Put my mind at ease

[Fat Brian]

After much cajoling my wife persuaded me to buy her a betta again, we had some years ago but never had sustained success despite our best efforts. One she picked out is a blue and black juvenile female crowntail and she is giving me fits. In the store she was active with open fins and looked healthy. When we got her home in clear water I noticed that she has an iridescence that is concerning, there is a whitish mottling to her black areas and she keeps her fins clenched since getting her new home. I have compared the white markings to every possible fish disease but nothing looks right. It's not random specks like ich or fuzzy or patchy, it looks her clear scales have a texture that is visible at certain angles. She swims around her bowl and eats and except for the clenching seems to act normally. I hope it's nothing but if it is something I would like to get on it as soon as possible.

http://s167.beta.photobucket.com/use...255b6.jpg.html

http://s167.beta.photobucket.com/use...3604a.jpg.html

[veggiegirl]

hmmm looks like velvet to me. Is she darting around at all or trying to itch herself on objects in the tank? If so mardels coppersafe is a good medication otherwise a medication that contains both malachite green and formaldehyde is also effective. Just follow the directions carefully and she should be better in no time

[Fat Brian]

She does dart sometimes but isn't itching, I will pick up some medicine in the morning.

[veggiegirl]

Great idea, velvet is a parasite and can quickly cause fatalities however if treatment is given quickly then recovery is likely. It's great that you can get the medication tomorrow, treat her as soon as you can and I am sure she will be just fine

[Kithy]

I think with velvet you are supposed to limit light exposure.. I might be wrong though.

[Bombalurina]

Make sure that, along with medicating, you do daily water changes and keep the water at 80F to aid the healing process. :) What size is the bowl?

[Fat Brian]

Right now she is in a gallon size fish bowl. We got her on Thursday and I did a 90% water change Saturday and was going to do the same every other day but with her being sick I will go everyday until this clears up.

[sainthogan]

Does it look like gold or rust colored "dust" when you shine a light on her, especially around her gills? If so, that is velvet, if not, something else is going on, like maybe stress of new surroundings or shock of new water conditions if you didn't acclimate her properly. Just a reminder that Bettas are tropical and need a constant temp between 76 - 82 all the time.
For Velvet, you need darkness (put a blanket over her bowl) and warm, clean water in addition to the treatment. Velvet is photosensitive, the warm water speeds up the life cycle causing it to drop off the fish quicker, the dark keeps it from reproducing and reattaching to the fish, and the medicine kills it off.

[Fat Brian]

No, it looks like frost on her, but only on her body. It was on there when we got her home even before I put her in the bowl, when we got her in some good light you could kind of see it but when she got in the clear bowl water it was very obvious. I got a heater and some Coppersafe so I will do a water change and start treatment when I get home.

[veggiegirl]

Sometimes if a black fish (like your girl is) has velvet it appears more white than gold or rust coloured dust. I have seen it many times in pet shop fish. I am sure the coppersafe will fix her. Also as sainthogan mentioned velvet is photosensitive and depends partly but not completely on photosynthesis to thrive so covering the tank with a blanket will help to speed up recovery.