Betta with mouth pimple? Help.

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jayveechun

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Hi

Needing your inputs on a female plakat white betta I have.
She has been acting odd lately, and something seems to be growing on her lip the past 3 weeks.
It seems like a pimple or some form of abcess. See photos below.
viber_image_2022-05-16_21-15-50-340.jpgviber_image_2022-05-16_21-15-50-938.jpgviber_image_2022-05-16_21-15-51-307.jpgviber_image_2022-05-16_21-15-51-769.jpg

It has had affected her gusto of feeding, though she still eats daily. I will need to sprinkle MIcropellets above her for her to eat vs her usual going after food.

I have tried the following
1) Full course (4 days) of API EM Erthromycin. No change. This is for gran positive bacterial
2) Full course (5 days) of Seachem Kanaplex. No change. This is for gram negative bacteria and some fungus.
3) Currently on day 8 of Seachem Paraguard. No change. THis is for external flukes and such.

Im not sure what else to do. Im thinking of using Metroplex if Paraguard does nothing after day 14...

Parameters are as follows
Tank: 5 gallons
Temp: 80-84F (I live in the tropics)
Ammonia: 0ppm
NItrite: 0 ppm
NItrate: maxes at 10ppm before water change (weekly)
I also dose Seachem Stability and Prime daily JUST IN CASE the medication disrupt the biofilter but my ammonia is always 0ppm anyway. Dont worry, I separate the Prime and the Paraguard by 12 hours since both are reducing agents.

Has anyone experienced this with their betta?
 
I was going to say it's either a bacterial infection or a tumour. However, since you have tried antibiotics and they haven't made any difference, and it has been growing for a few weeks, would suggest it's either a drug resistant bacterial infection or a tumour. Most likely a tumour.
Bacterial infections tend to spread faster.

You can try salt and that can treat some bacterial and fungal infections. If there's no improvement after 2 weeks with salt in the tank, then there's not much you can do about it.

When the fish stops eating or can't eat properly, or can't swim properly, or is irritated by the growth, then euthanise it.

--------------------
Kanaplex contains an antibiotic called Kanamycin and only treats bacterial infections. It does not treat fungus, regardless of what SeaChem says. I have spoken to them about this before and they have false information on their packaging but aren't willing to change it.

Their response to my query about the medication treating fungus was along the lines of "most people can't tell the difference between fungus and bacterial infections, so they put both diseases on the packet".

--------------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt) or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.
 
I was going to say it's either a bacterial infection or a tumour. However, since you have tried antibiotics and they haven't made any difference, and it has been growing for a few weeks, would suggest it's either a drug resistant bacterial infection or a tumour. Most likely a tumour.
Bacterial infections tend to spread faster.

You can try salt and that can treat some bacterial and fungal infections. If there's no improvement after 2 weeks with salt in the tank, then there's not much you can do about it.

When the fish stops eating or can't eat properly, or can't swim properly, or is irritated by the growth, then euthanise it.

--------------------
Kanaplex contains an antibiotic called Kanamycin and only treats bacterial infections. It does not treat fungus, regardless of what SeaChem says. I have spoken to them about this before and they have false information on their packaging but aren't willing to change it.

Their response to my query about the medication treating fungus was along the lines of "most people can't tell the difference between fungus and bacterial infections, so they put both diseases on the packet".

--------------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt) or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.
Thanks

In case its a more virulent bacterial infection (though non-spreading), is it safe to re-dose another round of antibiotics?
Given im on day 8 of Paraguard with no change, I feel I dont need to finish the usual 14 days because I do not think this is due to external parasites ie. glukes.

Im contemplating redosing Kanaplex again.
 
There's no point trying more antibiotics. If they didn't work the first time, they won't work this time.

It's not caused by external parasites or protozoan parasites so you can stop that treatment.

I would just try salt for 2 weeks and if no improvement, stop adding medications and just keep the fish comfortable until it has trouble swimming or eating.
 
literally looks like one if my females... ive also been dosing w kanaplex and nothing.
 

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literally looks like one if my females... ive also been dosing w kanaplex and nothing.
that fish looks like it has an infection. try salt and see if it helps.

dose rates and instructions for salt are in post #2.
 

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