New fish with Ick, Fin Rot, and other things?

[newbettafish]

Hi, I've been reading this forum and the diseases area and just wanted to know what others thought about this betta that I was just given. It is currently residing in a .5 gallon quarantine tank which was the same size as it was in when I first received him. It was never heated so it was whatever room temperature we had in the house and it has gotten cold at nights, way below the temperature for bettas. I know it's too small, but it's too late since he was already sick when I was given it, now I want to fix him.

It looks like the top parts of his head and now his body have gotten ick, is that right? It really looks like it to me but I want to be positive about the treatment. I got a small 15w heater that is not adjustable to heat up his water, I pull it out when it gets too warm for him.

Can anyone else see what ailments he has? I would like to fix him up before putting him in his new tank. The images below link to larger versions of themselves.



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Housing
What size is your tank? Half Gallon
What temperature is your tank? 78
Does your tank have a filter? No.
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No.
Is your tank heated? Yes (now it is), when it was given, no.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None.

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Betta pellets.
How often do you feed your betta fish? Once every few days.

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Just got him.
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? Just got him.
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Dechlorinator.

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? No :(

Ammonia:
Nitrite: N/A
Nitrate: N/A
pH: N/A
Hardness: N/A
Alkalinity: N/A

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? It had spots on him and his fins looked weary.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? It's always been on the bottom of the tank.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? When I first got it.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Just putting him in warmer water and tried to add some aquarium salt for the fin rot.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Not sure.
How old is your fish (approximately)? Not sure.

[callistra]

I see lots of ammonia burns. The white stuff.. could be ich. It's not fuzzy is it?

More info on what you've got to keep him in, and we can make suggestions from there: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233

[newbettafish]

Originally Posted by callistra

More info on what you've got to keep him in, and we can make suggestions from there: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233

I updated the original post with this info, sorry about that!

And I can't tell about those dots on him, it does look "fuzzy" to me. I've been trying to compare ich pictures but am not really positive about it.

[callistra]

Okay here's some info on getting him healthy and keeping him healthy..

Bettas need to be kept in 2 gallons minimum. In these twice weekly water changes of 50% and 100% are needed. Bettas kept in 1 gallon containers live an average of about 2 years compared to double that+ in larger containers. The 1 gallon would need 3 weekly water changes of 50%, 50% and 100%, and even then they will be subjected to ammonia.

The half gallon should be extremely temporary and I would do daily 100% changes in it until you can get something bigger. Also more changes will be required while he's sick, regardless of tank size. It's nearly impossible to treat ich in something of this size due to the inability to heat the water up high enough (see below) so you REALLY need to upgrade him ASAP.

Here’s how to do changes without shocking and minimum stress:

The 50% changes the betta can be kept in the bowl and use a turkey baster to remove half the water and as much of the debris as possible. For the 100% you need to remove him - scoop him out with a plastic solo type cup and set aside while you thoroughly rinse the bowl and gravel to remove the debris. Then he should be acclimated to the new water by floating for an hour while you slowly add a couple tablespoons of new water to the cup every 10 minutes. When you release him, try to let as little of the old cup water back into the tank as possible. All water changes should use same temp water, matched to running tap using the in tank thermometer and the water needs to be premixed with conditioner before adding it to the betta tank. If you don't already have anything, you can use gallon water jugs from the grocery store - rinsed thoroughly in hot water but no chems.

The temperature of your tank looks okay right now, but you’ll need a bigger heater with the larger tank. Bettas are tropical fish and must be kept at a temp between 76-82, with 78-80 being ideal. The temp must be stable and not be dipping or jumping around – this is just as important as having the temp warm enough. In a 2 gallon you can get an adjustable 25w heater. Any new heater should be tested for 24 hours in similar size container with in tank thermometer to make sure it will hold a constant appropriate temp between 78-80F.

You should look for a good quality pellets whose first two or three ingredients are whole fish, not fish meal or wheat. He should be fed two small meals a day (how many depends on the pellet you pick up) and one fast day a week.

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All of the above needs to be addressed in order for him to recover. In addition to this, because of the white patches, he's also going to need additional treatment. It's hard to tell from the quality of the photos but it does look like ich. The best treatment for ich is to slowly, no more than one degree per hour and 5 degrees per day, raise the temp into the 86-88F range. If any any time your betta acts stressed, stop, wait a while, then try again. You leave it at this temp a minimum of 2 weeks and at least one full week past the last sign of ich. You can also add fresh water aquarium salt (not people salt or marine salt) at 1 tsp per gallon predissolved to the tank. Salts do not break down or evaporate so they only need to be readded along with a water change, then you only add back as much as water you replace. Remove the gravel and leave the bottom bare along with treatment. Leaving a cafe or plants in for him to feel safe is ok and good. Along with salt and higher temps, daily 100% changes will remove the ich that falls off the fish to the bottom.

If the white spots ever start to look cottony at all, then that is not ich and will require meds and lowered temp, so be careful and keep a careful eye out.

In addition, I would be looking for ways to boost his natural immune system. Soaking his food in garlic guard and/or fresh water vitachem for 5-15minutes is helpful. Vitachem can also be added to the tank at 1 drop per gallon. Stress coat at 1 ml per 1 gallon can also be helpful.

[newbettafish]

Originally Posted by callistra

<snip of great info>
If the white spots ever start to look cottony at all, then that is not ich and will require meds and lowered temp, so be careful and keep a careful eye out.

I borrowed a friend's camera and now have a better picture for you. It does look cottony. A few days ago, it was more "pimple"-like, but with this closeup, I can tell it is cottony. What do you suggest?
(click image to link to larger image):


Also, should I move the fish into the new tank now? (still looking at small 25watt adjustable heaters). I thought making sure the fish was quarantined in the smaller tank while it was sick was the thing to do?

[callistra]

2 gallon is a tiny quarantine tank to most people.. I have a 5 gallon hospital tank. It would be fine to move now.

I don't think it's Columnaris or a fungal infection, which is the other concern and it doesn't sprinkle everywhere like that. It's a contained cotton ball area. If you google columnaris and ich you'll see the difference.