My mom and me went and bought a beta. It's been 4 days since we got him but yesterday he stated getting white webby looking stuff on him. It's our first fish and we know nothing about this. help us! Thank You
2007-01-25 13:58:44 · 12 answers · asked by Kayla 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
It isn't ick. Ick is little white spots. Why is ick the only answer anyone can ever come up with when a fish has a disease? It's either Fungus, Columnaris or Costia. Fungus and Columnaris are virtually identical. Fungus and Columnaris present as cottony patches on the fishes body and fins. The only visual difference is that, with Columnaris, there are small little threads on the mouth that wave when the fish blows in and out. With Costia, in addition to the spidery webs, there are red lesions under the chin and slimey patches on the head and gills and the fish are gasping at the surface of the water. You can read this link to find out the causes and correct those problems after you begin treatment, but treatment is the first priority. Fungus needs to be treated with a fungicide. Columnaris needs to be treated with Maracyn 1-2. Costia needs to be treated with salt or Quick-Cure. Read the link for more details to determine what you believe your fish has and how to treat it. In addition, these diseases affect the fish internally, so you also need to feed the fish medicated food. A quick response and patient and dedicated and precise treatment is of the greatest importance.
2007-01-25 15:04:13 · answer #1 · answered by Venice Girl 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Venice Girl is completely right, it is NOT ick, fish get other diseases.
she covered everything very well, so I just want to cover future prevention.
what is your betta housed in? because they are tropical fish they need heaters. they also need filters just like any other fish. ideally a betta should be kept in a 5 gallon tank with a filter for a 1-3 gallon tank (whisper filters make that size and are silent), a 25watt heater, and a few live or silk plants.
bettas kept in bowls would be like keeping a human in a closet kept at 45F (bettas are TROPICAL fish and need temps of around 75-85F, room temp water is about 65F, 20F colder then they need) with no place to go to the bathroom but the floor. even if the floor of your closet is cleaned the recommened 3 times a week it's not a happy life. you'll be cold, cramped, and filthy. this is why bettas in captivity live for a few months to a two years. if kept properly they can live for up to 10yrs.
good luck in treating your betta!
2007-01-25 23:39:22 · answer #2 · answered by Kylie Anne 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Buy a carton of aquarium salt (or rock or kosher salt)... It does sound like columnaris. Aquarium salt is like, the cure-all :) I recommend it for almost anything. It cures bacteria like columnaris, fungus, and external parasites. So no matter what it is, I would suggest a very clean enviroment (This means if he's in a bowl, change the water every day- and upgrade to something bigger and filtrated.) and add 1/2 tsp of aquarium salt per gallon to his water :)
2007-01-26 00:07:51 · answer #3 · answered by Tazwell 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
umm i was searching online and i thought that maybe you and youre mom can work together and check out how to take care of the beta fishes and i think you can find some thing about them on www. healthybetta.com its where you can read and how to take care of fishes if theyre something wrong and can take care of the problem. if you want to ask some questions go try at www. bettatalk.com . i hope that they can help you and youre fish .
2007-01-26 02:18:44 · answer #4 · answered by sk 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Costia or columnaris are your two best bets. You can treat with Mardel Maracyn Plus for good results. Treat quickly though or its likely the betta will die, both diseases are deadly. I don't agree that aquarium salt is the cure all, most bacteria don't die from a small salinity.
2007-01-26 06:52:15 · answer #5 · answered by bzzflygirl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree. It's "ick". They make a medicine to put in the water. Also, Beta fish are often kept in stagnant bowls which fosters this type of problem. Even if it is a small one, invest in an aquarium that allows the water to be filtered. Your fish willl be a lot happier and healthier.
2007-01-25 22:26:40 · answer #6 · answered by bgris44 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Maybe it could be white spot. You better ask the store you got the fish and tell them what you can do.
Good Luck!
2007-01-25 22:15:47 · answer #7 · answered by Guti 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
FIRST OF ALL YOU SHOULD BUY A BOOK ABOUT FISH IF ITS YOUR FIRST TIME!!!!
SECOND OF ALL YOR FISH EITHER HAS ICK OR YOU DID NOT CLEAN THE FISH BOWL RIGHT OR YOU GOT AN OLD FISH.
BETTAS LAST A LONG TIME IF YOU TREAT THEM RIGHT!I HAD MY BETTA FOR ALMOST A MOUNTH NOW AND IT STILL HAS NOT DIED!!
2007-01-26 03:09:49 · answer #8 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
you need to get that check that can kill your fish
2007-01-25 23:28:28 · answer #9 · answered by nicole f 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
your betta has a fungus called , "COTTON FUNGUS" IF you GO TO A PET STORE THEY SHOULD have a treatment called "betta remedy"
2007-01-26 02:05:15 · answer #10 · answered by j. 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋