Hole in the head

[Oldfishlady]

Right, base line on the source water-with and without your additives-This way you can rule out the source water and additives as a cause for skewed test results. Especially with ferts-often they can cause skewed results that are not really water quality related-it just the nitrogen ferts.

If the area in question is getting larger-I would start a high dose of aquarium salt 3tsp/gal and tannins-keeping the water temp in the low normal range 75-76F -keeping him in the QT. Premix the treatment water to use for 50% daily water changes once you get him acclimated to the new chemistry.

[Otterfun]

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

Right, base line on the source water-with and without your additives-This way you can rule out the source water and additives as a cause for skewed test results. Especially with ferts-often they can cause skewed results that are not really water quality related-it just the nitrogen ferts.

If the area in question is getting larger-I would start a high dose of aquarium salt 3tsp/gal and tannins-keeping the water temp in the low normal range 75-76F -keeping him in the QT. Premix the treatment water to use for 50% daily water changes once you get him acclimated to the new chemistry.

will do.

[Otterfun]

Fred died.
He had been staying at the bottom of the tank since Wed., still eating whenever I fed him. The he lost interest in food since Fri, and would not respond to my feeding signals today, just staying at the bottom of the tank, with color loss in his lower body since last night.

Suspecting the he had bacterial infection due to the open sore and losing body color, I went out and got him some API Tetracycline and was too late when I got home just now.

I am blessed to have the privilege to spend 40 days with him, knowing that he had happy times with me, bonded with me, trusted me, and enjoyed moving up in his life from a humble betta cup, to a 16oz betta bowl, to a 1g hex., to a 2.5 MBT with fake plants, and finally a 5g Fluval Spec V with live plants, Amano shrimps, and golden apple snail. I suppose in fish life, he had quite a journey in the last 40 days of his life.

So I need to figure out how to disinfect the 2.5 QT tank that he passed away in. Any thoughts or links?

Funny part is things I ordered for the habitat are still coming in from Amazon. Life goes on and we all live and learn to do better next time, at least for me as a better informed and responsible owner.

From Sticky 2 on diseases:
Bacterial Infection/Open Red Sores
•Symptoms: Betta has open red sores or red patches (that aren’t ammonia burns), lethargy, no apetite, clamped, sits at bottom or top, color loss.
•Treatment: Perform daily 100% water changes and clean the gravel thoroughly (at least 3/4 water change for larger tanks). Treat the entire tank. Treat conservatively with Aq.Salt at 1-2tsp/gal but do not continue for more than 10 days. If that fails, use API Tetracycline, API Erythromycin, API Triple Sulfa OR Mardel’s Maracyn I & II. PP is also effective.

[Otterfun]

In memory of Fred:


Christmas gift from my boss, out of the betta cup into a 16oz betta bowl


1g hex


5.5 Fluval Spec V