Is this white spot on my betta bad?

Question

I took this picture on my cell phone, then sent it to my e-mail, then uploaded it to my geocities, so sorry for the poor quality.

http://www.geocities.com/[e-mail]/Neptune.jpg

See how the spot on its head is white, well it was like that when I got it, and it started to go away, and now its coming back.

Also, the white near its mouth is almost neon. It is shimmery. What does all this mean? Much thanks, Dan and Neptune.

Well he has had it for a while, so it isn't something very deadly, but I'm afraid that it may continue to grow.

Answer 1

It's the natural coloration. I have a similar blue male with a white head, throat, and gill covers, but black down his nose.

I can't make out anything shiny by the mouth from the photo, but most disease/infections wouldn't be "shimmery" but "milky" or "cottony". Chances are, there are just a lot of the pigment cells called iridophores (give fish a silvery or iridescent shine) concentrated in that area.

Just in case, I'm adding a link to a site with photos showing diseases like cottonmouth, but also giving you one of fish pigments - which is all I believe you're seeing.

Answer 2

Go to this website. if that is what your fish looks like, then its probably ich. that website tells you to go buy a product. that might work but from experience this is what i do. ONLY IF YOU ARE POSITIVE YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR FISH HAS! (and be sure to only give him the right dosage) start fish in salt bath. **but if the salt bath doesnt work you may need to purchase medication from the petsore** Salt bath procedure 1. place betta in a quarantine tank that contains water from the main tank 2.add 1teaspoon of salt (table salt) per 1 gallon of water, in quarantine tank. 3.for the first 4 days continue to *** a teaspoon of salt twice a day. **if he is not cured, continue to add a teaspoon of salt of a MAXIMUM of 4 more days. If this doesn work you need to see a petstore. email me if you have anything else! Hope this helped

Answer 3

This could just be a spot, but it could be a desease. When i had my tank i knew that there were two different ones that were common one was Ick and the other was velvet. Ick looks like a white dot or bubble in their fin, they make stuff you can put in the water to treat them, but i would talk to the people at the pet store, ick will kill your fish quick. I've lost $300 in fish to it before. Dont buy fish at wal-mart.

Answer 4

it sounds like it may have what is called ick , if you notice at some stores you see white spots on some fish its called ick.
there is a medication you can put in the water to clear this up . so go to your local pet store and ask for the ick medication to put in the water. but also tell them about the white spot that the fish has just to make sure its the ick.

Answer 5

Chances are it's just a lack of pigmentation, beta fish change color depending on their level of aggression, if he's calm it might get dull, if he's aggravated it might change color.
As long as he doesn't have what looks like ick, or white pusy looking scales or lips or fins, then he should be fine.

Answer 6

That is a natural and normal pigment pattern. In betta circles that's referred to as a marbled betta. A really nice marbled betta also has splotches of color on his tail and lower fins.

MM

Answer 7

If this is how you got him, then it could just be his natural color. If this recently developed, your fish may be sick. It could be a number of things, but most commonly it is ich or fungus.

Answer 8

i have had many bettas it is bad all of them died