# Help!! Earls mouth is turning white!



## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

This morning we woke up and one side of earls mouth ha turned white. I just changed the water on Thursday and I always put in a pinch of aquar salt, stress coat, and a little betta fix. He is eating the same but is kinda hanging out in the back of the tank. I don't know what it could be.


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## bloo97 (Mar 6, 2010)

It may be bacteria


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

I'm worried it's starting to move to the other side of his mouth and he almost look like he is twitching around b


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## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

I've never dealt with this before, I started looking into it to try to help you, but I wasn't sure if that was it. Oldfishlady and Kelly have a lot of knowledge with fish diseases, so hopefully she can help you. On a side note, you shouldn't be using bettafix if your fish isn't sick. Medication should be only used as a last resort.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Well. I have really no options. I could only take him a salt bath and change his water. The white is starting to move up his nose and head. He has just been hiding behind the filter.


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## Nate86 (Mar 21, 2010)

Dude I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. My betta fish looked exactly like the one in your picture yesterday, and he started to be very lethargic and pale looking. After checking the tank after getting off work earlier this afternoon, his dead body was being eaten by our pleco. I hope your betta recovers!

I am relatively new at fishkeeping but based on the research I have done, I am assuming my betta (and probably yours) was infected with Flexobacter columnaris.


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## nochoramet (Oct 2, 2009)

are you sure he isn't just carrying the Marble gene? I know someone else had a solid blue betta then his lips turned white and his dorsal fin got white spots on it. That may be what's happening.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

It sounds to me like columnaris. It can be treated with a combination of Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

One of the fastest moving bacterias is the flexobacteria, two type, the fast moving one and the slow moving one....the fast moving type can hit and kill the fish within 24h, the slower one the fish can recover with treatment.
This bacteria is ever present in our tanks just waiting for the right conditions to infect our fish, sudden swing in temp, poor water quality, fish stress are the most common reasons.
It thrives in warm water, so get the water temp lower 72-75F, move to small QT and making 100% water changes daily and adding 1tsp/g of aquarium salt up to 3tsp/gal can help, feeding the antibacterial fish food soaked in fresh garlic juice, adding an airstone to increase oxygen to water.
Flexobacteria will look layered, columns, sometimes fuzzy look to it as well, it can start in/on the mouth and spread very fast to other parts of the body and look like the flesh is being shed, holes and creators can appear, it can look like a saddle on their back fish will be lethargic and hide and usually stop eating,
Use of a broad spectrum antibiotic can help if it is the slow moving type.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Unfortunatly it was the fast moving type. He was hurting very bad and couldn't swim up for air. We moved him into a smaller tank and I had to say my goodbyes and leave the house. I asked my boyfriend to bury him before I got back. It spread so quickly I didn't know what to do. I wouldve had him a year next month so as sad as I am I am very grateful to have gotten that much time


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so sorry about your fish.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Sorry for your loss...

Do a really good clean on your tank with diluted bleach and even let it run for 24 hours with the filter on, rinse, re fill and add a dechlorinator and let it run another 24h, rinse well and fill add dechlorinator.....before you get another Betta to be safe...these things happen...don't give up...look forward to seeing and hearing about your new Betta real soon...again sorry for your loss.....


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## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

I'm so sorry about your fish.


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## nochoramet (Oct 2, 2009)

I'm sorry... RIP Earl... :[


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Oldfishlady said:


> Sorry for your loss...
> 
> Do a really good clean on your tank with diluted bleach and even let it run for 24 hours with the filter on, rinse, re fill and add a dechlorinator and let it run another 24h, rinse well and fill add dechlorinator.....before you get another Betta to be safe...these things happen...don't give up...look forward to seeing and hearing about your new Betta real soon...again sorry for your loss.....


Thank ueveryone I am pretty upset. I still have russell my other betta. We are going to talk about a new betta later. As far as using diluted bleach water how much bleach to water? Also I can run the diluted bleach water withthe filter on? Should I soak the ornaments too?


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

I'd imagine soaking the ornaments would be a good idea as anything that was in the tank could be a potential carrier of the bacteria.


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## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

Yeah, I would soak everything.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Diluted bleach water I use is 20 parts water to 1 part bleach...more or less..and yes, use this dilution with everything in the tank and run the filter.

Flexobacteria is in our tank all the time in low numbers and only affect the fish when the right conditions are present....


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