Is this betta sick?

[k2snowboards88]

The scales on his head don't look right to me, but then i've never really looked at bettas much. His gills also look swollen to me. I think it looks like dropsey I've separated him, but all i have to put him in is a bucket. Do you think he looks sick?
Thanks

 

[Susielyd]

This looks a bit like what is happening to my platie (funny scales on the head). I have been trying salt baths, but since this is a betta, you might try asking in the betta forum as well.
I am sure someone will have plenty of advice
Good luck

 

[WILDER]

It looks like columnaris or a parasite desease, add some salt to its tank,what is your water quality in ammonia,nitrate,nitrate and ph, also I would suggest some salt baths straight away on the betta as it look in a bad way, is the fish flicking and rubbing against objects.

 

[WILDER]

Does he eyes look cloudy as they look cloudy on the pic, does the grey area look like slime, inflamed red gills can be gill flukes.

 

[k2snowboards88]

Well he's in with african dwarf frogs so i dont think i can add salt to the tank. Is it possible to give him a dip in fermaldahyde? If so how much can i use?

His eyes don't look cloudy like that. Thats just in the pic. He also doesn't sit on the substrate much. Taht just happenned to be the best picture i could get of his head. He acts in a way that i would consider normal, but i dont' know bettas.

 

[WILDER]

Is he flicking and rubbing, what is that medicine you have mentioned, can you move the frogs as if I was you would rather have salt in the tank as well.

 

[k2snowboards88]

He doesn't flick or rub. He acts normal as far as i can tell.

 

[WILDER]

Do you no your water tests, as inflamed gills and slime can be poor water quality, do a salt bath straight away, also do a water change is his bowl or tank, add some salt to that, one tablesppon to 5 gal.
http/www.kenliz.plus.com/Salt_use.html

 

[k2snowboards88]

I bought the fish yesterday. I didn't think anything was wrong until i got him home. Its not the water conditions as he was just put in the tank yesterday. I"ve been watching him and he's acting perfectly normal, so i guess he's probably not sick. I gave him a fermaldahyde dip, just in case it is parasites. But i think he's fine. Thanks

 

[xWendyx]

I'm going to go against the bunch and say I think you have a case of 'too much looking at my new fish'

Your fish, on the other hand is probably experiencing a case of 'why does this big thing keep taking pictures of me?'

One of my Siamese has a similar head, but we used to have a pearlscale goldfish and they supposedly have the same appearance as dropsy, so I didn't think twice about it.

 

[SRC]

Is it possible to give him a dip in fermaldahyde?

Formaldehyde is a very aggressive treatment, you shouldn't use that in such light cases. I hope you didn't dip him for over 10 seconds...to do so can severly damage such delicate tissue..like the gills. Actually I've never heard of anyone wanting to dip their tropical fish in this..only large hardy fish like Koi and salmon ( in ahtcheries settings).

I replied in your thread in the Betta forum.

That is in no way Dropsy. A fish with Dropsy is bloated all over, and his scales will stick out, making the fish appear to look like a pine comb.

Your Betta has gills that he can flip out, when he is excited/angry...which is why they look swollen...they are supposed to look like that.

Why would you say that is Columaris..there are no white fuzzy patches on this fish? Columaris is charistarized by thick, white, cottony patches on the fishes mouth and head....this fish has nothing similar going on.

From what I see there is nothing wrong with this fish. Many betta's have a dark, non shiny colored scales on their head, if they get angry (i.e. seeing themselves in a mirror or another fish) it will get darker, as will the rest of him).

Just because you just got your fish doesn't mean the water conditions can't be a culprit..you don't know what hsi situation was where he came from.

If you didn't properly acclimatize him, that is a water condition in itself.

Make sure your water temp is atleast 76-80 (they prefer warmer...like 80*), and he will be more active. They like to lounge about, try getting him a silk plant with broad leaves, so he doesn't have to lay on the bottom, where his waste settles.

Some fish are just slow to get used to their new environment. I have fish I've had for a while that act "pouty" and lay on the bottom after each water change.


A teaspoon of aquarium salt per gallon could also help him if he is acting lethagic..since he is relatively new, and will help reduce stress and any infections that could result from the stress of the new environment.

 

[WILDER]

Colunmaris can come in many forms, it can be mucky greyish colour.