# White bump and holes in fin??



## Phishpham (May 14, 2020)

WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY FISH? THE HOLES IN HIS FINS ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIGGER AS TIKE GOES ON.


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## Bettaswimshady (May 14, 2020)

Fin rot?


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## fishowner550 (Mar 26, 2020)

Do the white bumps look raised?


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## fishowner550 (Mar 26, 2020)

Bettaswimshady said:


> Fin rot?


As far as I can see there is no fin rot, fin rot will look as if your bettas fins are sorta melting off ( thats the best explanation I can think of)


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## fishowner550 (Mar 26, 2020)

See how the little dots look kind of like white sand on the betta, it kind of looks like your betta has ick in the first photo but it is a little blurry so i cant really tell. If you could get a clearer photo of the white dot it would help a lot.


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## Phishpham (May 14, 2020)

fishowner550 said:


> Do the white bumps look raised?


Yes the bump is raised and it is only one bump.


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## Phishpham (May 14, 2020)

fishowner550 said:


> See how the little dots look kind of like white sand on the betta, it kind of looks like your betta has ick in the first photo but it is a little blurry so i cant really tell. If you could get a clearer photo of the white dot it would help a lot.


Her are two better pics (might still be blurry he moves a lot) but it doesn't seem to be ich as there is only one large bump


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

I'm sorry that your betta isn't feeling well, but please fill out this form first so we have the information we need:








*****PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so...


Many thanks to BF/TFK Member Mike for developing this questionnaire. It is the same form with a few additions. Please copy and paste into a new message and complete this form when seeking help for your Betta. This information and a clear photo posted directly into the thread will help us give...




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## Phishpham (May 14, 2020)

Rana said:


> I'm sorry that your betta isn't feeling well, but please fill out this form first so we have the information we need:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*Housing:*
How many gallons is your tank? 5 gal
Does it have a filter? yes,sponge
Does it have a heater? yes
What temperature is your tank? 81 F
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? yes as part of sponge filter
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? no

*Food:*
What food brand do you use? omega one
Do you feed flakes or pellets? pellets
Freeze-dried? yes, blood worms
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? 2 pellets a day

*Maintenance:
Before* your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? once a week
What percentage of water did you change? 50-70 percent
What is the source of your water? tap
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? yes i vacuum substrate
What additives do you use? What brand of conditioner? Top fin water conditioner and aqueon plant food

*Water Parameters:*
What are your water parameters? Please give exact numbers. If tested by pet store please get exact numbers. "Fine" or "Safe" won't help us help you. Important: Test your water _before_ the regular water change; not after one.

(i use test strips so I can not see the exact ppm)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.5
Hardness (GH): 0-30
Alkalinity (KH): 120-180

*Symptoms and Treatment:*
When did you first notice the symptoms? A week ago
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? A large lump on side of body and hole in fin
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? No
Is your Betta still eating? Yes
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? Because of the pandemic, I can't go and get real medication for my fish, but I have performed salt dips on him. 
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? No
How long have you owned your Betta? 2 - 3 months
Was he or she ill or suffering some sort of damage when purchased? No


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

Thanks for filling out the form. In general it looks like you're taking excellent care of him! 

The holes in his fin may be damage caused by a piece of decor in his tank. Have you checked over everything to make sure it's not rough/sharp? If a piece of decor or a fake plant is rough enough to snag a piece of pantyhose, it's too rough for a betta's fins.

Since the holes are right against his belly, it's possible that the "root" of his fins were damaged. This can be because of a number of reasons, like heavy scaling which prevents the webbing from growing in that spot. (He appears to be a Dragonscale to me- though I'm _not_ very good at identifying them- and they have extra thick scales) , or a scratch which has already healed.

The holes don't look infected, so I would just keep up with his water changes, and keep an eye on any changes that may happen in the future. You can also start feeding him some frozen foods a few times a week like bloodworms or brine shrimp, they are packed with nutrition which can help fins heal up faster.


As for the lump, it is definitely _not_ Ich. Ich rarely begins with a single spot and more would appear within hours, anyway. Ich spots are also smaller and never "lumpy"- they really do look like grains of salt.

What it _does_ look like to me is either a Lymphocystis growth, or a scale tumor. Lympho is a virus that causes bumpy "cauliflower-like" white or gray growths. Sometimes the betta will shed this growth and the skin underneath will heal (This can look pretty gory while it's happening depending on how large the growth was). Other times the lump just keeps hanging around. Lympho is not curable with medicine, because it's a virus, however it is _rarely_ fatal on its own. The only way to treat it is to just keep your betta in great shape with clean water and good food, which you are already doing.

A scale tumor is more likely to happen with Dragonscales and bettas that have the "marble" gene. They usually don't spread, or get large enough to cause any real harm to the betta. Like a Lympho growth it's possible for a skin-level tumor to fall off on its own, however this is less likely. And like Lympho the best thing to do for a betta with a tumor growth is just to keep his water clean and give him good food.


One thing you can add to his tank in general is India Almond Leaves or Rooibos Tea (pure, no flavors or additives), which will stain the water brown-ish from tannins. They are both considered to be mildly antiseptic which can help keep his fins and lump clean, and they also will lower the pH slightly which bettas typically enjoy.

You can either put the leaves/tea directly into the tank, or boil some tank water in a _very_ clean mug to make a "tea", and once it's cooled you can control exactly how much to add to decide how dark the tank becomes.


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## Mr Grumpy (Feb 28, 2020)

> What it _does_ look like to me is either a Lymphocystis growth, or a scale tumor


Typical in Dragon scale Bettas


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

A note: I've had dozens of DS Betta and, IME, while cysts/tumors may be more common than in their normal-scaled brethren they are not typical. 

But back on topic:

Does your boy flare a lot? Sometimes that can cause holes in fins. Usually they start out as pinholes and get larger.

As far as the bump goes, I would take a photo every few days to see if there is growth or any change in the scale area.


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