white fuzzy stuff around head and fins

[bellajunkie]

Housing
What size is your tank? small bowl
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? fish flakes
How often do you feed your betta fish? once a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? 3 times a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 1/3
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?
none
Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?
no
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? He has white fuzz around his head and fins
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? he stays at the bottom and swims occasionally to the top and kind of freaks out, is still eating but very lethargic
When did you start noticing the symptoms? today
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? dont know what it is
Does your fish have any history of being ill? no
How old is your fish (approximately) just got him..


I do not know what to do, we just got him and he is already a part of the family!!! Help please!!!!

[bellajunkie]

People at Petco said I should come in and get a new one...guess they just don't understand what it is to be a pet owner. Please if anyone knows about this let me know something, I don't want to lose the newest member of my family!!!

[freemike]

Sounds like a fungal infection imo. With a small bowl you need to do 100% water changes almost every other day. While he has this condition the water needs to be changed 100% daily. It would be optimal to move him into a larger tank generally recommended 2.5+ gallons. You NEED a heater for normal use. That being said it is hard to accurately and safely heat a small bowl. Here is the procedure for your situation.
(I would ignore the part about lowering the temp in your situation since you are not heating anyways.)
True Fungal Infections
•Symptoms: White cottony like patches on its body or head, Lethargic, Not eating, Clamped Fins, Pale Colors

•Treatment: Conservative: Lower temperature below 76* F and treat with Aq.Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Never continue salt treatments for more than 10 days.

Medication: If Conservative treatment is ineffective after 10 days or you see the fungus spread rapidly during the course of conservative treatment, move to medication. Add “Fungus Eliminator” by Jungle, API Erythromycin, API Fungus Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR Mardel’s Maracyn II. Change water every day and add a new dose of the same medication. Continue until all fungus has disappeared.

[bellajunkie]

Thank you for your response....what ratio of salt would I use if I have to keep him, temporarily, in the small bowl? I appreciate all of your help!!! And with water changes....100&? Will that stress him? Shock? I am a very new fish owner and now realize I should have done more research for this little guy! :(

[callistra]

1 tsp per gallon. You have to know how much water you have in there.

You need to invest in something 2.5g or greater and a heater for long term care.
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=20058

[freemike]

Yeah I've currently have mine in a hospital tank doing 100% changes and it freaks him out but he quickly recovers as long as you move them quickly and smooth as possible. You need to make sure you get the new water the same temp as the old water. It's a teaspoon to 1 gallon of water.

[bellajunkie]

He's in a small bowl not a tank....I realize that I will have to invest in something bigger for long term, but he is sick now! :(

[bellajunkie]

Thank you!!

[callistra]

You are going to have a hard time making him better while he is not in a proper enviornment. That's why getting him into clean/maintained heated water is important.

What is the size of the bowl? What is the temperature of the room he's in? Photos?

[bellajunkie]

it's about 75-78 in the room and the bowl is small....and I do not have any pictures but the stuff that's on him looks similar to this.....http://www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm#