# White Stuff on Betta



## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

My betta was fine until last night. I saw he had a white upper lip and i was like wtf. So this morning it was all over his head. I cleaned the tank almost entirely and isolated him from the other fish. 

A neon tetra had died the day it showed up on him. I wonder if that could have any effect? Either way he's in isolation and it's still spreading. Do I need to get him some medicine. He was eating fine but now he's not and I'd like him to recover.

Thanks in advance. If I need to post pictures I can.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

To me it sounds like a fungus of some sort. Is it white, and fuzzy?
Here is a bit more info on fungal diseases 

Symptoms
White, or fuzzy growths on the outside of fish
Fish has become less active
Won't eat
Diluted colors
Patches of white

Treatment
This disease is very common with stressed fish and is cured with Higher levels of added salt, easing the temperature within the tank to 80 will also help as it will speed up the life cycle of the disease. If the disease progresses then invest in a high quality fungus treatment to help aid the treatment, if that doesn't work then I highly suggest that you either euthanize the fish or heavily Medicate, sterilize, and heat the temp even higher within the tank. Don't Isolate him when treating as the other fish probably have the disease too. 

Cause
There are many factors to what causes this specific disease but it's similar to many others. 
-poor water quality, like high ammonia, and nitrites along with unecxeptable Amounts of nitrates
-stressful tankmates and constant nipping
-being battered around by flow
-not acclimated properly
-stressful housing
Are all main factors to the disease as they all lead to a lowered immune system which leaves all fish helpless towards all diseases


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## bettafishfinnatic (Mar 18, 2012)

your betta may have a sickness called "ICK" this is a bunch of dead cells that can form on the head, fins, virtually anywhere. you can heal this by adding just a pinch of table salt to the water he is in, dont add any more or try to stir it just let him sit for about day and reply if he has gotton better or wrose please send a picture of him noe and after


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Ick would look like your fish was covered in salt.

Is it fuzzy? It may be a fungus OR it may be columnaris. Both have "white fuzzies". Columnaris is contageous and is a massive pain in the butt to deal with. 

DO NOT ADD TABLE SALT. You want AQUARIUM SALT, which is NOT the same thing. Till we figure out, what, excatly the fish has..I suggest starting him out with fresh, conditioned water and 1 teaspoon of AQUARIUM SALT. AQ salt is recommended as part of a treatment for columnaris and fungus.
Take a 1 gallon jug, add in conditioned water and then add in 1 teaspoon of AQUARIUM SALT. Shake the jug then wait for the salt to disolve. Then add the water to his tank and slowly acclimate him to the new salt water. I usually then fill up the jug and add in salt for the next days water change, that way the water from old tank and new will be about the same (im assuming the quarentine tank is not heated)

Do you have a clear picture? and can you answer these:
Quote:
Housing 
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

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

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)? 

* 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. 

*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).


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

It might be wise to give the person who created the original columnaris, and fungal infections information tiki birds


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## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

Well I just got back from the store to find a bunch of posts. I put an ick treatment and some aquarium salt in his quarantine tank (it's only a gallon so I didn't add much). I'm keeping an eye on the other tank as well since he did have tank mates.

I'll get a picture tonight or tomorrow. Hoping he gets better.

His normal tank is 5 gallons with a heater always at 80 degrees with plenty of live plants. I do a 80% water change weekly because I kinda suck at using the gravel vac and end up sucking up a ton of water. >_< Luckily I keep a large bucket on hand of treated water for immediate replacement.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

> It might be wise to give the person who created the original columnaris, and fungal infections information tiki birds


where I got the info from? It's on a stickied post on this is forum, made by darkmoon.


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## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

I don't know if he's going to live. = /


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## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

This morning it was only on his lip so it's spread really quickly throughout the day.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

That... is a nasty case.

Aq salt as tiki said. Also, keep the temp at about 75 degrees. With any of the causes of evil fuzzies heat will make it flourish. You don't want to go too cold to make the fish more susceptible, but too warm and the disease will just explode.

I'm hesitant to suggest upping his dosage too much, it looks different from what I've seen before. Usually columnarious attacks injured tissue. And it doesn't look uh, fuzzy, it looks filmy, like what I'd think slime coat would look like when it's shedding. 

I have no idea what is in that ick treatment, but that wouldn't be the issue here. I've asked a friend to take a look, in case she spots something I've missed.

I have to be honest, that does look pretty bad.


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## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

Yeah the thing that bugs me is how suddenly it showed up and how fast it spread. I isolated him as soon as I saw it. The other fish that were housed with him seem fine so I have no idea. They also got a fresh change. I feel like he is going to die.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

My experience with the evil fuzzies is not a cheery one. I've managed to save one out of seven.


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## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

Silverfang said:


> My experience with the evil fuzzies is not a cheery one. I've managed to save one out of seven.


Do you know what causes it?


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

That sure is nasty looking  At this point you might have to go with an antibiotic like Tetracycline or a Maracyn I & II combo. 

I'd also keep a close eye on the tank he came out of. Good luck and I hope he makes it.


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## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

Petsmart was closed by the time I got there yesterday. He was dead this morning which isn't cool because I had less than 24 hours really to do something about it. I have no idea what it was or why he died and I'm pretty unhappy. Quick onset, quick demise.

I guess at least I still have the other fish but they have like zero personality. Bob would at least come to the side of the tank. It was my daughter's fish and at least she's too little to know much.

RIP Bob


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

The problem with alot of fish illnesses is that they move quick and before you figure out what's wrong, the fish is gone. It's a good idea to keep some meds on hand, like Maracyn and Maracyn2 or Furan 2 but even then, it may not help. I only had 1 survived a fuzzie attack out of 6 that had it.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Fuzzies are caused by flexibacter columnaris, a nasty bacteria. Usually poor water quality brings it about; also it likes the higher temps that bettas like.  Lots of other conditions can be mistaken for columnaris, though, like excess slime coat and saprolegnia. 

Try the AQ salt as everyone suggested. If that doesn't seem to be working, try either the Maracyn combo as Romad suggested or look for a medication called Seachem Kanaplex. 

Good luck!


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## nintendobratkat (Feb 1, 2012)

My sister is a vet and had a pretty good explanation about what happened. I'm not looking to get a new betta soon. Going to wait a few weeks. I'm still really sad about my betta. = (


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Oh! I'm so sorry, Nintendo, I didn't read the whole thread so I didn't realize you lost him. I'm sorry for being so insensitive. >.<


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