Betta With Spreading Silver Spots

[birmansandbettas]

I was directed here from the betta forum; I'm not sure if I should repost everything or just give a link to it. I'll do a link and edit if someone thinks that would be appropriate.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=292366


Any suggestions for this bizarre Matrix-like silver blob would be much appreciated.

 

[birmansandbettas]

Spike didn't make it. The general consensus among forum members is columnaris. Now I have a tank with only trumpet snails. What is the appropriate action now, to make the tank safe for a future inhabitant?

 

[WILDER]

Sorry. Bless Him. R.I.P.
A nasty strain of columnaris can be lethal.
Was he flicking and rubbing.

 

[birmansandbettas]

Thanks, Wilder. He wasn't rubbing or flicking, it was weird. It just started with the color loss, which became faster and faster over a few hours, and only once it was widespread did he start to act different. He didn't move and let himself just float around, then ended up lying in the plants, gasping. I never saw any fuzz or lumps like on pics I Googled. The only change to his skin besides the color loss was when his dorsal fin started to disintegrate near the end.

 

[mixmaster jay]

thats what i would have said columaris sorry to haear spike didn't make it

 

[WILDER]

Columnaris had many disguises but never heard it described as silver spots.
Was there any redness to the spots.
If he wasn't flicking and rubbing it dosn't sound like a parasite was involved.
If he was resting and his fins were disintegrate is sounds bacterial.

R.I.P.
I read years ago that silver spots were meant to be a sign of good health. How true it is I don't know. But not obviously in your case.