What do you think is wrong with my Betta? (Pic included!)?

Question

She seems like she's covered in gold dust..so could it be velvet?

Click on the first link!

He looks as if she is out of breathe, he hasn't eaten in days, and he mostly stays at the bottom of the tank.

Make sure to click the zoom button at the right corner

Answer 1

If your betta seems covered in a gold dust that IS VELVET! There are many meds out for fish diseases/parasites but MANY ARE HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS THAN ARE NEEDED OR HEALTHY FOR BETTAS. I strongly reccommend you log onto bettatalk.com and order a betta first aid kit so you'll be prepared for anything in the future but for the meantime get either some BETTA REVIVE drops or AQUARI-SOL drops at local pet store and follow manufacturers directions. Fish immunity drops when sressed or temperature drops or spikes. I GRADUALLY (1 DEGREE PER HOUR) raise the temp in a sick betta's tank or bowl to between 80 and 85 degrees F during treatment to get the immune system to help the meds. Another thing that seems to help when I fear a male betta isn't responding to treatments is I place a female next to his tank- seems dumb but It really seems to perk the guys up---give's them a reason to live or something lol.
Anyways get some drops, raise the temp SLOWLY and keep the water uber-clean and your finned friend should make a full recovery. Also Its my experience that well kept bettas live an average of 4 years. In the event that your little guy is fading due to old age, keep him in as clean, calm and comfortable an environment as you can until he passes on.

Answer 2

It's really hard to say for sure with a metallic colored betta like yours, but if you see a gold shine that was not there before I would say you are exactly right and the fish has a velvet infestation. The lack of appetite and lack of energy would support this as well.

I would recommend you treat the fish with a good ich medication (it's good for velvet as well) and in addition to following the package directions, cover the fishes tank or bowl so little to no light gets in. This will assist in the velvet treatment.

If treated fairly promptly odds of a full recovery are excellent.

Hope that helps

MM

Answer 3

two things: One is the tank conditions this appears to be a bowl and the water looks clean. Keep it that way and make sure nothing overcools (an airvent) or over heats (incoming sunshine) the water during the day. Two: when was the last time he saw himself in a mirror? I have known hundreds of betta's that behaved this way after being isolated for a long time. When they see themselves, they think another male is challenging them over their breeding area. This gives them hope that a female may come along and select them for breeding. But don't wear them out!!! Just a few minutes every few days is plenty.

Answer 4

It's impossible to diagnose velvet in the picture you are showing. The trick is to turn out the lights, and shine a flash light on him. Also betta with ich, velvet or other external parasites will tend to scratch them selves against things.

The only thing I can observe from the picture is he is stressed. This could be velvet, bacteria infection, or poor water conditions.

Answer 5

i really can't see anything -- velvet looks like the fish has been peppered with a tan pepper.

bettas do change color as they grow up.
if the whole body is a different color it is probably genetics and not a disease.

here are some pictures of velvet --

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/oodinium_velvet/

Answer 6

Hey!,

my friend has a beta and it stays at the bottom of the tank and sleeps. IT REALLY SLEEPS! It does because one time when I was over at her house it was layingon a rock and I tapped the glass and it woke up and swam away

Answer 7

Some Bettas will "rest" on the bottom from time to time.

Answer 8

I did not see anything wrong with your fish

Answer 9

That happened to me on Fish Tycoon. Your fish is sick! You should go to the vet and ask for some drops or something