Help Please ! Last Resort !! Pics Included!

[AquaBettaB]

Hello everyone ! I've never posted on a forum before but this is my last resort. I don't know what else to do. I've purchased this particular male betta from PetSmart in August 2010. Since I'm a college student I didn't have time to set the tank up and let it cycle so I got 2 gallons of water from the PetSmarts fish system. I put him in a 1.5 gallon aquarium w/a mini power filter and he was highly active and healthy. In January 2011 I decided to upgrade his aquarium and also purchased another male betta to go in his old aquarium, so I purchased a 3 gallon aquarium. This time I forgot to get cycled water from PetSmarts fish system. When I got to school I went to walmart and purchased Spring 3 gallons of spring water filled up the 3 gallon aquarium connected the new filter and let it run for like 2 or 3 days. I placed my old betta in the new 3 gallon aquarium and the new betta in the old 1.5 gallon aquarium. My original betta that was now in the 3 gallon aquarium was doing fine for a week into January and then he just started swelling. I went to Wal-Mart which was 5 mins away from my college since the closest PetSmart was an hour away. Wal-Mart only had Melafix. I used Melafix and his swelling went down a little after using it but he was really weak when using Melafix. I researched and found out that Melafix was not safe for betta's (my mistake). I thought he had dropsy but he didn't pine cone and he was pooping out like yellow chunks that would stay attached to him for days. He eventually started swelling again and got this thing on his side that looks awful and its getting bigger. I didn't want to treat him with anymore meds so I went and asked my Biology Prof to come take a look at him. She told me that it looks like he had an abscess that was infected and that he was devolping ich. So I went to PetSmart when I eventually got home and got some API aquarium salt, API Erythromycin, and Quick Cure (malachite green, formalin). I added a bit of aquarium salt, and began him on Erythromycin and Quick Cure about 4 days ago. The abscess seems to be getting bigger and not better. He's still swimming around and acting as if he's okay but the abscess or whatever it is is just growing bigger and starting to look worse its actually pushed one of his scales off it looks like. I checked with my Biology Prof again and she said that she wasn't that experienced with fish and to try getting another opinion. I came to this page and hopefully someone can help me ! I'm including pictures of the betta. Do you guys think its a bacterial infection ? If so should I change medicine ? because Erythromycin doesn't seem to be working. The stuff is just coming out of his side right behind his gill and his fin I don't know what else to do. Any opinions and suggestions are welcomed please !

[Abby]

I use melafix, i read pimafix (or what ever its called) has clove oil which is used to euthanise bettas but melafix is fine

[Abby]

wheres the issue? behind his gill? whats the little lump on his head?

[turtle10]

Housing
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?

[AquaBettaB]

The white spot on his head is apparently ick forming thats why I've been double treating him with Erythromycin for that giant white thing growing out of his side and Malachite Green/Formalin for the ick.

Housing
The tank is 3 gallon
The tank is around 70 degrees
Yes it has a power filter
No airstone
No not heated
No tank mates

Food
I feed my betta Color Enhancing Betta Bits by Top Fin & Betta Bits by Aqueon

Maintenance
Since his tank is about 3 gallons I usually gravel vac and do a water change of about a gallon and half. I use to use Aqua Safe Water Conditioner but I used API Stress Coat water conditioner when I set up his tank.

Water Parameters
Ammonia. 1.5
Nitrate: 5
Nitrite: 0
Hardness: 75
Alkalinity 120
Ph: 7.8

Symptoms:
He used to look normal. The giant white thing was never there until about a two weeks ago and it keeps growing. He use to sit at the bottom of the tank but when I started attempting to treat him he's been getting better. Symptoms all started back around January 20th when he had his first initially swelling. That went away and this happened. I've been using API E.M Erythromycin following the directions on the box. He appeared to start getting ick about 5 or 6 days ago. No history of being ill. I would say he is a about a year maybe a little more.

[Sweeda88]

You need a heater. There is significantly less of a chance of him getting better at the temp you have him at. Bettas need at least 78* to stay healthy.

[AquaBettaB]

Thank you Sweeda I will pick one up tomorrow when I run to PetSmart :(

[Sweeda88]

You're welcome. Other than that, follow the advice other people suggest. My only suggestion is that being at a proper temp may help his immune system.

[FuulieQ]

How frequently do you do water changes? Ammonia should be 0. If you haven't done one already I would do another water change to bring it down, at least 50%.

[turtle10]

Originally Posted by FuulieQ

How frequently do you do water changes? Ammonia should be 0. If you haven't done one already I would do another water change to bring it down, at least 50%.

+1