Four days ago I noticed a lump between the eyes on my fish, Beavis. It just looks like a raised spot, but the scales are raised just there. If it were us, it would look like we took a good bump in the middle of our forehead (if that helps to picture it). Along with that, his lips are very swollen. This combo gives him a dolphin-like profile (if that helps to picture it even more). He has tried to eat once or twice, but I don't think his lips will let him snatch the food. Besides which, I don't think he is very hungry anyway. He is not moving around much and you can see he doesn't feel well.
I have had Beavis for a little over a year. He is kept in a 5 gallon cycled tank, temp at 81F. Water changes of about 10 percent once a week, with about one-half teaspoon of salt as preventative. Water parameters are always good.
I observed him the first day and, with no improvement, the second day decided to add medicine. This was after extensive web research for a diagnosis, which I simply couldn't find anywhere. That forced me to assume it might be parasitic or bacterial. I changed half the water, added a teaspoon of salt, and then added Jungle Fugus Clear, the fizz kind. It has been two days and I have yet to see much difference. Could it be a tumor? If so, why with the lips? That doesn't make sense to me.
Did I take the proper steps so far? Anyone have a clue what could be wrong with him? Is there something else I could be doing. Oh, yeah, I tried to get a picture for about half an hour. He ain't cooperating. Thanks for reading.
I'm sorry to hear that your betta isn't feeling so well.
Hmm, this is odd. It sounds like it could be a tumor, but I'm not sure. Apart from difficulty eating, are there any signs of ill health?
I know this is slightly off topic, but prolonged use of aquarium salt is known to cause organ failure. Also, I'm not sure you should have added the extra medication, especially if you do not know what you are treating.
Thanks for replying. Yes, I wasn't sure I should add meds, but I didn't know what else I could do. I know they can go quick sometimes and I wanted to try something, at least. It seems there are only a few options here. Parasite, bacterial, fungal, or tumor. I think the Jungle med has a chance of helping some kinds of the first three. I think. Tumor, I know, you can't do anything about. So, my reasoning was that it was worth a try. But, you may be right. And, believe me, I scoured the web for hours for these exact symptoms before I tried anything. On three occasions, I found folks that describe the same thing. But as my luck would have it, the question remained unanswered.
The salt thing has folks that like it and some that don't. Maybe I will quit using it. He has been so healthy for over a year, I thought it was doing him some good. Previously I had two others that I didn't use salt with. They both died. One of dropsy (I euthanised him with clove oil when I knew that's what it was) and the other just started going nuts one night and was dead the next day. The thing is, I am religious about keeping the water better than up-to-par. So I don't think it's that. After those traumas, I wanted to try something preventative with Beavis. Like I said, some like to use salt and some don't. Maybe I should quit using it.
I am at work now, but should I change out some of the water when i get home? Maybe half again, so as to clear up some of the medicine and some of the salt?
I think clean water would be helpful right now. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong with him, but if he is pretty healthy apart from that lump, I'm going to hazard a guess that it is a tumor.
From what I've read, by constantly adding salt, things that get your betta sick will be already used to and resistant to lower levels of salt, so if something did pop up, you'd need to add more salt, which isn't exactly good for bettas seeing as they are fresh water fish, no salt water. But, this really is off topic.
I feed him Omega One betta flakes. When I got him he wouldn't eat pellets and I tried three different kinds. But he took to the flakes, so I stuck with it. Along with the occasional frozen bloodworm treat.
I will do his water tonight when I get home. Unless anyone else out there has an opinion on this that would be different.
Hmm, try feeding him frozen bloodworms. They might be easier for him to eat.
I'm not expert on fish diseases, but you should do a water change when you get home to definately get the medication out. I'm guessing someone else can help you with more indepth information from there
Oh, yeah....don't forget the lips. They are about twice the normal size to the point where they look deformed. So, it's more than just the lump. And that is keeping him from eating. Though I can tell he isn't really interested in food anyway right now. He did try twice, but his mouth isn't working for him. Could a tumor cause his lips to swell up?
I have a fish with a tumor that sounds like what yours might have but it doesn't cause swelling elsewhere. I'll give you a couple picture links to look at for comparison.
To me yours sounds like a swelling or trauma of some kind under the skin. I don't know what could cause that. Is it possible he got caught or stuck somewhere?
Well, his space is pretty stick-proof. Maybe he tried to jump and hit the lid? That's reaching, though. I can't think of any other way he could have hurt himself. Not that it isn't true, and I won't discount it.
Are you in agreement with JKfish. Change half the water and give it time? Stop the salt and medicine?
Fungus usually presents as fuzz, not swelling, so look for that. Columnaris is the something that affects that area of a fish. I've also heard of something called fibroma which affects lips but I thought that was an angel fish thing. I think it's a virus.
Try PM'ing Oldfishlady or Adastra. They both know a lot about fish diseases and could maybe help where we could not.
I would stop with meds and salt, until you're sure what you're treating for.
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