IMPORANT: Watch For These Disease Signs

[Roemgie]

Also I saw them last Sunday (with no visible sign of any illness) and I saw how bad she was yesterday brought her home and today she is the same. The only difference is that her tail area is getting that foggy coat which I would imagine means that it is dead skin (hopefully not)! So that would make it almost 3 days since she's had what ever illness. Wouldn't that be a good sign that the illness she does have isn't the feared unknown one?? This is her last night

[Sena Hansler]

My Maine had it for 72 hours. Another fish of mine had it for approximately the same amount of time. It is the disease... Half of her body is just dead tissue now. I rescued a boy of the same colore before, tried to amputate the disease that had all his fins... Before it got to his body. It was too late for meds at that point, but I was too late as it already got too close to the body.

[Roemgie]

Originally Posted by Sena Hansler

My Maine had it for 72 hours. Another fish of mine had it for approximately the same amount of time. It is the disease... Half of her body is just dead tissue now. I rescued a boy of the same colore before, tried to amputate the disease that had all his fins... Before it got to his body. It was too late for meds at that point, but I was too late as it already got too close to the body.

Ok so if this is the mystery disease what should I do if/when she passes away? I heavily decorated her tank so that she could have places to hide and her late sister. If I have to throw away my 5 gallon I understand but personally I'd like to keep it but I don't want to get any other betta sick. She's also not eating so I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before she passes away.

[Sena Hansler]

No, you do not need to throw away :)

What I did, even though it is not contagious I acted as if it were like a plague...

Hot HOT water, and vinegar (50/50%) is what I used since I am allergic to bleach... You can use bleach. Not 50/50 of course Just a small amount. Clean all the fake plants and ornaments in scalding water, and bleach solution.

Toss the gravel... Even though it can be cleaned, I never risked it. Rinse everything a heck of a lot, until you feel it is safe to let dry, and refill.

Clean the heater with a damp hot rag with the bleach solution, then rinse it well under luke warm water. If there is a filter, clean it out and get a new cartridge even. I wouldn't chance anything.

[Roemgie]

Originally Posted by Sena Hansler

No, you do not need to throw away :)

What I did, even though it is not contagious I acted as if it were like a plague...

Hot HOT water, and vinegar (50/50%) is what I used since I am allergic to bleach... You can use bleach. Not 50/50 of course Just a small amount. Clean all the fake plants and ornaments in scalding water, and bleach solution.

Toss the gravel... Even though it can be cleaned, I never risked it. Rinse everything a heck of a lot, until you feel it is safe to let dry, and refill.

Clean the heater with a damp hot rag with the bleach solution, then rinse it well under luke warm water. If there is a filter, clean it out and get a new cartridge even. I wouldn't chance anything.

Ok I can by some vinager but I do have bleach and last time I cleaned my tank I have to admit I added I would say a lot of the amount that was suppose to be added. Right now my 2.5 i just cleaned is sitting with water in it but I'll rinse it again tonight and let it out to dry. I just threw the towel I always use for my fish in the washer with a lot of bleach (I was panicking because I didn't want to get my friends fish sick since he is so healthy and alive and is getting ready to go into a nice cycled 10 gallon!)

Lets say if a miracle happens and she does make it, what do I do? right now she hasn't moved much but is still flapping her pectoral fins. I'm just so scared because I accidentally dropped some of her water (from the top of her tank) and I don't know where it landed. Some i know on my desk and the floor but I hope no where near Umi!

[Sena Hansler]

I wouldn't worry, as like I said it is not contagious. It's more genetic, then anything we believe. If she survives, I suggest keeping the water warm and clean. Epsom salt is a good idea as when Shadow survived, his organs shut down a week afterwards and he passed away. It may help with the internal problems that may have been caused from the tissue breaking down on the outside.

We also do not know if they can relapse... So keeping an eye on her would be essential.

[Coppermoon]

Yellow boy came down with it...put him down. Highly contagious!!!, bleach won't kill it (per a person that actually works with human TB on a daily basis). Has to be a cleaner that kills human TB. Got mine through my vet...$20 a gallon...got 4 gallons of it.

Proper disposal of fish. Dead fish in ziplock baggie...triple bagged per lab. depose of in garbage. BEST way is to incinerate fish body. Not spreadable through the air.

relapse WILL happen. This is NOT fin rot!!! fin rot does not eat into the body...

[FishyFishy89]

I seriously don't think this is contagious. My CT lived in the same tank my VT(who had the disease) had lived in. My CT lived in that tank for over 6 months until the plastic broke. I didn't even bleach the tank. I just cleaned it with white vinegar. And this CT is still alive to this very day.

[Sena Hansler]

TB is a lot different than this disease. TB is contagious... To people as well as other animals.

As for this disease, we have had people who had sororities, or divided tanks and never had a problem with the other fish. Stress can be a factor, as it lowers the immune system giving this disease all reason to attack.

Since Maine, who was bred, was technically in contact with Madame and his spawn, they should have all gotten it if it were contagious. Another one of my fish were in a divided tank. the other fish was fine. I just stopped getting blue fish from that particular store... And culled all of Maine's spawn.

[Coppermoon]

I'm about done. I'm sorry for anyone who has to deal with this. I know I for one will avoid ANY fish with these symptoms. My Endlers at work are now showing this non-contagious Blue Betta disease. Got 2 Tetra with it too. I'm gonna post pix of some of this non-relapsing disease as soon as photobucket finishes uploading them.

Send me a PM if anyone wants a link to a fish vet that might examine their fish for a confirmed diagnosis.

I really wish I had taken pix of the male that his face rotted off, and the blue male with no dorsal because he didn't relapse, or the DT that looked like I threw him in a blender....before I sent them to the lab.....