My Betta's in trouble I think?

Question

I've been treating my betta for ich for about 2 days now when I saw some white colored build up near his fin. But he seems to be getting worse instead of better. I'm treating him with some RidIch+ and some antibiotics. But from where he was a bit listless and just out of it to he's now really out of it, just floating aimlessly, is almost on his side, only moves to breathe from the surface and ahs gone grey when he should be solid black.

Did I do something wrong? Am I just not being patient enough? Anything I con do to help him?

Oh I forgot that I found more white spots on his body but they're getting bigger instead of smaller.

Answer 1

Sounds like your Betta has BodyFungus(Columnaris), which is actually a bacterial problem. You can treat him with using Maracyn Two or Clout. Make sure you keep his tank at the correct temperature, (between 76-82F) sometimes Betta's will lose their colors and turn pale. I would do a full water change if in a bowl and a 50% water change if housed in a tank. Remember to remove the charcoal from the filter if your Betta is housed in a tank during treatment of any medications.

BTW Ick looks like tiny grains of salt sprinkled on a fish. Not white patches.

Answer 2

One of the best treatments for ich is salt. There are no harmful chemicals and bettas actually do better with a little salt in the water. With some chemicals ("medicines") the best thing to do is leave them alone. Right now though, do a full water change, don't add any of the medicines, that includes the antibiotics, you use those AFTER you get rid of the parasites to heal the sores they leave. Now that you have your totally fresh dechlorinated water, add about a Tbs of salt/gallon. Use rock salt, aquarium salt, or water softener salt. Some table salts still use an anti-clumping agent that is poisonous to fish so I just stay away from it completely.

When you do water changes add back in the same ratio of salt. Keep the salt treatment up until 10 days after you see the last parasite.

Good luck, I hope I have been able to help!
Sarah

PS- Those larger white spots may be burns from the meds. A Fish's slime coat will be quite thick and mucous-like when the fish is ill. The slime coat will cover burns and look very white. It's possible that the med you are using has already killed the ich but is now injuring the fish and the larger white spots you are seeing is the slimecoat trying to heal the burns on the open wounds left behind by the parasites.

Salt will almost neutralize the need for antibiotics as well, since it helps to prevent infection.

Answer 3

If you're keeping the water at the right temp for bettas you should have no problem with ich. If the water isn't over 80 degrees F, turn the heater up. You can turn the heat up to 85 until the ich is gone, then back down to 82 and leave it there.
If it's not ich, you'll need to try some type of fungus med.
Do the water changes as suggested. It would help to know how old the fish and if there are other fish in with it, as well as tank size.

Answer 4

Are you doing water changes at all? What size tank do you have him in? Are the antibotics the type he would eat? or is it added to the water?

Water changes are a MUST! Fish get sick because of dirty water...also what type of water is it? Bottled drinking water is produced mainly through Reverse Osmosis which takes out EVERTTHING but water. Fish need trace elements/minerals that RO takes out of the water. Treated tap water is better than RO water, or if you can find bottled spring water that was NOT processed by RO, that can be used. I DO suggest the treated tap water.

Do you add aquarium salt to the tank? 1/4 tsp per 1g of water is great or 1 tbsp per 5g is ok in bigger tanks. Salt also helps PREVENT (not cure) ICH.

Antibotics...if they "eat" the antibotics, it makes the fish lithargic. I would quit the antibotics for now.

The white spots is probably the ICH. ICH is a freefloating parasite, and is mostly identified when it finds a host by the white spots on the fish' body. Keeping the water clean will help him to recover. I suggest daily waterchanges or at the least...every 2 days. Change the water every morning or afternoon right before you dose with the ICH meds.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

It's ich. Raise the temperature of the heater to a little over 80 degrees, like aruond 85. Then, crush some table salt and put it in the tank. You can run out to the pet store and get some $5 drops for ich. Don't give him too many antibotics, which may be worse for him. Act fast though! Bettas losing color usually means they are very close to dying!

Answer 6

sounds like a fungus problem not ich. You seem to know your stuff so you could have killed the ich and you could have developed a secondary fungus, the fungus seems preety advanced so skip the mela fix and pima fix and ask your LFS what is the stongest medication you can get. Turn your heater up 2 degrees get the cure all": aquirium salt, make sure you have a filter and possibly a bubbler to keep the oxygen flowing : He needs it more than ever!

Good luck and hope your fishie gets better!

Answer 7

ich doesn't get bigger -- they can get more little spots but the spots dont' get bigger. your fish probably has something else and the ridich isn't helping.

my best suggestion is give him clean fresh water. i don't know what size tank you have but i think clean is the best way to go especially when you don't know what is wrong.

good luck.

Answer 8

it may be too late for your betta, but I reccomend trating him with sea salt. put a tablespoon of salt in 2 cups rain water if possible- filtered water if you dont. change 3/4 of the water every other day if you keep your betta in a bowl or every week do 1/2 tank water change. good luck

Answer 9

The problem could be fin rot, but I really can't give more info. I'm so sorry! I do know of a website with really good tips for betta care.

Answer 10

um i think ur fish is dying go to the pet store and ask them about this problem or it will get worse