Strange White 'blotches'

[Sacred]

I have had my betta male for nearly a month now. He lives in a 10 gal tank with 5 Neons and 2 Corys. It's a 2 months old, cycled, has live plants, heating, filter. Water test kit shows now Ammonia, Nitrite and only a small trace of Nitrates at 5.0 ppm. I do 20% water changes twice a week.

Since I got him he seemed happy, swimming about all over the place back and forth. I've taken photos and videos of him and he does seem to enjoy himself.

In the last 2 days I have noticed he's been keeping his fins clamped more then normal but also some parculiar white blotches on his fins. He's swimming about quite happily

People might immediatly say 'white spot' but it doesn't look like what it's described as. It looks like the colour has faded or something, not like small grains of salt at all.

I can't seem to find much about what it could be. It's possible he may have had them when I got him, but I honestly can't remember seeing them. I have tried looking through the photos and vids but I can't spot it.

Other then that his fins look fine, not tatty or ragged or anything, swimming around all over the tank, nosing about, and he has an appetite.


I have been rearranging the tank and plants recently though, I wonder if it might be just a bit stressed maybe. Or perhaps he's hit something, but there is no tearing as I said on his fins. Other then this maybe it was like that when I got him and has just become clearer. Else maybe it's a bacteria of some sorts?


Though I am still concerned about these white blotches. Here is a photo

Any thoughts?

 

[Gytas]

it could be fin rot but i am not sure

 

[Sacred]

I am starting to suspect it could be that. I'll keep looking but I wouldn't be suprised then if that is the case. Hopefully I will catch it early enough for him to make a recovery. Last two bettas I had died from some sickness but that was in my larger tank. I have Melafix on hand.

Update: 23:42 The lights have been out on the tank and I am just heading to bed. Just peered in and I see Blaine swimming about with a piece of pea in his mouth eating it, his fins were extended and not clamped even when resting. It's too early to get excited, not even been a night. I treated the tank with some Melafix earlier.

Just hope this possible fin rot goes away.

I know the instructions do day dose for 7 days then water change, but would it do much harm to do changes in between? Don't want it getting too dirty.

Also I have noticed on one or two ocassions the neons having a crafy nip at his fins. Might have to keep an eye on that if he needs seperating from them, shame I only have a breeding trap thing, I don't have room for a hospital tank.

 

[Sacred]

Sorry for the double post. I have been treating with Melafix for 2 days but the white patches are starting to get worse, not better, and more are appearing on the other side of him. He still seems happily enough swimming about the tank, fins are clamped though.

Is the Melafix not working? What should I use instead? Help?

Here's a photo, from the last one the patch has grown larger.

 

[loraxchick]

looks like patches of thicker slime coaat and not fin rot or bacteial. How often do you see the neons nipping? Where is his favorute rsting spot? Could he be scratching on jagged decor( any sharp plastic?). Any flicking or rubbing? The photos are very helpful so thanks for them. Agreed its not ich.
cheers

 

[Sacred]

The neons don't nip very often, its only when he is stationary and one might sneak up behind, but there has never been any tearing signs and its very rare I see it as they mostly stay out of his way if he's coming,

Flicking, I have seen him do a little bit of that, he was doing it against my filter the first day I noticed the problem on Tuesday but he has stopped since.

He never had a resting spot in particular, though today he is resting on an amazon sword leaf which he hasn't done before. I have also seen some bizzare bahviour where he will just swim straight into a potted plant's leaves with his head in the middle and sit there until something distracts him.

It could be scratched from the rock formation in the tank. It's a resin piece but there are no sharp edges. I am growing java moss on it.

Slime coat? From what I read they say it comes off stringy. Getting a good look at it when he's resting it does sort of look like dead skin. Maybe it will drop off? Though he is still clamping his fins most of the time

Should I carry on with the Melafix or get someting else?

 

[loraxchick]

Fish have slime that coats the scales. To me looks like certain parts are growing thick slime, generally from irritation of some sort, be nipping abrasion or perhaps parasites. Have you seen him flick or rub on the substrate or decor? What are your ammonia and nitrIte readings? Sprayed any chemicals( perfume, cleaners, deodorant) near the tank? I would stop the melafix and do daily partial waterchanges instead. Keep it up for a week and see if there is improvement. Any signs of getting remarkably worse or any new symptoms get back to us. Hopefully nothing to worry about.
cheers

 

[Sacred]

My tests for Ammonia and Nitrites came back at 0ppm for both, I done a Nitrates too and its 5.0ppm

I'll do the water changes and see how it goes, just hope he perks up soon. He is still swimming about and nosing around the tank, so he's not sitting around. When I open the lid of the tank he'll come rushing up to the surface expectently. Just the fin clamping.

I assume it is sort of like I said like 'dead skin'?

Edit: Just feeding him now and he is happily eating flakes and looking around for food around the surface, When he is stopping he is raising his fins. Which is more like normal. It's just the tail fin that doesn't flare, right where that larger white patch is. The tail is 'twisted', maybe it's abit sticky this patch. Still he seems happy which is good even if he is patchy fins

 

[Sacred]

Day 4

He's still about the same today, he's still perfectly happy swimming around the white patches seem abit larger, but I'm not expecting change that quick. I think from what I have read and seen unless he starts acting really off character, sluggish, lazy, 'sad'. I will just keep doing water changes.

Is there nothing else I can do or get that might help

I haven't seen many photos of this about so I will keep adding them on here, might be useful for a guide or something.

 

[Sacred]

Today he is about the same as yesterday. HE has been flicking a little bit though. But I'm keeping an eye on it and changing the water daily

 

[loraxchick]

Watet changes will certainly be helpful. You could try dips with aquarium salt, 1 tablespoon per gal up to 30 mins a day. You can't add salt to the tank because of sensitive neons.salt may be of some help if its parasitic.
cheers

 

[Sacred]

Watet changes will certainly be helpful. You could try dips with aquarium salt, 1 tablespoon per gal up to 30 mins a day. You can't add salt to the tank because of sensitive neons.salt may be of some help if its parasitic.
cheers

I don't have any aquarium salt on hand, and as you said I can't treat the tank with salt due to the neons. I have a small, 1 gallon container I could use for bathing. Would I just take some of the water from the tank and put it in their? Trouble would be keeping it warm. What do you suggest?

 

[loraxchick]

The gal container should be fine. Or any liter/ quart jar at 1 teaspoon. Use tankwater. Don't worry about heat as it is only for 20 or 30 minsa day. Shouldn't cool very quickly, especially considering the warmer weather.

 

[Sacred]

I just got to keep an eye out for signs of distress?

EDIT

Ok he had his bath. Wasn't phased by it at all. Looking at him the white patches don't seem as bright as it was. But maybe it's just me. Probably too quick to be better after just 1 bath.

 

[Sacred]

He's doing better, the patchs are not as bad as they were, they are getting fainter. Which should be a good thing. The Salt bath has made an impact.

I just wonder. As long as he does get better and fully recovers, will his fins ever be fully spread again in their full glory, or will it stay 'twisted' as if glued together? I sure hope so. He was a beauty when all his fins were in full glory.

This a video I made of him a short time before this started and as you can see he is a beauty
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrA9XDIC9Q8

Would mirror excercises do anything to maybe encourage him to 'unstick' or is it just a case of waiting for the slime to sort itself out and unstick

I am keeping up the daily water changes for now.