# Iridescent scales or sickness?



## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

*Housing 
What size is your tank?*
3 Gallon
*What temperature is your tank?*
75*F
*Does your tank have a filter?*
Yes
*Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?*
No
*Is your tank heated?*
Not, at the moment. Heater broke, but I do have a thermometer and thanks to warm weather the temp has remained pretty stable. within 3 degrees of 75 F. Getting another soon.
*What tank mates does your betta fish live with?*
A Nerite snail

*Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?*
API Betta pellets, Freeze-dried blood worms
*How often do you feed your betta fish?*
4 pellets a day. blood worms as an occasional treat.

*Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change?*
Every 2 wks
*What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?*
25-50%
*What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?*
Tetra Betta Safe as directed

*Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?*
No I have not tested water.

Ammonia: n/a
Nitrite: n/a
Nitrate: n/a
pH: n/a
Hardness: n/a
Alkalinity: n/a

*Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?*
He has two scales on the edge of his gills that have changed from red to a shiny silver color. I tried to get better pictures of it but the light kept shineing off of them and just making it look like a white spot. Close up it almost looks like dragon scaling on just those two scales. Betta don't just start dragon scaling though. afraid he's sick again and just not acting like it.

*How has your betta fish's behavior changed?*
It hasn't really. Still active. Seemingly happy.

*When did you start noticing the symptoms?*
About 3 wks ago.

*Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?*
No.

*Does your fish have any history of being ill?*
He had a bacterial infection on his head about 6 months ago. Treated him with aquarium salt and when that didn't work treated him with BettaFix.

*How old is your betta fish (approx.)?*
1.5 years


Some pictures:


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## juanitawolf (May 12, 2014)

okay, that seems weird. i have two theories kind of
1- he may be aging, he is quite the senior.
2- is he scratching?


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

Not really. I was thinking old age too, but then hear if you take good care of them they can live to be 5 years old. Hes not even half way there. He does like to gravel rub after a water change but he's done that since he was itty bitty.

I did notice in the photos I took of him today, they are in the same album I linked, that it's starting to happen on the other side in the same place too. Can't see it just to look at him.... but the flash reflection shows it.


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## jessjord (Jun 25, 2015)

my only opinion would be to definetely check your water...and i know many are here say that but for very good reason. Without checking the water parameters your betta could get sick real fast. The grey/silver belly could be a ammonia like burn. From built up ammonia/nitrite levels.

You should be changing your water more often then every two weeks. Ammonia in a 3 gal will definitely build up quickly. It is ok to keep him in a 3 gal, but the water changing needs to be way more frequent. without having tested your water i would say that 25-50% (more towards to 50%) so be at least a couple times a week. hence which you may see that most on here will recommend a bigger tank because your water changing will be lessened.

but also i am going off of what you are typing and i know you stated that it is hard to get a picture but it would be very helpful for us  But it sounds to me like your ammonia levels are getting too high, which is causing the grey belly.


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

I never said he had a gray belly. His color is actually really good. It's just two scales on either side of his head. 

Putting the pics in the post asap.


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

Here is the picture of the other side. It looks completely normal in person. But the flash from the camera reflecting off it shows it's starting on the other side too. Same two scales... just two.


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

And is it just my imagination or does he look like he has fin rot?


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## jessjord (Jun 25, 2015)

Sorry I read a lot of post last night lol and was getting confused to which one is asking what…my apologies. However you still should check your water parameters…and I am not great at looking at fin rot hopefully someone could come along and help you with that. Also is that white spot fuzzy?


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## KingPopzy (Aug 22, 2015)

gray belly or not you should change the water at least once a week. Keeps your babe from getting sick and what not. It is true that with good care bettas live up to five years but some pet store bettas only last 2 years no matter how good the conditions.


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## ShadeSlayer (Jul 20, 2015)

The notch by his nose is kinda weird....


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

No. Just super shiney.


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

ShadeSlayer said:


> The notch by his nose is kinda weird....


Yeah... thats from when he had the bacterial infection. He had I giant pimple thing on his head awhile back. I think I scarred the top of his noggin. I use to be one of the uninformed people. Been trying to fix that. 

I'll get a test kit as soon as I can. Untill then ill up his water changes to twice a week. Best I can do till payday.

Really hope hes not sick again! He is the sweetest little guy.


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## ShadeSlayer (Jul 20, 2015)

aww! Glad he survived that infection. He really dosn’t look terrible right now, just a little off. I hope everything tests out okay.


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

I thought I messed up today. Did a 75% change and a gravel clean today just in case his ammonia lvls were high... and today was his normal 2wk change. Figured I'd do a 75% change today then start doing 25% changes twice a week at least till I get the test kit.

The new water was a couple degrees warmer so I was gonnna acclimate him by putting small amounts of the new water in his cup. Went to put the first small amount in and he jumped clear out of the cup into the tank. He has never done that and I do it the same way every time. After a few minutes he was sitting at the bottom of the tank stressed, white bellied, and breathing heavy. He's acting normal now... scared me big time though lol.


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## KingPopzy (Aug 22, 2015)

what a sassy boy ya got there haha. At least he is active hm?


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

Hm means half moon, right? If so, no. He's a veil tail.


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## TenaciousB (Aug 11, 2015)

It does not look like fin rot but it could be aging spots on his gills. You do need to check the water levels. If you can't afford the big test kit at this time the cheaper strips can give you a bit of an idea if something is way off as a temporary solution


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## meowrisa (Jun 3, 2015)

is your tank only at 70 degrees??


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## Meeklymaggie (Aug 22, 2015)

75 ish. Its been staying within 3 degrees of 75. My heater broke, in the process of replacing it. The angle in the pic was bad. If you looked at it straight on it was higher than 70.


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