Strange symptoms, please help!

[rejohnson53]

I brought Epsilon home less than a week ago. He was the scrawniest betta at the fish farm, but I thought he was beautiful so I took him home.

He is dark blue with a black face, but over the last few days his belly has turned white and his face has whitened considerably, and this morning I discovered some kind of sore on his face near his gills.

He keeps wedging himself into tight spaces, like behind the filter. Could this be a sign that his skin is irritated?

I keep him in a 3 gallon cycled tank with 2 small plants and a filter. I have done 1/3 water changes twice this week and gave him a salt bath this morning. He is eating well.

I'm not sure what's wrong with him. Whenever one of my boys gets sick, I usually lose them, and I don't want that to happen again here. Is there anything else I can do?

[mfskarphedin]

The skin turned white or it has a white substance covering on it? The sore could be fungal or bacterial.

With an open sore on the body, I'd personally be likely to go for a medication, but since he's already been in such a stressed state, that might be too much for him. You're probably on the right track with the salt?

More-experienced people might have better suggestions.

[rejohnson53]

As of this morning, there is definitely some sort of white fuzzy substance building up near his gills. I might put him in a small quarantine bowl to make water changes easier.

I have been adding some stress relief formula to try and keep him calm. Should I also use BettaFix or would that be too much for the little guy on top of the salt baths?

[mfskarphedin]

Anything with mecaleuca isn't recommended by many people for anabantoids anymore. Just the other day we had a betta with a really bad reaction to it on here. Like Pimafix and garlic juice, it's really only a mild tonic.

If you see observable fuzz, and it's still spreading or developing despite salt treatment...me, I'd personally start trying a medication like Jungle Fungus Eliminator (or Fungus Clear "Tank Buddies" - same meds with no salt included.) But that's just me. It's up to you if you want to go that route.

Oh, and make sure the temp is up to around 78-80F if it isn't already. Hopefully someone else will post with more suggestions.

[rejohnson53]

After a day in his quarantine bowl the white stuff has almost completely disappeared, however three more sores have appeared. I'm continuing the salt baths and water changes.

[mfskarphedin]

Well, that's good about the white stuff; it's some progress. But, ok, I'd definitely go for a medication. Salt is not something to handle open body sores. I'd try the Jungle Fungus Clear "Tank Buddies." I think any pet store/walmart should carry it. It treats both fungal and bacterial infections. This sounds definitely bacterial.

Or you could go for the old tried-and-true Maracyn/Maracyn II combo, a couple of powerful antibacterial medications. Alternatives are either Tetracycline alone or Triple-Sulfa alone. (Only Maracyn and Maracyn II can be used together.)

In my personal opinion, it's not going to get better with the current treatment.