[emztanjm]

Hi all,

So I've had Oswin for 8 months. She's a darling thing. Very energetic and friendly. She's a beautiful brick red color (unless she's sulking, and then she's orange). However, there's something that troubles me. She has a purple/silvery spot near her tail and under her top fin. Initially it was small but it seems to have grown? I'm not sure if this is a disease because this doesn't fit any disease symptom, but I'm just wondering if it's part of her coloration or if I should start being concerned.

I put aquarium salt and water conditioner in her water every water change, which is usually weekly. I feed her Omega One and New Life Spectrum betta pellets (I switch off). Her water is at least 75 or 78 degrees every day, and she's got 2.5 gallons in her tank. There's decor and everything. I researched the hell out of betta care when I first got her, and I really do adore her.

I'm attaching a picture. She's really quick when she moves, so I tried to get a good picture and for her to sit still for a few seconds, but hopefully this helps.

Please help! Thank you!

 

[Taeanna]

thats certainly an odd little mark. can you see scales over the spot or is it more of a wound? Any fuzz you can see covering it?

I know its tedious but would you mind filling this out? It can help us find the cause faster-
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233

 

[emztanjm]

Oh, right. Sorry I forgot. There's no fuzz -- I bettasat a friend's betta who was super old and it died of a fungal infection so I recognize the fuzz, ha. Oswin has no fuzz, and I can see the scales under/through the purple/silvery color.

Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5 gallons
What temperature is your tank? 75-78 degrees at least
Does your tank have a filter? No
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? Nobody

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Omega One buffet pellets and New Life Spectrum betta formula pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? Once a day -- usually 4-5 pellets at a time. I fast her once a week.

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Weekly
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 75-100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Water conditioner (Aqueon Betta Bowl Plus) and aquarium salt

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

I actually haven't tested it. I need to go buy a kit for this but I'm not sure what to get. The only pet store near me is PetSmart, but my car is mired in snow right now.
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? The purple/silvery spot on her lower body has gotten slightly bigger
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? It hasn't. She's eating well and responsive as ever. She likes puffing out her gills and flaring at my fingers when I waggle them at her. Her fins aren't clamped, she isn't hiding (not more than usual), not gasping for breath, or anything like that.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Maybe several months already. It was small and then it got bigger.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? No
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No
How old is your fish (approximately)? I got her 8 months ago and she's bigger now, so at least a year or more?

 

[Taeanna]

I am hesitant to tell you to offer treatment without some sort of external signs of distress or infection. It is possible that the discoloration is being caused by some sort of infection but if the place has all its scales and doesnt seem to be necrosing I cant be sure.

Hopefully someone with more experience may know if this is anything more serious or just an odd spot.

 

[Bettafishadopter]

Is it a lump?

 

[emztanjm]

Nah. It's just a section that looks purple/blue/silvery. I've shone a flashlight on it and it shines but that's it. No dusting, no lumps, nothing like that. It's confusing me.

 

[Taeanna]

it could be a pigmentation error or maybe something more. if she is showing no distress over it you may want to take her picture to the breeders section on this forum and ask if any of the full time breeders have seen anything like it.

 

[grammymary]

Emztanjm ... OMG ... My fish has the same silvery patch on him and I've searches all over the site and asked at my LFS and nobody really has any answers. I'm curious as to what you've found out and whether or not your treating your fish with anything. My little guy is perfectly normal, eats great and is very active. He just has this silvery spot, kinda like a loss of pigment in that spot. Have there been any changes in your fish since your last post? I'd love to hear from you.

 

[emztanjm]

Hey everyone, thank you for responding! Seriously, I really appreciate it.

Yeah, Taeanna, she's basically chilling all the time. Do you have a link to the breeders section? I'm new here so I don't really know my way around, ha. Thank you!

@grammymary, yeah, I've searched everywhere and there's nothing on that spot. I haven't treated Oswin with anything because she has shown literally zero symptoms of anything else (being listless, color changes, clamped fins, not eating, hiding excessively, sitting at the bottom of the tank, etc.) The only time she changes color is when she's sulking that I'm not paying attention to her. The moment I stay in my room, she turns back to brick red. Otherwise, she eats like a pig and she's just as friendly and active as ever.

Yeah, that spot is kind of weird -- it's like purple/blue/silvery but when I shine a flashlight on it (she hates that) there's nothing on it. No lump, no lesions, nothing like that. She's the same as ever, so I hope that helps It's been like this for a while, actually. I've lost count for how many weeks she's had that spot.

 

[Spectacled]

It's a nifty little spot (if it's nothing serious). It's unique!
But here's the link to the breeders!

http://www.bettafish.com/forumdisplay.php?f=98

 

[grammymary]

It's encouraging to know your fish has had the spot for so long without any symptoms of illness. Mine's had the spot for a couple weeks now and still shows no symptoms so I'm going to relax and just figure he's unique