at!


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