My betta has a lump =[

[Mollyatombomb]

I moved my aquarium to a new apartment about a month ago and i just recently noticed a dark lump growing at the base of my betta's top fin. I first got him a year and a half ago. He was a centerpiece for a table at a wedding and as he had been shipped in a truck and stuck in a little bowl for hours and hours, all his fins rotted off. I bought him a new 5 gallon tank, silk plants and a filter. Soon after his fins all grew back, but are still slightly raggedy. He is still very active and eating regularly, but this lump concerns me. Any idea what it could be? How should i be treating him?




Housing
What size is your tank?
5 gallons
What temperature is your tank?
Average 72
Does your tank have a filter?
yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
open top
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?
pellet food
How often do you feed your betta fish?
once a day 3-5 pellets

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
1-2 times a month
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
all of it
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?
betta bowl conditioner

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
Raggedy fins, large dark lump
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
not at all, seems hungrier if anything
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
about a week or so ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
no
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
fin rot
How old is your fish (approximately)?
about 2 years

[aurasoulful]

Aw, poor little man :( It looks like a growth. Like a tumor forming...

[bahamut285]

1-2 times a month for a 5 gallon is too little. Doing 100% changes is too much.

If it is a 5 gallon, you should cycle it (seeing as you have a filter), then you only have to do around 20-50% a week. (I personally do around 30%)

I recommend getting him in some 1 (or maybe 2) teaspoon/Gal AQUARIUM SALT-solution in a 1 gallon tub/cup/bowl and changing the water 100% every single day for about 10 days. Maybe pick up some "Stresscoat+" from your closest fish store.

Make sure you mix in the salt (stir it too) BEFORE you put him in, then you have to acclimate him to the salt-solution water.

It can either be a tumour or the beginnings of body rot >_<...I hope he gets well!!!


EDIT: I just noticed the temperature, it's fine but it can stand to be a little warmer to encourage his immune system to help him fight it off :). Investing in a heater (I think you need 25 watts? I don't remember at the moment) would prove very beneficial to his overall health and activity level

[Mollyatombomb]

Thanks for the advice!
I've been meaning to buy a heater-just low on funds. Im going to get aquarium salt and stress coat tonight. Once i mix it up in another tank, is there any special way i have to acclimate him to that salt water?

[bahamut285]

Just acclimate him using either a plastic bag or a plastic cup (clean) just scoop him gently with his old water into the bag/cup, then "float" the bag/cup in the salty water to adjust for temperature, then after about 10 minutes-ish, slowly add a little bit of the salt water into his bag/cup a few times. Watch for his behaviour -- if he starts darting around for more than a few seconds, then put in a little less water until you're able to let him go free into his quarantine tank :)

And yeah, heaters are quite expensive (at least in my country). Make sure you try to get an ADJUSTABLE one, they've got knobs on the top. They're a little more expensive than the pre-set ones, but are much more reliable and much safer.

EDIT: Oh, just in case it wasn't clear, when you do 100% water changes everyday, you have to re-add and mix the salt into the new water, haha XD

EDIT 2: If he doesn't get better after 10 days of treatment, you may have to invest in some actual medication such as api-tetracycline