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Black Ick on sad fish?

513 views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  Indyfishy 
#1 ·
About a week ago I purchased two females to kick it in a larger tank with a male betta. When I concluded, after about two days, that these fish will not do all in one tank, I swiftly removed the two females and placed them in a secondary aquarium.

These two did not get along, and the one who received most of the "attention" from the male fish got the same treatment from the female as well. After about a day and a half, I once again decided that was no good and removed her into her own tank so she could heal and be left alone.

I know she's really badly injured. I change her water every day and a half and keep and eye on her constantly. Her fins have regrown significantly, and I have her on Melafix for the obvious. She seems much happier and active, which is a slight relief.

That being said, I'm thinking she might have some black ick, some white ick, or something else going on. She wasn't so dingy-looking when I first bought her. The blue hues look much better, but the black freckling at her head and traversing her body bothers me.

Do you have any ideas? I don't want to lose her on account of my fault and carelessness.


Thank you so very much!

Woot lots of pictures~
 

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#2 ·
Hello, and welcome to the forum!! First of all, never put male and female bettas together (as you know now lol). And don't put females together unless you can put four or more together in a heavily planted tank (10 gallons at the least). Even then you have to watch them closely and remove any of the super aggressive ones. It looks like your girl got beat up pretty badly, poor thing. Stop the melafix, melafix is actually harmful to bettas. It harms their labrynth organ (their lungs). The best thing for her would be Daily 100% water changes and an aquarium salt treatment. Use 1 teaspoon per gallon of aquarium salt. Another thing you can get is Stresscoat +. It's a special water conditioner that helps promote fin regrowth. The Stress coat and the salt combined will help her alot. She doesn't have ick, the black and white you are seeing is natural coloring/ missing scales from her ordeal. Do you have a heater in her QT/are you floating her in a heated tank? She'll need a heater to help her get better and fight off any infections in her weakened state. their temp needs to be between 76-80. That goes for all bettas so if you don't have heaters yet you may have to pick some up. But depending on where you live you might be able to get away with not using one.
 
#3 ·
She has a salt treatment, water conditioner, and some Nutrafin cycle going on along with the Melafix, which I shall stop. Changing the water frequently is no problem; she poops a lot anyway :shake:

I don't have a water heater, but they're in a room with a GIANT east facing window, no shades or blinds. This causes the already hot room to heat up all day. They're in an 80'ish room all day.

Thanks for the welcome and the help! I hope to continue seeing improvement in fish.
 
#4 ·
No problem!!! Watch her closely for any infections since she's vulnerable right now. Another thing you could add to her water is tannins from either naturally dried and crushed oak leaves or DECAF green tea (just green tea, no added lemon or mint or any other flavorings). Steep the leaves or the tea in a gallon jug (milk jugs work great) with a good dechlorinator and the aquarium salt. Let the water get nice and dark. The tannins will give her a little boost and the dark water will make her feel secure and calm.
 
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