# Fungus balls on fins?



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Hi, I looked around for info on this and didn't find any. 

I just put my fish in a new tank (a bit quicker than I'd have liked, the heater isn't working on his old one) last night. This morning he has fuzzy balls of something on his fin tips. Nowhere else, just the fins. The stuff is almost spherical. 

Housing
What size is your tank? -- 3.5 gallons
What temperature is your tank? -- 76
Does your tank have a filter? -- yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? -- yes
Is your tank heated? -- yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? -- none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? -- beta fish pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? -- small amount, twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? -- I haven't yet- he's in a new tank. I intend to do 1/3 water change and one full water change weekly. 
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? n/a yet
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? betta water ready, stabilise

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment

How has your betta fish's appearance changed? 
--- he has fuzzy grey 'balls' of fungussy looking stuff on his fin tips 

How has your betta fish's behavior changed? 
--- lethargic, sits on his hammock all the time

When did you start noticing the symptoms? 
--- this morning

Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? no

Does your fish have any history of being ill? 
-- he has internal parasites apparently. I've not treated it yet, just got advice on how yesterday & need to buy the cure

How old is your fish (approximately)? 
-- idk, he's a pet shop fish


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Occasionally a couple of my bettas will have slime coat or something similar trailing from their fins if there is a rapid change in pH (used to happen to me before I started buffering my water as Melbourne tap water is soft and prone to fluctuating). 

It cleared up in a few days and my fish were none the worse for wear. 

Are you able to get any photos of it as this may help properly diagnose what is wrong.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

These are the best pics I could get on the iPod. You can see the pale blobs at the end of his fins: 






I'm having trouble uploading more pics, for some reason. Trying to work it out..


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Now it's doing these silly thumbs. Anyhow, here's one just because he's cute:


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

You can see how skinny he is in that one above - I'm assuming that's because of the parasites. He's eating well, but I can really notice today that he's thinner. 

I'm hoping I can get someone out tomorrow to take me shopping, so I can get the parasite cure you recommended, LBF. It'd be handy to know if I need some anti-fungal stuff while I'm there, these trips out are pretty limited atm. 

Thanks for all your help, btw.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Update: the fuzzy spots are spreading up his fins. I dunno if it's fungal or bacterial - is there a way to tell?


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

'Nother update:

The fuzzy gunk has dropped off most of his fins, taking a small chunk of fin with it. There was fuzz on the tips of most of his fins, now there's only one blob left on his tail. 

Sid's the happiest I've seen him yet, darting around and even flaring a bit. After I feed him a brine shrimp, he goes hunting through the tank quite aggressively in case there's another one hiding somewhere, very amusing. 

I think you were right, LBF, and this was just some slime shedding. Cross fingers, anyway!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

When you said it was spreading up the tail that was a little worrying, but if it's coming off on its own and his behaviour is improving, it could have just been some change in the water chemistry that irritated him. 

Poor guy looks very undernourished. I was at C. Aquarium (don't want to name them) yesterday. The bettas were in horrific shape. So many were dead or close to it, and the water in their cups was so cloudy I couldn't believe they would think it good business practice to display them like that.

Saw a couple I would have taken home, but I refuse to condone such poor fishkeeping. Going to stick with breeders and Jodi-Lea from now on. 

Hopefully now he's getting decent care and food he will put on some weight. I'm betting he is enjoying the space and clean water very much.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Hi, LBF. 

Yes, Sid is a skinnybum right now. He's filled out a tiny bit in the past couple of days, with twice a day pellet and a brine shrimp (or two, if they're only small ones). I think it'll probably be the parasite problem - and that might explian why he's a bit on the small side as well? Anyhow, I hope to soon help him be rid of all that so he can fatten up like the greedy goober he really is. 

Omg, yes -- that shop. I'm so sad to hear there were dead ones - none were when I went just a couple days ago, but they looked close to it. I have seen some manky pet shops in my time, but that betta display has to be up there with the worst of the worst.

I left a somewhat scathing review of the store on that google-review thing, and mentioned animal cruelty. Not surprisingly, there's hardly a good word for the store among the other reviews. Most people sound pretty disgusted. One person said re the bettas "it'd be more like rescuing a fish out of pity than purchasing a pet." <-- awesome comment

I want to call the owner and tell them what effect the bettas are having on perception of their store. I somehow think they won't give a crap but it's worth a shot. In any case, I too will never buy another betta from a pet shop. Lesson learned!

In happier news, all the tissue where the fuzz dropped off looks pretty clean but I am keeping my eye on him closely. Still haven't got access to shopping yet, but I hope I can get that wormer soon.

LBF, your fish are lovely btw.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

AHA! I discovered what the fuzzies were! Thanks and credit to http://badmanstropicalfish.com/2ndpage.html



*Common Name:* Cotton Fin Fungus *Pathogen/Cause:* Various, often Saprolegnia spp. *Physical Signs:* Cotton-like "fluffy" or wispy growth trailing on fins of fish. Can gradually promote decay of tissue. *Behavioral Signs:* Usually not severely affected until later stages. *Potential Treatment:* Many formulations available, including brand names: Jungle Fungus Guard, Mardel Maroxy, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Fungus Cure and generic formulations usually containing methylene blue. *Other Notes:* Prefers to attack already damaged or injured tissue. Most important action is to do water changes and increase circulation of the system. Saprolegnia prefers to live in stagnant water. Sometimes improvement of water quality alone will eradicate the disease.
This is exactly what it looked like: 










The improved water conditions in the 3.5 g tank might have nipped this in the bud, or maybe it only ate away at the pre-purchase damaged bits of fin that looked compressed or twisted (he doesn't have any 'knotty' fin tips now, since these 'fuzzies' chewed them off)) but I still peer at him closely every day to make sure it hasn't come back.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

So a minute after posting this I find Newtonbetta's thread, which I had somehow completely missed: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=79209&page=11

He apparently had the same issue with this fuzzy fin stuff coming and going. 

Curiouser! I suppose I shall have to wait and see if it comes back.


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