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Missing scales and small hole on fin on otherwise healthy betta

1K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  Miura 
#1 ·
Hi all. I have owned many a betta, but have not seen this before. Any help would be appreciated.

"Cherry" was a Wal-Mart "rescue". I got her back in December. For as long as I've had her, she has had a smallish white spot on her right side. Now, as she's gotten bigger, this spot has gotten bigger and more predominate. I see now that she is missing a large patch of scales which is what is causing the discoloration. On top of that, she has a small, pin-sized hole in the base of her anal fin directly below where the missing scales are.

She was for a long time a skittish fish. Small movements would send her flying across her tank (often resulting in her slamming into the side). As she acclimated, she has become extremely friendly and a lot less skittish, but still has her moments though they are rare.

Cherry is the only fish in a 10 gallon tank. It is a cycled tank kept at 78 degrees. It is cleaned 1-2 times a week (usually only once). Water changes are 20-25% with conditioned like-temp water. I used to add aquarium salt to her water, but have recently ceased that practice.

Nitrite and Nitrate are 0.
pH is 7.6.
Ammonia is 0.
The tank is not planted, but is entirely silk plants.

Cherry is still eating very well and very much her normal self. Her diet consists of either frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp,frozen daphnia, or frozen mysis shrimp fed in a rotating schedule once a day.

She has within the past two months been treated with a Maracyn/Maracyn 2 combo in the belief that this may have been septicemia. She was exhibiting other symptoms at the time, including rapid breathing, clamped fins, and lethargy. While she came out the other side of this treatment totally healthy and symptom-free, the white, scaleless bald spot on her side didn't change (and has gotten larger).

Any idea what is going on with these missing scales and fin hole? I've tried to give as much information as I have in hopes that someone may be familiar with this.

Thank you for any help! I have attached an image where you can see her bald spot. I wish she knew the meaning of "stay".
 
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#2 ·
Just a small bump and an update. Did about a 30% water change on Sunday. Went back to using salt at the rate of 2 3/4 teaspoons per five gallons. Plan on doing another water change on Wednesday. Still having this problem though. Water parameters are the same as they have always been.

Any help regarding this issue would be nice.
 
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