Parasite Or Fungus? I Don't Know!

[shearer1931]

Hello. This is my first post to the forum and my first time as a fish mommy. Approximately 3 weeks ago I brought home my first Betta. I believe she was fairly young because she was quite tiny. Within the first couple of weeks she went through quite a bit of stress... my fault as a first time owner. I introduced 4 Mollies (which I thought were all femaile) to the tank and one had babies within 1/2 an hour. Then one turned out to be mail and was going after all four of the girls in the tank. Wyland, my Betta, just hid in the corner. I took the Mollies back the next day and after that the water started to get cloudy and I could seem to keep it clean no matter what I did.

My set up is a 16 gallon tank with a whisper filter (with carbon pack), heater set to 79, bio-balls and an air pump set to just above low. All of my levels were normal as of last night.

Her illness... about three to four days ago I noticed her starting to get pale. She wasn't as active has she had been. She was not her curious self and she was rubbing against the side of the tank and plants and then quickly jumping away. I immediately started to research and decided it probably was not ich because she has not developed any white spots. Her gills look like there is much more red in them and her head has turned quite dark. I don't see any white cotton looking things on her, but there is definitely something wrong. Last night she was laying on the bottom of the tank and breathing very heavily. It seemed very laborous for her to breath. After everything I'd read I thought for sure it was a fungus, now I'm questioning myself.

Last night I treated for fungus with Fungus Eliminator. I had her in a hospitalization tank for a couple of days while I tour apart her tank and cleaned it out completely. She was put back in her tank last night and I added some aquarium salt to the water (after disolving it) and a couple of hours later I pre-dissolved a tablet of the Fungus Eliminator and put it in. She is acting a bit more spry this morning, but is still itching on the glass. She is no longer laying on the bottom of the tank. She ate a couple of bloodworms (dried) last night and she ate some Brine Shrimp (dried) this morning. Her appetite seems fine, but I'm worried that I might not be treating her correctly. I certainly don't want to overmedicate, but I need help in what you think this might be. I don't want to be treating her for fungus when it might really be a parasite.

I will try to post pictures tonight if necessary.

I look forward to any help you can offer!

 

[ThePiggy]

When fish flick themselves against things, it is an indicator of a parasite infection. The flicking is a way of scratching an itch. With labored breathing, maybe it's gill flukes. Can you see anything dangling from her gills? You will have to get really close and maybe use a magnifying glass.

How often are you doing water changes. You say your water stats are normal? How long has the tank been set up? When you tested your water, was it before or after a water change? If you test after, then it's basically pointless because you have already removed what you are testing for.

Do you replace your filter media, like the whisper filters tell you to? Because you shouldn't. Replacing the filter media forces your tank to cycle again since you are removing the beneficial bacteria that is essential for removing ammonia.

Having the carbon in there is fine, but when you medicate your tank, the carbon is absorbing the medicine out of the water. So when medicating, the carbon should be removed.

 

[shearer1931]

I'll try to answer these questions one at a time...

I have looked at her gills, but not with a magnifying glass. I haven't seen anything dangling from them. She only had a labored breathing on and off last night after swimming for a bit.

I just did a complete tank replacement after I had the Mollies because I didn't know if it was something they had brought into the tank. I tested the water several times last night, but I understand what you are about the stats.

I have only had a tank for about 3 weeks now, so it hasn't really had time to cycle. I have only removed the filter once and that was after the Mollies. The carbon is out right now because of the medication.

After having given her Fungus Eliminator last night, would it be safe to give her something for the parasites now?

Thanks for your help!

 

[ThePiggy]

After completing a regimen of medication, it's good to do a big water change and put the carbon in for a day to get the rest of the medicine out before starting a new medicine.

Do you understand about the filter media and the bacteria? Also, since the bacteria was removed, keep a close eye on your water stats to make sure the ammonia and nitrates don't spike.

 

[SharonCC]

Is the tank cycled... Ammonia in the water can irritate the skin, and cause burning.

 

[shearer1931]

An update on my baby Wyland...

I came home tonight and she no longer seems to rubbing on things, nor does she seem jumpy. She swam right to her food ring and ate a bit of brine shrimp and a couple of bloodworms. I plugged in her airstone so as to make sure there is plenty of oxygen in the medicated water and she playing in the bubbles, starting at the bottom and riding them to the top. It's adorable.

I still have concerns. My tank was just completely cleaned last night and tonight it is already cloudy. Is this because of the Fungus Eliminator? Because my carbon isn't in the filter? Should I be doing 10% water changes daily right now in my 16 gallon that she is in?

I know that my tank has not cycled yet. The carbon is out of the filter... can I add bio-balls or will that work against the medication as well?

My levels as of right this moment:
nitrate:0
nitrate:0
GH:300
chlorine:0
ph:7.2
ammonia: between 0 and .25

I took several photos tonight. The first one is of her first night in her aquarium a week and a half ago. The others are from tonight. I am rather concerned about the photo from above. Is that the first signs of dropsy?

Please help!

First night in her 16 gallon tank 10-20-08
http/img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/she...0-20-1st002.jpg

10-29-08 - Side view
http/img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/she...-10-29-side.jpg

10-29-08 - Front view - Do her gills look inflamed?
http/img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/she...10-29-front.jpg

10-29-08 - Should i be worried about dropsy?
http/img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/she...8-10-29-top.jpg

 

[SharonCC]

I can't get the pics to work, but that may be"just me"...I do tend to be a little clumsy sometimes, with the computer! As the tank is not cycled, I'd aim to keep the Ammonia below .5ppm, and see what happens. He may have been stressed due to the high toxins...

 

[shearer1931]

Photos should be fixed now.

The ammonia is .20 or so, so it is absolutely below .5. She hasn't ever had high toxins.

Rachel

 

[SharonCC]

Sorry, I think I've misunderstood...Was there a high Ammonia reading after you cleaned the filters...

 

[shearer1931]

No, all of the levels were fine after a total cleaning. The water is very hard though.

 

[ibbledibble]

First night in her 16 gallon tank 10-20-08

10-29-08 - Side view

10-29-08 - Front view - Do her gills look inflamed?

10-29-08 - Should i be worried about dropsy?

have put the photo's into img format (its easier to just have them here than have to click off to another page to look)

the photo from above doesn't look like dropsy to me, but her gills do seem to be sticking out a bit in that photo, and they do look quite inflamed. as has been suggested already, i think gill flukes could be a strong possibility.

 

[shearer1931]

have put the photo's into img format (its easier to just have them here than have to click off to another page to look)

the photo from above doesn't look like dropsy to me, but her gills do seem to be sticking out a bit in that photo, and they do look quite inflamed. as has been suggested already, i think gill flukes could be a strong possibility.

Thanks... makes it much easier to view.

I have Quick Cure & Parasite Clear. Would either of those work for gill flukes? Do I need to do a water change before I medicate for this?

 

[ThePiggy]

This is dropsy:

Your's doesn't look like dropsy to me.

 

[ThePiggy]

Do you treat your water before putting it in the tank?

 

[shearer1931]

Do you treat your water before putting it in the tank?

Yes, I treated with Stress Coat +. I've read that Prime is good too... is there a better water conditioner/treater?