How did this baby betta die?

[Sena Hansler]

I did my rounds again this night to feed everyone. Now, In the morning and at night I always check on everyone. Yesterday I did water changes, and by now the jarred fry have gotten used to it. Everyone was fine this morning... But this night, THIS is what I found when I went to feed everyone.

"A22" dead. With a huge opening as seen in the pictures... In the head. What happened? I need to know whether or not it is contagious... And what could have possibly caused it. None of my baby fish have been sick... The jars I've been using for a good week or so now, and have been cleaned beforehand. He did not show a sign of being ill.... So, what happened?

[callistra]

Well it looks to me like columnaris which is definitely contagious.. other thoughts?

[Sena Hansler]

Couldn't have been though. There were no patchy spots, clamping, open sores, lack of appetite, gasping... And surely another would have caught it too? Same water change schedule, same food, same water and conditioner... I'm quite baffled. It almost looks as if THAT were his insides, just exploded through his poor skull :/ it's literally a hole...

I'd want to say hole in the head, but even that doesn't match up?

[callistra]

Fluffy patches is either fungus or columnaris and considering how fast this moved and the location of the patch I would say columnaris.

[Tikibirds]

I was gonna suggest columnaris as well, that's the only thing I know that can eat away skin and such with fuzz.

maybe this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeromonas_hydrophila

Sounds very similar to columnaris.

When infected with Aeromonas hydrophila, fish develop ulcers, tail rot, fin rot, and hemorrhagic septicemia. Hemorrhagic septicaemia causes lesions that lead to scale shedding, hemorrhages in the gills and anal area, ulcers, exophthalmia, and abdominal swelling.

[Sena Hansler]

But I've never seen columnaris hit that fast... Without at least one sign beforehand - and I've seen nasty cases of columnaris!

But then it would bring the question of... HOW did it happen? I take pride in making sure everyone is healthy, and there has not been any diseases entering that isolated fish room... Room itself is at 31 Celsius.

If it is what you suggested Tiki, it says it rarely attacks a healthy host, and most meds and cooler temperatures don't work. Is it contagious? And what could I do, even just to boost the immune systems of the others?

I should note everyone was check on at 930 this morning, and I was in there for the bucket and hose at 1, then back in there to check the crowntail pair at 4, and now it's 10. That's about 6 hours since he looked fine.

[Tikibirds]

I only knew about it because some time last year, Myates suggested it to me. I had a case of what I though was columnaris right before I moved out of Alaska- but there was never any fuzz involved. And one girl, who was in her own tank - I woke up one day and her top lip was GONE. Another one who was in a group tank, found her dead with a hole in her side. Not sure if it was from a fight or not. I know they are tempermental but I never saw any of them fighting. They were so mellow, I am not even sure who the alpha female was. I'm not sure what the fate of the others in the soroity would of been as they all but 3 froze to death someplace in the Yukon last January.

Maybe Sakura would know. or OFL??

Can they do that much damange if they were to fight at such a young age?

[Sena Hansler]

Problem is this fella was jarred. No ornaments, no sibling, nothing. I just don't want it to be something that is contagious D: