Velvet questions

[callistra]

I have some questions about Velvet. I have a betta that I adopted from a classroom at the end of the school year (last May). He sat in a 1/2 gallon container and didn't get the water changes he needed. When I got him he looked diseased.. He looks like he has Velvet.. and there is a white patch across his head that looks like he's missing scales or kind of like the saddle of columnaris except it's just plain white and nothing is growing there. I know Velvet can cause something like this when it is very advanced. I treated with aquarium salts and leaving him in a sun lightless room for a month (minimum night light during the day).. no change.. He acts perfectly fine. He's active, responsive, eats great, and doesn't flash on his plant or thermometer that I've ever seen. He just looks so bad.. Could it just be his natural coloring? I don't want to throw some kind of copper safe stuff at him while he seems perfectly healthy. The teachers report he looked like this when they got him a year ago last August so that means he's looked like this 16 month..

I would think that if he were sick he'd be showing some signs after 16 months other than the very odd coloring, but it looks so much like Velvet I just wanted to share this story to make sure I'm not missing something. Here he is:

[sainthogan]

He could have velvet, but I would expect him to be flashing against stuff. Hmmm... What does he look like under a flashlight? Maybe he's had it so long, he's just used to it.
It could also be a color change that was caused by the poor water quality, and now it's permanent.

[callistra]

Under flashlight all that yellow stuff you see shines.

He looks classic Velvet to me. But he acts totally normal, plus I would think after 16 months he'd either be getting better or worse if he were actually sick.. but Idk as I've never seen a betta look like that and not be sick.

Bad water can cause permanent discoloration? That's a new one to me..

I've started stress coat today to see if it helps at all since salt doesn't seem to effect it. The thing at the top of his head worries me more than the yellow dusting.. the yellow dust is very odd but I guess it could be his coloration. The top really looks like he's injured himself and it just refuses to heal.

[sainthogan]

Yeah the bad water causing permanent coloration was really just a shot in the dark, because if it's not Velvet, I have no idea what it could be. It seems odd that that is his natural coloring, but I guess it could be.
I guess if it doesn't get better after using the stress coat (especially his head), then go for the velvet treatment.

[AyalaCookiejar]

Mine looked like that for a long time before ever flashing against anything, minus the white on top of his head... My Betta is a brownish color with that same gold- ish looking part on his head and has been for as long as I can remember... But just last night he started twitching and today he was flashing against tank ornaments. I didn't treat him before noticing those last few symptoms becaus they just build up an immunity to the medications.

[callistra]

dang :( well all right I'll get some copper based stuff and keep it on hand as it looks like I may still need to use it.. HATE copper based meds :( You'd think no light for a month would take care of this stuff. Not as light sensitive as people think if this is what he has.

How long did he look like that before he started flashing?

ETA: Actually maybe I'll just heat him up and try the prazipro because it doesn't seem as harsh.. has anyone had success with prazi and velvet?

[AyalaCookiejar]

3 weeks at least. I am using aquarium salt before I try medications. If I do use them, I will probably use (I think they are called) either quick cure or general cure. I can't remember exactly, there are so many! For now, his hospital tank is inside his main tank since I only have one heater. I also turned up the heat slightly and am keeping him in the complete darkness.

[callistra]

General Cure is Metro and Prazi combined. I have Metro and Prazi in their pure forms. Quick Cure is malachite green and formalin which is some seriously nasty stuff (carcinogenic and more), but effective.

[sunstar93]

If it is velvet....good luck. My little guy has been fighting it for nearly a month and it is very sad to watch him. He's bitten off his ventral fins and has rubbed scales off of his face..he's in a 1 gallon critter keeper with the water at around 86*, 2.5 tsps of salt and Maracide...don't know how much good it is doing though.
Good luck!!

[callistra]

Just a caution, you're supposed to treat with salt or meds.. not both.. That's really hard on your betta. How long has he been in that mixture?