Rescue betta needs help

[xswornxoffxjello]

Housing
What size is your tank? 1 gallon
What temperature is your tank? Room temperature
Does your tank have a filter? No
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? No
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Aqua culture pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? 2 pellets twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? None as yet
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Nothing (well water)

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

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: na
Nitrate: na
pH: na
Hardness: na
Alkalinity: na

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Very thin, "gold flecks" on his face and body, fin rot
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Rests a lot, labored breathing
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Today
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? 1/2 tsp. aq. salt
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Don't know
How old is your fish (approximately)? 8 months?

Hello! There's a really amazing aquarium store where I live, family-run, and they take amazing care of their fish. I was there buying new heaters today when I saw this little guy. Conversation went like this:
Me: That little guy doesn't look so good.
Owner: Yeah, we probably won't sell that one. I'll just have to take care of him.
Me: You're not going to kill him, are you?
Owner:.....nooo. Why? Do you want to save him?

So that's how I got Arthur. He gave him to me for free. I was afraid that he'd die on the way home (an hour ride) but he's doing much better than he was in clean water in his hospital tank. He's got half a teaspoon of AS in the water right now, and I think he may have velvet. I don't know how to treat velvet, though. Does anyone have any advice?

[Bettaluver4evr]

Gold flecks does sound like velvet... and eek, fin rot! But that can be managed daily 100% water changes. The labored breathing, however, can be explained by you not adding conditioner. At least, you didn't say you added conditioner... aquarium salt is a good treatment for fin rot, and that plus daily 100% water changes will take care of the fin rot... however, I do not know how to treat velvet. Someone else will have to take care of that!

[denaliwind]

I'm glad the poor little guy has a someone to take care of him!

"Velvet is a parasite. Because velvet is very VERY contagious, it is preferable to treat the whole tank when one fish is found to have it. BettaZing contains two agents that are proven velvet killers, so it is EXTREMELY effective against this disease :). So far it is the meanest velvet killer I have ever found :). Use Bettazing at a 12 drop per gallon concentration (yes, it is OK to do so you have my blessings). Isolate any individual with velvet, treat the whole tank even if other fish look OK and remember WASH YOUR HANDS!!! Sanitize fish nets! Keep bowl or tank in a darker place, velvet will be easier to kill if it is not getting any light." - quoted from bettatalk.com

[xswornxoffxjello]

Originally Posted by Bettaluver4evr

Gold flecks does sound like velvet... and eek, fin rot! But that can be managed daily 100% water changes. The labored breathing, however, can be explained by you not adding conditioner. At least, you didn't say you added conditioner... aquarium salt is a good treatment for fin rot, and that plus daily 100% water changes will take care of the fin rot... however, I do not know how to treat velvet. Someone else will have to take care of that!

Thank you...I've treated other fish with fin rot and it's pretty easy.
I don't live in town, and have good quality well water, so I've never put any additives in the water.

[xswornxoffxjello]

Originally Posted by denaliwind

I'm glad the poor little guy has a someone to take care of him!

"Velvet is a parasite. Because velvet is very VERY contagious, it is preferable to treat the whole tank when one fish is found to have it. BettaZing contains two agents that are proven velvet killers, so it is EXTREMELY effective against this disease :). So far it is the meanest velvet killer I have ever found :). Use Bettazing at a 12 drop per gallon concentration (yes, it is OK to do so you have my blessings). Isolate any individual with velvet, treat the whole tank even if other fish look OK and remember WASH YOUR HANDS!!! Sanitize fish nets! Keep bowl or tank in a darker place, velvet will be easier to kill if it is not getting any light." - quoted from bettatalk.com

Thanks! Do you know if Faith is selling this? I looked at her website and it says that she's closed. Do you know anything else that will work if she is closed?

[denaliwind]

Originally Posted by xswornxoffxjello

Thanks! Do you know if Faith is selling this? I looked at her website and it says that she's closed. Do you know anything else that will work if she is closed?

Ack, sorry! I didn't realize her site wasn't active anymore... I purchased her first aid kit long ago. I know there are other products on the market that are equivalent, but unfortunately I don't know what. I feel bad, I thought I had a solution for you! Hopefully someone here will be able to give you better advice soon enough.

[xswornxoffxjello]

Originally Posted by denaliwind

Ack, sorry! I didn't realize her site wasn't active anymore... I purchased her first aid kit long ago. I know there are other products on the market that are equivalent, but unfortunately I don't know what. I feel bad, I thought I had a solution for you! Hopefully someone here will be able to give you better advice soon enough.

No problem! Thanks anyway!
Calling OFL and Adastra and anyone else who knows what to do...can you help me please? Thanks!

[Oldfishlady]

I treat velvet pretty much the same way I treat Ich.....aquarium salt 1tsp/gal up to 3tsp/gal....100% daily water changes, tannins, water temp in the 84-86F range...with velvet I also turn out the lights....usually will have it resolved in 5-7 days....best to treat for at least 3 days past the last day you could see any parasite on the fish......this treatment is also good for fin rot.....

Pre-mixed treatment water in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water or fresh well water in your case.....add the correct amount of salt per gallon and the tannin source....let it steep for at least 1hr and dissolve the salt...shake well before use....use this pre-mixed treatment water for the 100% daily water changes....be sure to bring it to temp before use....use of a small QT container that can be floated in a heated tank works well and if you use two it will make it even easier....float the second QT with fresh treatment water in it to bring to temp....net the Betta to transfer daily to the fresh like temp QT with treatment water...rinse the used one and let air dry....then fill/float at least a hour before scheduled daily water change...repeat......

Tannins-naturally dried and fallen from the tree Oak leaf (10-12 crushed/gall) or Indian almond leaf (1-med-lrg crushed/gall)
The longer they steep the more tannins released the darker the water the better the Betta will like it.....

[xswornxoffxjello]

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

I treat velvet pretty much the same way I treat Ich.....aquarium salt 1tsp/gal up to 3tsp/gal....100% daily water changes, tannins, water temp in the 84-86F range...with velvet I also turn out the lights....usually will have it resolved in 5-7 days....best to treat for at least 3 days past the last day you could see any parasite on the fish......this treatment is also good for fin rot.....

Pre-mixed treatment water in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water or fresh well water in your case.....add the correct amount of salt per gallon and the tannin source....let it steep for at least 1hr and dissolve the salt...shake well before use....use this pre-mixed treatment water for the 100% daily water changes....be sure to bring it to temp before use....use of a small QT container that can be floated in a heated tank works well and if you use two it will make it even easier....float the second QT with fresh treatment water in it to bring to temp....net the Betta to transfer daily to the fresh like temp QT with treatment water...rinse the used one and let air dry....then fill/float at least a hour before scheduled daily water change...repeat......

Tannins-naturally dried and fallen from the tree Oak leaf (10-12 crushed/gall) or Indian almond leaf (1-med-lrg crushed/gall)
The longer they steep the more tannins released the darker the water the better the Betta will like it.....

Thank you! Now I'm going to go search out an oak tree...