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Fungal infection. Advice for how I can keep this from coming back?

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1.1K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  LittleBlueFishlets  
#1 ·
My betta, Rakki, appears to have come down with his third fungal infection on his ventral fins. I can't for the life of me figure out why it keeps coming back. We do two 100% water changes every week. The only thing I can come up with is that when he sleeps at night, more often than not he lies on the bottom of his bowl instead of on his silk plants. Could that be the issue? Also, is there anything I can do to keep the infection from coming back again? Should I add an extra water change during the week? I'm very frustrated right now, so any advice is appreciated.

We'll be starting treatment with daily 100% water changes and aquarium salt starting tonight since that's cleared up the last two infections.



Housing
What size is your tank? 1 gallon
What temperature is your tank? Stays between 74 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit
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? Omega One Betta Buffet pellets with Omega One Freeze-Dried Bloodworms as a treat once a week.
How often do you feed your betta fish? Two pellets twice a day.

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Twice a week.
 What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Tetra BettaSafe water conditioner.

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? N/A

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? A bit of fuzzy white substance has appeared on Rakki's ventral fin again.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? No change. He is still acting perfectly normal.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? I thought I saw something last night but wasn't sure, but today I am sure.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Not yet. Will start treating tonight with daily 100% water changes and aquarium salt.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? He's had two bouts of fungal infection before this. Other than an instance of tail-biting which is healing up beautifully, he's been healthy.
How old is your fish (approximately)? We've had him since April of this year. He was a rescue that someone left behind in a rental house when they moved out. He was already an adult when we got him.

There is a plan to get him a five-gallon aquarium soon as I might be getting one for my birthday later this month. If not, I'm hoping to be able to buy it myself soon.
 
#2 ·
Just cleaned his bowl and added the salt. This is going to be a long 10 days again... Any thoughts on how I get keep this from coming back please? I imagine it has to be stressful for Rakki to keep having to be treated for this every couple of months. I just want my fish to stay healthy.
 
#3 ·
If it keeps coming back, it may be a low grade bacterial infection. White fuzz is often due to Columnaris, which is caused by a type of bacteria that's frequently found in aquariums.

I would go ahead and treat as you have already planned.

Then, if it comes back again, I would not use Aquarium salt. Instead, I would use an antibiotic such as one of these:
  • Maracyn 2 (minocycline). There are several different types of Maracyn, but it needs to specifically be TWO, which contains minocycline.
  • API Furan 2, or Bifuran, or Jungle Fungus Clear. These all contain the same two furan medications, so whichever one you can find is OK.

Be sure to follow the directions on the package. Don't stop treating as soon as the 'fuzz' goes away. Doing so can create antibiotic resistant bacteria, which is very hard to treat. Use it for the full time recommended on the package.
 
#4 ·
Thank you so much for the reply, LittleBlueFishlets. It makes me feel better to know that I'm treating him correctly. I'll be looking into getting some Maracyn 2 so that we're prepared if we have to treat him again in the future.
 
#5 ·
We treated with aquarium salt and water changes Monday and last night, but this is the weird thing... I did not see the fuzz last night, and I didn't see it today yet either. I know I'm not imagining it being there Saturday and Sunday because my fiance saw it, too, when I asked him to look on Sunday.

We're going to treat at least tonight and tomorrow, making it three days since the fuzz disappeared. We will, of course, continue treatment if it shows up again later today or tomorrow. But, if not, would it be safe to stop treatment after tomorrow? It just seems weird to me that it would go away so quickly this time.
 
#6 ·
Yes. I had a fish develop a mild case of Columnaris. I immediately did a 100% water change and added a small amount of salt. The fuzz was gone the next day.

Columnaris is opportunistic. It will try to gain hold, but if you treat it quickly, and/or if the fish's immune system is strong, you may be able to stop it.

Usually, 74-76F is considered just below the comfort range for bettas. But in this case, it may be working in your favor. Bacteria multiply more slowly at lower temps. So your cool tank will help keep it in check, too.
 
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