Betta fish looks like it has fluffy white mold on it's fin !

[sailor]

It just happened today.. It's a huge spot of fluffy mold appearing substance on his fin ... it looks really fluffy.. I have other fish in the tank and don't want them to all get it if it is serious... please help .. I'll try and upload a photo..

[lvandert]

It sounds like a fungal growth. can you tell us more about your tank?
Housing
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?

[sailor]

It sounds like a fungal growth. can you tell us more about your tank?
Housing
What size is your tank? Between 15 to 25GAL.
What temperature is your tank? 77.7
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Yes, air stones.
Is your tank heated? Yes.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? 2 Tetra, 1 Molly, 1 Algea eater, 4 guppies, and 2 loach suckers.

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Nutrafin Max, tropical fish flakes.
How often do you feed your betta fish? once in the morning, and once at night.

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? I do a 50% water change every week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 25 to 50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Nutrafin cycle supplement, about 5mL

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: N/A
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20-40 (always stays constant, last test was 20 so it has come down)
pH: approx. 7.5
Hardness: n/a
Alkalinity: n/a

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Just the white fluff on it's fin.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Just when it happened he swims differently..
When did you start noticing the symptoms? just yesterday, he was perfect when I went to work and like this when I got off work.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? He is in his own bowl now with a tiny bit of Nutrafin cycle for medicating.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No.
How old is your fish (approximately)? I've had him maybe two months.

Sorry I couldn't answer them all.

[lvandert]

yup thats sounds like a fungal infection. I would get a fungal cure and start treatments. I would also watch your community tank very closely for signs of infection as well.

[sailor]

So I am treating Fire with fungus medication.. His back tin fell off with 95% of the fungus on it, but I still can't get him to eat.. Still in treatment, but worried.

[lvandert]

The part of the tail falling off is normal, as for the eating I wouldn't worry too much yet. They can go a week and a half without eating, Give him time.

[sailor]

Thought I would give an update... Fire my Betta fish is officially back in the community tank and looks healthy. He still doesn't seem to eat , or at least not when I am looking. The fungus is gone, so is his back tail from it though. In total I had to give him three treatments. The molly who had gotten it as well got cleared up but a couple weeks later died randomly. All else seems OK right now !

[lvandert]

Good to hear! I'm sorry about the molly though.