Today, I discovered that my betta, Ezio, has a very early case of ich. He's only got like 5 white spots on his entire body, but they match ich exactly. I've been researching how to get rid of it, but I a lot of what I've read has been just confusing and almost contradictory. I'd like some more personalized advice. Also, I'm a broke college student, so I can't afford anything really pricy.
Housing
What size is your tank? 10 gallons
What temperature is your tank? 80 degree Fahrenheit
Does your tank have a filter? Yes, sponge buffered quietflow 10.
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Yes, a small, mild dragon bubbling ornament
Is your tank heated? Yes.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None.
Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Omega One Pellets and frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp
How often do you feed your betta fish? Two pellets on one day, then a small amount of frozen food the next. I fast him on sundays
Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Once a week.
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 20%. 50% if I missed last week.
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Seachem Prime
Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?
No, but I know my ammonia and nitrites are spiked, I had my snail die and I didn't discover it, so the body rotted and polluted the tank. I'm positive this is what caused the ich. And, yes I know I need to test the water, but test kits are expensive and I don't have money.
Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Other than the ick, no.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? He darts every now and then, otherwise no.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Today.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Did a 50% water change and gradually raised temp to 86. It's stable at 86 now, and he doesn't seem to be bothered by it.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No.
How old is your fish (approximately)? Got him in august, so 6 months?
