Is This A Tumor On My Female Betta?

[trojannemo]

hey guys and girls.

can someone point me to a description of common and not-so-common betta diseases? my girlfriend keeps a 10G planted female betta tank. one of her females over a month ago developed a bulge on her right side, and since then she's been like that. she swims, eats, and acts just fine. but she looks like she's about to blow at any moment. the skin around the bulge has the same color as the rest of her body. it doesnt look like anything other than just a bulge...perhaps filled with water or air...what is it? is it a tumor or something she's developed? as i said, this has been like that for over a month now. no other fish has gotten it, she hasn't died, nor gotten better.


my other question has to do with the one male betta i have left in my house. i've had this boy since May 7 of this year, so a full 7 months now. since early on he bit his tail badly. i added melafix, aquarium salt, and it cured for a while, and then went back to being nipped (though not as bad). he is on a 3G bowfront kit with heater, filter, light, gravel, silk plants, the works....all by himself. the tank water is changed every 2 weeks, though it doesnt even seem necessary as it's always crystal clear. i always add some aquarium salt after i change the water. i've given him plenty of Melafix over the months and have not noticed any real improvement. He is very feisty, always looking for good, and loves to flare at me when i come up to the tank. in other words, i feel he has a good life in there. why wont his fins grow back? is he continually eating them? (my guess) if so, why?


thanks

 

[newfishy]

try and get a good picture of the female, there are several things a large lump can be.

I have had one male -actualy my male that had severe cancer, that getting closer to the end he always bit his fins, and nothing stoped it. I have a younger male right now that eats his fins a tiny bit every single water change because he hates having his tank messed with.

I would try doing very small regular changes and see if that upsets your fish less, also use some dark construction paper and close off 3 sides of his tank, and get some more plants...live is better and really fill his tank with them. that may help.

 

[trojannemo]

finally managed to get a picture of the lump in question...

from different things i've read here and there i'm starting think it's a tumor? what does the picture look like to you?

thanks

 

[x0x.love.you.x0x]

well might i say some lovely looking girls there but sorry i have absolutely no idea what the lump is
i wuld suggest posting in the disease section

 

[newfishy]

well thats an ugly lump. is it equal on both sides of the fish or is there a large lump on only one side?

an equal lump on both sides could be internal infection, dropsy, simple overeating-your other girls look plump too or more rarely a tumor.

an unequal lump on only one side could still be internal infection, dropsy or a tummor, but very unlikely to be over eating.


how is she swimming and acting now, are her scales popping out and has the mass changed at all in size or shape.

 

[Honeythorn]

the tank water is changed every 2 weeks, though it doesnt even seem necessary as it's always crystal clear.

Absolutely nowhere near enough on a tank that small, even with a filter. Seriously.

The water may look clear to your eyes, but this does not mean it is ok for your fish to live in. Ammonia cannot be seen or smelled in the water by you, but you can bet your bottom dollar your fish is going to know about it. Levels will build up quickly even in a filtered tank if you do not do regular water changes, and this can badly affect the fishes health. It can burn the gills, and generally causes stress which often leads to things like whitespot in a lot of cases . I wouldn't be surprised if the water quality was an underlying cause of the tailbiting.

In a tank as small as 3 gals you should be changing at least 25-40% per week.

 

[trojannemo]

well thats an ugly lump. is it equal on both sides of the fish or is there a large lump on only one side?

an equal lump on both sides could be internal infection, dropsy, simple overeating-your other girls look plump too or more rarely a tumor.

an unequal lump on only one side could still be internal infection, dropsy or a tummor, but very unlikely to be over eating.


how is she swimming and acting now, are her scales popping out and has the mass changed at all in size or shape.

hey guys and girls.

can someone point me to a description of common and not-so-common betta diseases? my girlfriend keeps a 10G planted female betta tank. one of her females over a month ago developed a bulge on her right side, and since then she's been like that. she swims, eats, and acts just fine. but she looks like she's about to blow at any moment. the skin around the bulge has the same color as the rest of her body. it doesnt look like anything other than just a bulge...perhaps filled with water or air...what is it? is it a tumor or something she's developed? as i said, this has been like that for over a month now. no other fish has gotten it, she hasn't died, nor gotten better.

thanks