Betta With Suspected White Spot

[Samilktray]

I currently have a lovely, red Betta, but I noticed 2 or 3 white dots/spots on it on Monday afternoon, I kept my eye on it and checked Tuesday and theyd gone again, checked Wednesday and it was still clear of these white spots. Checked again today and there seems to be around 8 or 9 spots today, so I'm guessing this would be whitespot as I cant think of anything in my tank it could of rubbed off from? Whats the best way to go about treating this swiftly?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Curiosity101]

Well first off, what you've described sounds exactly like whitespot. Whitespot is actually a little white parasite that lives on the fish for awhile until it's ready to breed. It then drops off and repoduces in the water and the offspring re-attach to the fish.

You can treat it by increasing the temperature to 30C over the space of a few hours and this should stop the parasite from reproducing/kills it. The fish should be ok with this temperature in the short term. 10 days should be sufficient to have removed it.

Alternative is to go out and buy some whitespot medication from a local fish shop. If it's just the betta in the tank then all of them should be suitable.

You should probably address the reason it got whitespot though, it can occur just by chance but often it's brought on by low water quality. Eg. Ammonia, Nitrites or High Nitrates. So I'd definitely test these cause if they're high then you could end up with a new out break.

 

[Fantail_John]

I currently have a lovely, red Betta, but I noticed 2 or 3 white dots/spots on it on Monday afternoon, I kept my eye on it and checked Tuesday and theyd gone again, checked Wednesday and it was still clear of these white spots. Checked again today and there seems to be around 8 or 9 spots today, so I'm guessing this would be whitespot as I cant think of anything in my tank it could of rubbed off from? Whats the best way to go about treating this swiftly?

Thanks in advance.

Hope your fish gets well soon hand raising the temp should be ok and teat the Betta with whitespot if temp don't work.

Some information about Whitespot:

Whitespot or Ich is a parasite that has a lifecycle. It is not present in every tank and whilst stressed fish are less able to fight off a parasite attack compaired to a healthy fish, they cannot get whitespot unless the parasite is present in your tank.

The whitespot parasite usually enters your tank when an infected new fish is added to your aquarium, which is why most LFS like to perpetuate the myth that it is present in all tanks, as it deflects the blame away from the fact that they sold you a fish that was infected. This is one of the many reasons why quarantine tanks for new arrivals is so important.

The parasite cannot survive for long in your aquarium without a host fish to feed on. This is why it is not present in all aquariums, as newly setup aquariums without fish are certainly clear of the parasite and even a used aquarium that has been empty for a relatively short amount of time will be clear.

John

 

[Samilktray]

Thanks people, I've been and got some White Spot treatment 'Anti White Spot', and it says you have to remove the carbon from your tank. Now just to clarify does that mean the black media in the filter? And how long does it need to be out of the tank for?

 

[Fantail_John]

Thanks people, I've been and got some White Spot treatment 'Anti White Spot', and it says you have to remove the carbon from your tank. Now just to clarify does that mean the black media in the filter? And how long does it need to be out of the tank for?

Most meds you use you need to take the carbon out, this should be mentioned on the treatment, yes it the black media keep it out until the treatment is finished and no sign of the white stop in your tank. You can but it back in to remove any meds left in your water tank. But you really don't need carbon in your filter unless your moving chemical out or it might help in algae blooms? a lot people take out the carbon and replace it with some sponge or filter wool. As all carbon does is to remove meds chemicals. But hope someone else will come along to confirm this

John

 

[Curiosity101]

Depending on how long your carbon has been in there it may well have already run out. Eitherways I'd remove it as Fantail_John said.

Then after the meds have finished if you wanted to use carbon to remove it you'd need a new pad of carbon. But again as already said you don't NEED carbon pads for life.

 

[loraxchick]

carbon is only "active" when brand new and its effectiveness runs out in about a weeks time. after that is is just another place for good bacteria to colonize. unless the carbon is brand new, id leave it be.
good luck with the treatment.
cheers