Fungus Emergency?

[loretta4]

I think we have a Toby fungus emergency.

I have had him about a year...gallon bowl...warm room (about 73 degrees), put aq. salt 1/4 tsp, full water change once a week. He has always been very playful, eating well, coming to the side of the tank when I talk and swirling around in circles.

About a month ago he started having grey patches on his body and then within a week was not eating and flopped at the bottom. Treated immediately with BettaFix as directed (full water change once a week as directed)...did this for about 4 weeks.

Just this week (3 days ago) a white patch (not fuzzy) showed on his body side and he stopped eating and moving (again, staying at the bottom). Went to Petco and they had me start Betta Revive (as directed with almost full water change each day before new dose). She said a full water change took the good bacteria out of the water.

So, that's not working at all! He's acting even more sick than 3 days ago!

I have a great picture to post which I will do right after posting.

I am hoping someone can help me and tell me what to treat him with so I can go get it tonight. I see most of the suggestions have to be ordered.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the help!

okay - I uploaded a picture of Toby - cropped so you can see the spots...

Lori

[loretta4]

Okay, after reading all the posts you all are just going to kill me! I don't know the PH at all! I didn't know a gallon wasn't enough...also about the necessity of a heater. I thought 72 - 80 but I see they need it warmer. I have always changed the water properly and added acq salt.

Toby has always seemed so happy and lively! He has always loved his plants (the baby fine long leaves)...swimming through them. When I talk to him he always comes over to the side and swirls around...even if he's already eaten!

I am sorry I didn't know about all that but can you please take a look and tell me how to heal him? I cannot get a bigger tank right now but he's in the warmest room we have.

I changed his water again just now (almost a full change), added the acq salt (1/4 tsp), and then also added 1ml StressCoat...I didn't use the Betta Revive. That just seemed to make it worse anway...I don't know.

I usually feed him 2-3 little bloodworms a day (freeze dried) - that's been his amount since about a year ago.

eeekkkk...I just read you have to aclimate him to the new water in the tank! I use room temperature spring water or water from our sink that is filtered (for our drinking) - we mostly use spring water because my son's frogs need it (different tank :))

[iheartmybettas]

I would love to help but I am just not sure. Normally I would say start an aquarium salt treatment for the next 10 days but you use it all the time. Really you are only supposed to use it to treat illness not as a regular part of the water changes. So my problem is I don't know if it would do more harm than good to up how much aquarium salt you use to 1 tsp and start the 10 day treatment with 100% daily water changes. Since it isnt fuzzy I am guessing it isn't columnaris which is good! Hopefully someone else can come along and chime in.

Also with a 1 gallon you are really supposed to do at least 1 50% and 1 100% water change a week. The majority of the time people at petstores don't know what the heck they are talking about. They just like to act like they do.

You definitely need to get a heater to raise the temperature to at least 76. Mine are usually between 78 and 80.

[loretta4]

Okay, so when he is healthy - don't use acq salt? I thought I read in multiple places that acq salt in the tank would keep bettas from getting fungus?

Also, do you know how he got it? I always use fresh plants...I read they can carry fungus.

When you do a full water change...do you rinse the bottom rocks (hot water) and plants (cool water) for small tanks like mine? I have always rinsed them but was told by store worker that I was killing the good bacteria. When I had him at work, he would only get changed once a week or maybe even about 10 days (would bring in a clean bowl and switch him-had two bowls). But this winter, I brought him home (warmer) and he got changed much more than that - do you think i was killing the good bacteria?

What do you all think about the chemicals (Jungle Fungus, etc.) mentioned in the other posts?

[iheartmybettas]

There are many reasons he could have gotten it but primarily water conditions. In a tank that small you won't have any good bacteria really because you can't cycle the tank. All you really have is ammonia building up from poop and secreted from his gills. Like I said the pet store can be idiots. Every know and then you find a good one. If you want to cycle the tank and create/build up beneficial bacteria you need at least a 5 gallon.

When you change 100% rinse everything with warm water! Are the plants live? If so cold water is probably fine.

No aquarium salt unless you are treating an illness. I have used jungle fungus clear and it seemed to work but with such a small tank it is going to be hard to dose. It's a tablet sized for treating 10 gallons. Others may have more info on that.

Hope he gets better! It might be worth doping 1 tsp of aquarium salt for 10 days with 100% daily water changes. It probably wouldnt hurt. You need heat though to help healing.

[loretta4]

Thank you, that is good to know. Yes, live plants. I did change last night and add salt...will do it again tonight.

How do you keep from stressing them out when you do 100% water change? I take him out but he swims all around in an panic when I put the net in the bowl. Maybe I should just dump slowly into another bowl...clean it...then move him with a little cup?

I have put him in our warmest, most stable temp room (with a water thermometer) and some addition heat a ways away from the tank (so hopefully it will not flucuate - it didn't seem to last night). I am registering around 78 right now but will adjust slowly when I get home.

If he get's better I will get a bigger tank and cycle. Right now my hubby is not happy (he's a sweetie) because my son and I are always running to the pet store for fish/frog items. lol

[iheartmybettas]

I think he will get used to being netted if you do it at the same time everyday. All of mine except 2 have 5 gallons so I rarely have to net them. They usually are like "what is that?" and swim right in. Lol! As long as his tank can stay consistently at 78 that should be good. Fluctuating temps can make him even more vulnerable.

[loretta4]

I am still full changing water every day, adding 1 tsp acquarium salt to the gallon of water but now have lowered the water so he doesn't have to go so far to the top...making sure the water is the same temp (80 degrees). He is in a low-light room, with a mirror and a plant next to his bowl.

Toby hasn't eaten since Sunday. He is in our spare bathroom where the temperature is a constant 80 degrees - the tank says 80 degrees with a water thermometer. He does come over to the side of the tank at times when we talk to him but then goes back to the bottom.

Since discontinuing the Betta Revive he isn't lying on the bottom flopped over anymore but he is still not moving around a lot. The big white patch is still there - it's not fuzzy - just a white patch with a little piece of skin hanging off. The grey patches are all around his mouth now and over his gills.

When I look from the top - one gill opens wide while the other doesn't hardly open and he is curved a little to once side and swims off-kilter. Also, his fins are look cut-up and jagged now. I tried to look for velvet with a flashlight and he does look velvety but no gold or red...

He started looking like the fungal disease picture from this site but now it's just more and the white patches are different and his whole jaw is covered: http://www.bettatalk.com/betta_diseases.htm.

I don't know...I don't know what it is so I don't know what to give him. I don't know what to order (meds) and I'm afraid since I'm doing nothing that he is dying when he could be healing.

I feel awful for putting him in that little tank...I am so sorry for him. This is the worst thing ever. I have had cats all my life and they have always lived much longer than the vets say is possible because we've always taken such good care of them...so when it is their time...we understand.

For poor Toby, I feel horribly guilty. Where else can I go to get help? Anyone?

[iheartmybettas]

I know he isn't eating but I wouldn't get to concerned about it yet. Bettas can go about 10 days without eating and not have any issues. Not sure where you live but do you have a Walmart near you? If you continue to not see improvement doing the aquarium salt treatment then you might want to give Jungle Fungus Clear a try. They have it at Walmart. I think they also might have it at Petsmart and petco. Just break off 1/10 size piece of the tablet. The only part I am not sure of is if it ok to do a daily 100% water change and remedicate because the instructions are for a 10 gallon and you are supposed to wait 4 days to do a water change. That would not be good for a 1 gallon.

Also you cannot help that the pet store people gave you horrible advice. You would think you could trust what they tell you. You are trying to help him the best you can!

[loretta4]

Went and got proper food. He's been eating at least and moving around more. Noticed a brown bruise looking thing on his head while he was in his "tank cleaning" bowl. Also, grey spots (scales) are getting worse - white spot is the same - no fuzz but some skin hanging.

I wish I knew what the problem is. I am trying Pimafix now...will do that for a few weeks then Jungle Fungus.

I don't suppose the pictures help any more than the first one?