Aqua_Life
New Member
I recently decided to set up a nano aquarium (2.1 gal). I didn't intend to place any fish within the aquarium (a planted tank & maybe a few dwarf shrimp) as it is far too small for any fish to truly thrive and be happy. However after getting it setup and cycled I was looking for potential plants to have and grow when I found him. A male roundtail, koi betta labeled as a "galaxy" betta. He was pretty tiny compared to other bettas I had seen and I thought maybe, so I got him (with the intention of getting an 8 gallon long aquarium setup ASAP). What I hadn't noticed before getting him was the lump on the side of his head. It was like a tumor or a cyst in appearance behind his gill on the right side. He didn't show any initial signs of stress or illness & the first few days (3 at most) were okay. I didn't feed him on the first day to avoid unwanted stress, the second day he picked at a few of his pellets, the third day he seemed slightly less interested in food overall. I thought it was a picky eater case, two days later he took a turn for the worst. I came home from work and the "lump" had busted and was now a giant hole in the side of his head. I thought he'd died as he was laying on the bottom of the tank, but he swam up moments later and got air from the surface. I decided to leave him for the night and to expect him to be dead by morning. Once again, that wasn't the case, he was alive the next day, the day after that, and the day after that. It's been a little over a week since he's had the hole and little by little it's begun to close back up. I didn't want to buy medicine for a dead fish and I expected him to be dead within a day or so after the hole appeared, so I didn't do anything special until now (though I do have a tannin booster that I added daily with "soothing acids"). As of yesterday he's gotten his first two doses of antibiotic/anti-fungal treatment and after nearly a week and a half he's eaten two day in a row. Freeze dried blood-worms. The wound on his head is very much still there, just much smaller than what it was in the beginning. I have images of him that I will attach to this post.
My water parameters seem okay, my temp is around 78-82, & I do frequent water changes (5-15% every 3 days new water is added)
My question is does anyone have any idea what caused this and if so am I helping him correctly? (I've been unable to find anything on this kind of illness) Also I know he's not out of the woods yet, but would is it really safe for him to be healing in a 2 gallon aquarium? I feel like moving him would be too much of a risk in term of stress and potential shock. Thank you to those who took the time to hear out my story and any tips/advice on helping Gossamer (my betta) would be greatly appreciated.
(Gossamer, right side, visible wound)
(Gossamer, left side, no wound)
(Gossamer, top view, no swelling, he likes to lay on the heater)
My water parameters seem okay, my temp is around 78-82, & I do frequent water changes (5-15% every 3 days new water is added)
My question is does anyone have any idea what caused this and if so am I helping him correctly? (I've been unable to find anything on this kind of illness) Also I know he's not out of the woods yet, but would is it really safe for him to be healing in a 2 gallon aquarium? I feel like moving him would be too much of a risk in term of stress and potential shock. Thank you to those who took the time to hear out my story and any tips/advice on helping Gossamer (my betta) would be greatly appreciated.
(Gossamer, right side, visible wound)
(Gossamer, left side, no wound)
(Gossamer, top view, no swelling, he likes to lay on the heater)
