Unknown Illness (Maybe)

[DeviCy]

Housing

Tank Size: 10 Gallons
Temperature: 78-80
Filter: Yes (its a completely submergible filter if that makes any difference)
Tank Heated: Yes
Tank Mate: Albino Bristle-nose Plecosthemus he is showing no symptoms but he hides alot I sometimes don't see him for a few days.
Planted tank that does have algae growing that looks white and has puffy spots.

Food

Type of food: Betta color enhancing bits, Betta Bio gold, and freeze dried blood worms. He gets the worms once to twice a week.
Feeding: Hes big so 3 pellets twice a day and an equivalent amount on blood worm day.

Maintenance

Water Change: Once a week sometimes twice 20% each time
Additives are a de chlorinator and conditioner and liquid fertilizer.

Have not been able to do a water test yet but I don't think they are outside normal limits but I just don't know.

Symptoms

His head has greenish tints, that look like velvet or algae hard to tell he won't sit still long enough to examine or take a picture. It looks kind of like he is shedding green stuff but its faint and hard to notice. I'm not even 100% its bad but I know he looks different and I'm a worry wart.

He has started to sit around more often when he does swim he is just as quick as always he still flares at mirrors and has been flaring more at me as well.

I noticed 2 days ago and it hasn't gotten worse or better

No treatment he has had a water change recently

No history that I know of but I purchased him fully grown

Hes maybe about a year or a bit older hes big so this is just a guess

I think it may be velvet will it hurt to treat for it if he is not sick?

[Bettanewbie60]

I just read today that adding fertilizers to a planted tank can easily cause the algae to go crazy. I'm not sure this is the issue, but just some info.

[DeviCy]

Yes thats why I have the pleco and he has it under control for the most part he eats like a fish twice his size lol and hes growing fast. I did recently like 2 weeks ago purchase and put a piece of drift wood into his tank

[Bettanewbie60]

Originally Posted by DeviCy

Yes thats why I have the pleco and he has it under control for the most part he eats like a fish twice his size lol and hes growing fast. I did recently like 2 weeks ago purchase and put a piece of drift wood into his tank

I don't have any experience with driftwood, but anything new in the tank since the change has occurred would be suspicious to me.

[DeviCy]

Yeah thats where I was at I'm hesitant to take it out but I do worry it may have caused it. I'm not even sure hes sick besides the color and him resting alot hes acting normal if not more spunky than usual.

Originally Posted by Bettanewbie60

I don't have any experience with driftwood, but anything new in the tank since the change has occurred would be suspicious to me.

[Bettanewbie60]

When you said a submergible filter, do you mean an under gravel? If so this could be causing the issue too.

[DeviCy]

No its a stingray 10 so it sits on the wall.

[Bettanewbie60]

I have no more ideas then...sorry I'm not more helpful!

[Myates]

When you say shedding.. is it a clear-milky substance, or is it flakes?

(The pleco will need a MUCH larger tank soon, as they can get about 12 inches..)

Velvet will be a golden sheen you will see when shining a light on him- he will also be scratching himself on objects and become very lethargic.

The white puffy spots may be fungus.. may help to post a picture of the white puffy stuff in the Planted Betta Tank subforum to have it identified- if it's fungus then they can recommend a safe way to remove it.

[snazy]

How long has the tank been set up for? Is it cycled?
If you have a test for ammonia and nitrItes, please test, or get some water to the shop to test it for you.
The best thing is to try and post a picture of the betta here if you can.
There is a strain of columnaris, that also spreads on plants and decorations and looks like fungal fuzzy fluff easy to clean.