Betta's Mouth Split?

[xamy_valox]

Hi there,
Over the last week or so I've noticed my betta's mouth becoming worse and sore looking.
At first it started looking a bit fluffy, then a bulge appeared under his bottom lip, looking at him today there's no fluffiness but the buldge is still there, kinda like a lump? And his bottom lip actually looks completely split. What might have caused this and what does it mean?
Is this anyway of treating it? Hes become much more grumpy since this aswell, chasing almost all of my fish around the tank and not leaving them alone.

 

[iBetta]

Are you able to get a photo of it?
Are there any plastic plants in the tank?
Try a few water changes to keep the water nice and clean, but a photo will help to determine what sort of treatment is needed

 

[Whisper]

I'm sorry I really don't have any suggestions but their lips are pretty tough and they can actually come off a Betta and he will still be fine and able to eat most foods. I found this out the hard way.

I had a very funny Betta (my first Betta actually) who would chase the tank vacuum around like a dog or cat chases a vacuum on a rug. I would slowly move this vacuum around the tank to suck out waste and water during a water change. Well this guy was always chasing it tryingto bite it too. LOL! Unfortunately, careful as I was trying to be so that I wouldn't hit him with the vacuum, he managed to get in the way and I hit him with the vacuum and that knocked his lips clear off him. I was devestated to see this thinking for sure I would lose this Betta but he went right on living healthy and eating like it never happened and yes, he continued to chase the vacuum.

So hopefully whatever is ailing your Betta won't be fatal but as suggested above, any pictures you could provide might help someone here figure out what might be wrong and/or how best to cure it.

 

[xamy_valox]

Here is one of the lump, I can't get him to stay still enough to get a front shot but I'll keep trying.

He appears to still be eating, he's a bit shy and retired at the moment as I changed tanks today to a much bigger one and I think he feels a bit overwhelmed! It's just looks so sore =[

There are no plastic plants only real and bogwood, nothing really that he could have caught himself on or munched on lol.

 

[iBetta]

He's cute
What have you been feeding him? Sometimes food like dried baby shrimp can cause small cuts around the mouth (had this problem with a Zebra Danio) and it can get infected. I fixed it up by doing water changes every 3 or so days.
It does look to be his chin, more than his mouth though, maybe he scraped it off something in the tank and it has gotten a bit infected...
But water changes are the best thing, if that doesn't help within a week or so, maybe you should create a post in the emergency section to get some more advice on treating him
Hope he gets better!

 

[xamy_valox]

Hey thanks for your response.
I feed my fish a mixture of flake, frozen bloodworm and frozen daphia, I also have some betta pellets for him (supposed to bring out his colours, wether it does I'm not so sure!) so I don't think it could be what he's eaten.
Yeah I imagine he has probably just scraped it, it's just as is seemed to pop up out of nowhere and when I asked in my LFS they said 'oh it's a sign if aggression' and I was like no he's not flaring its a bump! But they were having none of it, Maidenhead =|
I'll do a couple of bigger water changes then ad hope he improves.
As a side note, if a fish is kinda scraping on the substrate does this always mean ich? As said previously, I upgraded my tank yesterday and have switched from gravel to sand, a couple of my cherry barbs seem to be kinda flicking the sand up with their bodies. I'm not sure if it's because they are checking out the new substrate or if it's a sign of a parasite? All other fish are fine, just seems to be a couple of the cherries.

 

[The_Betta_Lady]

Are they just swimming down to it then almost flicking their side against it? If so then some treatment in the water would be a good idea and if they are ok it wont hurt, best to be safe than sorry.

Also are your barbs in with your Betta? because they can nip at bettas (normally fins) and cause them damage which might be whats happened to his face, I have seen it allot where a Betta is bullied by them. If it is a wound on his face thats caused the swelling, then it is very important to keep the water clean to stop infection and a little bettafix or Melafix to the water.

Hope thats of some help and that you Betta gets better soon

 

[Whisper]

Hey thanks for your response.
I feed my fish a mixture of flake, frozen bloodworm and frozen daphia, I also have some betta pellets for him (supposed to bring out his colours, wether it does I'm not so sure!) so I don't think it could be what he's eaten.
Yeah I imagine he has probably just scraped it, it's just as is seemed to pop up out of nowhere and when I asked in my LFS they said 'oh it's a sign if aggression' and I was like no he's not flaring its a bump! But they were having none of it, Maidenhead =|
I'll do a couple of bigger water changes then ad hope he improves.
As a side note, if a fish is kinda scraping on the substrate does this always mean ich? As said previously, I upgraded my tank yesterday and have switched from gravel to sand, a couple of my cherry barbs seem to be kinda flicking the sand up with their bodies. I'm not sure if it's because they are checking out the new substrate or if it's a sign of a parasite? All other fish are fine, just seems to be a couple of the cherries.

That flicking against stuff is also known as Flashing. I have seen Bettas Flash like that when they experience too great of a pH change and it tends to irritate their skin/scales. The irritation will usualy take a few days AFTER THE EVENT to surface. If the pH change amount was not too great they will get used to the new pH and the skin irritation will go away in a few days. Not saying that's the problem. Just saying that is another cause for when a fish will Flash like that. So, no, it is not always a sign of ich but it usually is a sign of some kind of irritation on their body. And of coarse we have the Agreesive Character in some Bettas that will Flash just to show you that you have somehow managed to pee them off.