Barney The Betta Isn't Looking So Good

[tintin]

Erm, help.

I've been treating Barney for what I believe is fungus (grey patches to one side of his face) for a couple of weeks now. After a break of a week (where I put in a charcol filter to clean up any meds), I put in some new meds yesterday (a combination of Interpet No.8 (Anti-fungus), and Melafix - observing the correct doses.

This evening I got home from work to find Barney on the floor of the tank - not completely on his side but not looking great. Certainly, i've not seem him like this before. He did kind of spring to life when I lifted the hatch of the tank but he soon settled back to the floor again. Can only describe him as very lethargic.

I immediately did a 50% water change and added a little aquarium salt. These are the parameters post-water change:

Nitrate - 0mg/l
Nitrite - 0mg/l
General Hardness - >6od
pH - 8 (this seems a little higher than normal.)

(I have don't have a test for ammonia but he lives in the tank with just a few small shrimps.)

Any ideas? Anything else I can do for him?

TT.

 

[WILDER]

The grey patches do they look fluffy, as grey patches can be parasites as well.
Any sign of flicking and rubbing against objects.

 

[tintin]

Nope. No flicking. The patches have never really bothered him.

It may just be a coincidence but I can't help wondering if this is a reaction to the meds since he was realtively fine until today. He has been off his food of late though, so maybe not.

 

[WILDER]

He dosn't sound good.
Need myxazin really.

 

[tintin]

Tried to get it on Saturday but no joy. Had to settle for Interpet No. 8.

Perhaps its not fungus at all but something else.

 

[WILDER]

I would try the anti internal bacteria instead.

 

[catxx]

doesn't sound good at all, and sometimes its really hard to diagnose an exact illness, is he listing to the side when he sits on the bottom? does he swim ok when he does swim? he's not starting to pinecone is he?

 

[WILDER]

Just check the gills to see if they have excess mucas on them and are pale, or do the gills look red and inflamed.
Here some info I have.
Breathing is normal, they may refuse food. They have cloudy or grey area on the skin, no other physical signs.
Letharpy and inappetence are common.
1. Fish may be suffering from a parasite problem,.
2. There could be an internal desease problem.
3. Early signs of systemic bacteria infection, issolate and observe.
4. Early stages of bacterial desease, examine fish for lesions, infflamation, or ulceration.

 

[tintin]

catxx, some slight listing when he's on the bottom. certainly not flat on his side. and no, no pineconing.

wilder, no evidence of mucus on the gills, neither do they appear inflamed (although it's quite hard to tell wigth his colouring.)

on your advice (which i'm very grateful for, btw) i've treated the water with Interpet No.9 - Anti Internal bacteria meds. will just have to see how he is in the morning.

thanks again.

 

[WILDER]

Ok thats fine, when they lay to oneside its a sign of a bacterial infection, good luck.

 

[tintin]

Well, a week on, and against all odds, Barney appears to be getting better.

For a week he laid on the bottom of the tank and barely went to the surface for air - let alone to eat. Yesterday, I did his weekly water change and started a second course of anti-internal meds and this morning I woke up to find him swimming around again like normal. He's even flaring at me again.

Course, i'm still stuck with the original problem on the side of his face but at least he's swimming again.

TT.

 

[SugarQube]

Glad to hear Barney has improved, good luck

 

[WILDER]

Bless him fish do sometimes surprise you, right carry on with the bacterial med, do you have any pimafix.

 

[tintin]

Bless him fish do sometimes surprise you, right carry on with the bacterial med, do you have any pimafix.

Update:
I've been treating Barney now for 3 weeks with a combined course of Pimafix and Myxazin. He's still up and swimming around fine but the grey patches don't seem to be disappearing.

Are these meds safe enough to carry on dosing until I see an improvement or should I stop dosing now?

TT.

 

[WILDER]

No stop the meds there doing nothing.
You could be dealing with a parasite then.
I would switch meds to a parasite one.