Sebastian Has White Spot. Is There More I Can Do?

[branjie]

Hi all,
I discovered this am that Sebastian has white spot. I have given him white spot medicine, raised the heater temp, lowered the water level a bit, and covered most of the tank with a cloth for some shade. He's lying on the bottom, doing a gasping action. I want to make the water shallow for him, but I can't because half of the heater wouldn't be covered. Does anyone know what else I can do to help him. I know it's probably futile, I hate to see him this way. Here's a pic of him on a much happier day.

 

[liz2]

Have you googled "white spot"? Though it sounds as if you are doing everything. I dont know whether salt could be useful. I usually, when mine are ill, move them to a shallow plastic almost see through box. You can then lower the water level and still put the heater in. Good luck with him!

 

[-germ-]

Are you certain that it's white spot and not piscinoodinium?

Have you got a breeding trap to move him near the surface negating the need for water level lowering?
There is a slim chance the gasping action is a result of hypoxia (increased temp, less water = less oxygen + medication ) maybe try topping the water back up, dropping the temp back down and see if this helps. While you have followed the reccomended course of action for Ich it may be proving to be detrimental to the fishes health rather than beneficial, not every instance is the same.

 

[branjie]

liz2 I have some conditioning salts in the water already. I could make the heater horizontal, so I can lower the water level.

germ he needs to come up to the surface to get his oxygen. If he can't get to the top he will drown, so lowering the water level sounds good to me. I'm pretty sure it's itch/white spot. It looks like grains of salt. Maybe I'll try easing back on the heat. I've found that my Bettas are usually less active when the heat is high, but people seem to always tell you to do it when your fish is sick.

 

[-germ-]

But if i'm correct (?) lowering the water level also reduces the amount of oygen available in the tank, so fitting a breeding trap and re-filling the tank would be the way forward until you can be sure why he is gasping.....

 

[xweeqtx]

But if i'm correct (?) lowering the water level also reduces the amount of oygen available in the tank, so fitting a breeding trap and re-filling the tank would be the way forward until you can be sure why he is gasping.....

The less water there is will also drastically change oxygen levels, as will the medication. If he's gasping, do as germ has suggested and put him into a breeding trap so he can be right at the surface meaning that you can leave the temperature around 30C because he won't have to use that much energy to get to the surface. I had to do it this way as well, as I found them worse off with a low water level.

 

[branjie]

Thanks for the advice. I don't have a breeding trap, but luckily, Sebastian was looking better when I checked on him again. He ate his tea last night, and after a good nights sleep, he's looking really good today. Most of his white spots are gone, and he's swimming about with ease. I can't believe the change in him. I really thought he was a gonner for a while there.