Does my Betta have Velvet?

[cct128]

Hello! I have a Dumbo Betta fish and have had him for about 5 months. When I first got him he was very curious, always swimming around his tank and hiding under the shells and skulls I got to decorate it with. For the past 2 weeks he has seemed to lose his curiosity; he either floats at the surface of the water without moving or lays under one of the large shells on the gravel without moving.

Originally I thought maybe it was a stomach problem as I had given him a different brand of food so I tried the green pea trick to help his stomach feel better. He ate the pieces of the pea that I put in his tank but he nothing seems to have changed. More recently I have noticed that, even only a few hours after cleaning the tank and replacing most of the water, the water seems to develop this film on the surface with bubbles floating just underneath the surface, sticking to the film.

Earlier yesterday and continuing to today he started having random spurts of energy. He would be so still and then all of a sudden just start swimming rapidly around the tank, as well as swimming back and forth through the plant that is in the tank. The way he has been swimming is not normal, as it is very spastic and uncontrolled. Other than these moments, he is always very still. After this started happening I began to do some research and examine him closer.

I came across Velvet and I am worried that that is what he has. I shined a light on him and it looks almost like he is covered in a thin layer of dust. He also barely eats, only if I put the food directly in front of him while he is floating at the top of the water will he eat it. His fins are always shut by his sides and his color seems to be fading. I have attached two photos that mostly capture the dust looking particles on him.

After visiting several different pet stores in the area, I noticed that they all seem to carry the same products. For Velvet each store recommended I use API General Cure. I have heard of other products to use but that would require ordering them in and I am worried about how long it would take to get delivered. I am also worried that if I have misdiagnosed him and he does not have Velvet then using any type of medication like this would harm him.

Please someone help me! I hope I have provided enough information. I am mainly just looking for clarification on whether or not he has Velvet (if not, does anyone know what else it might be) and what can I do to properly treat it? I originally thought maybe he was just depressed but then I started noticing the symptoms I previously listed and thought maybe it was something else.

 

[Demeter32]

How is your water quality? Do you do water changes every week? What size tank and is it filtered and heated? How often and how much do you usually feed him? The more you can tell us the better we can help.

If it is velvet, which I have no experience with, then a fairly common treatment is Quick cure, which is often used for ich as well. Your boy looks rather thin, and if he doesn't want to eat then that might mean he has internal parasites. The API general cure is a good treatment for that.

 

[cboatman]

Was his tail that short to begin with? It looks like a very advanced case of fin rot.

Also, how big is his tank? Small, unfiltered bowls are difficult to maintain.


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[Demeter32]

Was his tail that short to begin with? It looks like a very advanced case of fin rot.

Also, how big is his tank? Small, unfiltered bowls are difficult to maintain.


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I believe its a plakat (short finned) , and if it was fin rot then the other fins would be effected as well.

After taking a second look, it actually looks like he's in a little bowl.... bettas need to be in a heated and filtered tank, just like any other tropical fish. A five gallon aquarium kit would be perfect for him. I suggest buying an actual aquarium.

 

[cboatman]

Yeah. He could be a plakat for sure but the fins look rather chewed up to me. I'm no expert though.


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[cct128]

Yes he is in a bowl. I have had bettas for about 12 years now and have never had a problem using a 1 gallon bowl. I change his water weekly and I make sure to purify the new water that I put in using AquaSafe. I check the temperature of his water frequently to make sure it is between 78-81 degrees. He is very small, smaller than any betta I have ever had so I did not think the bowl size would cause any issues considering all of the bettas I have ever had have lived beyond 2 years each. Unfortunately I do not have space for a bigger tank but I do not see how I have had such success with my past fish in the same size bowl and only this one is having an issue. However, I could see if I can get a filtered 1 gallon tank to better circulate the water.

His fin was always this small and has not changed size since I got him; he never had a full fin like the past fish I have had. When purchasing him I was told he was a male and his tail would grow but since there has been so change I have been starting to think that maybe it is a female? I just thought he was still growing when I got him but I think that is just how his tail is.

As far as feeding goes, I feed him very small pellets once a day, usually 4-6 each day. He used to eat of them but now only eats one or two at the most. Most of the time he just lays at the bottom of the bowl and doesn't even realize that I fed him. I try to wait until he is floating at the top to try to feed him so I can put the food directly in front of him so he can eat it. Occasionally (maybe once per week) I would give him a frozen bloodworm but since he has stopped eating I haven't been putting them in the tank in order to avoid making the tank dirty.

 

[cct128]

If it is an internal parasite or he has fin rot does anyone know if the API Gentle Cure would be safe to use for either of those? I do not want to treat him for the wrong thing so if there is a general medicine I could use to help with everything I think that would be the safest/best option for the moment.

 

[Demeter32]

white, thin, stringy poo points to the internal parasites as well. If he's spitting food out too then I would use the general cure. I do not think he has fin rot. Might not even be a he, I don't see the "beard" but the ventral fins looks long...

I still recommend getting a larger tank. Bettas can live a good 4 years with good care. Do you know about the Glolight tetra cubes? I think they're about 1.5 gallons and have a small filter. They're fairly cheap and I think your betta would do fine in it. I personally keep all my bettas in 10 gallon tanks, but I've had them in 5 and 3 gallons too.

 

[NickAu]

using a 1 gallon bowl

A 1 gallon bowl and weekly water changes?

I would love to see the water parameters.

Bowls are for soup not fish, You are going to have a hard time finding a filter that wont knock the fish about in a 1 gallon.

I feed him very small pellets once a day,

What sort of pellets?

 

[cct128]

After looking at some old photos of him I can see that his fins have decreased slightly. I am going to try the API General Cure but I do not think that fin rot is the problem. They have not decreased drastically so I think it may just be the angle in which I took the photo.

I understand that perhaps the bowl I currently have him in is not filtered and is smaller than what most people seem to keep their fish in but bettas are known for being able to live in unfiltered tanks, which is partly why I got this type of fish. I have had tanks before and they are a hassle. The one betta that I had in my tank did not live any longer than the ones I had in bowls. I no longer have a tank because after moving, I no longer had space for it and preferred bettas over other tropical fish anyway so I didn't feel the need to keep the tank. I have never had a fish that got any type of illness, which is why I am so new to this website.

I would really appreciate it if everyone who responds to this thread tries to keep a focus on what is wrong with my fish, instead of the fact that he is not in a giant tank. I understand that this may be part of what caused his illness, and I will work on getting a filtered tank for him of maybe 1-3 gallons, but if anyone can help me determine what is wrong with him so I can get him the proper medication as soon as possible that would be great.

For food he eats Aqueon Betta Pellets. They are very small so I give him 4-6 pellets. He used to eat them all but now he only eats one or maybe two. I also used to give him Omega One Frozen Bloodworms. I would give him one or two per week but since he has stopped eating I have not been giving them to him so they won't clutter up his bowl.

When I change the water I do not usually change all of the water, I try to leave about 25-35% of the old water in it and the rest is new. Unfortunately, none of the pet stores in my area can check the water levels so I am unable to get the water information at this time.

 

[Demeter32]

Ok then, I say use the API general cure, just be careful when measuring the right amount. It comes in powder packets that each treat 10 gallons if memory serves. He's very skinny and looks malnourished, so once he starts eating, up his food intake and feed him twice a day 3-4 pellets each time. Because he's in a smaller bowl, try doing big water changes 2 or 3 times a week. Good water quality goes a long way towards a healthy fish. Do you usually vacuum the gravel when you do water changes? If not, then you probably should.

The film on the surface of the water which you mentioned in your first post is because there is no surface movement. In a filtered tank the out flow of water breaks up any forming film and filters it out. Again, if memory serves, I believe it's made up of proteins, perhaps from left over food and fish waste. If you wish to get rid of it, more water changes and an air pump + bubble stone works well.

 

[cct128]

Thank you! I think he has gotten so skinny because he isn't eating. He has not always been this way. When cleaning the bowl I usually take him out of the bowl and remove some water from the bowl and then take the gravel and decorations out and wash them by hand to get them as clean as possible. Then I put the gravel back in, add more water and condition it, check the temperature to make sure it is correct, then add the old water and fish back into the bowl.

I will also be sure to be very precise when using the general cure to not harm the fish.

Thank you for the help!

 

[cboatman]

If I were you, I'd just do big daily water changes if you think the problem is fin rot. I also wouldn't wash the gravel or decorations because you'll kill any good bacteria that you'll colonize. Fin rot happens because of poor water conditions. Daily water changes could fix that. If you think it's an internal parasite, you should use API general cure.


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[Demeter32]

Yes, don't actually wash the gravel and decor. The beneficial bacteria that breaks down the toxins created from a build up of fish waste lives in the gravel. Normally, the filter media contains this bacteria. But in your case, all the bacteria is in the gravel. From now on I would take a gravel vacuum and siphon out the water while the fish stays in the bowl. It's less stressful and this way you aren't removing all the good bacteria.
Seeing as how you've been doing this every week, your mini ecosystem is probably all screwy. This might be what has led to your fish's immune system succumbing to the internal parasites and/or fin rot. Never clean an entire fish aquarium, big or small. It just messes with the balance by killing off all the micro organisms.