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November 2nd, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| Diagnosis Help Please
Attached are pics of my mother's betta BP. She said he had ICH, but last night it looked like a fungus infection. I brought him home from her house last night, put him in a cycled 20 gallon tank (he's in a breeder net due to tank height) with a heater and a filter. I also gave him some garlic juice and dosed the water with stress coat.
He normally lives in a betta vase/bowl (we're trying to get her to correct that).
I thought he hadn't pooped but I found one that looked like a piece of his food. I'm not trying to be gross, it just looked painful. He hasn't pooped other than that.
Today, he seems to be looking better, but I was tired last night when I brought him home so I can't say for sure.
My main concern at the moment besides his shredded fins and possible constipation is the white spot at the back of his dorsal fin.
He also had a tumor that has shrunk in the last 3 months. It's hard to see in the pics, but it's in front of his tummy.
Any advice on how I can help him would be greatly appreciated. He is a senior citizen. He's about 2 1/2 years old.
He is a SWEETHEART! He swam into my hand when I was trying to get a good look at him and his tumor.
Last edited by bolivianbaby; November 2nd, 2009 at 05:23 PM.
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November 2nd, 2009
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| | Moderator
| aww poor lil man....at this point I would continue with his warm tank and great water in the breeder net...that way he can get to to the top without much of a struggle.....and his food soaked in garlic..do you know what she was feeding him? maybe his problems were constipation and his tumor was his belly bloated? ..the pics are hard to tell if its fungus, ich or something else but I wouldnt medicate him if you dont think he is strong enough...sometimes just the better conditions can do wonders......hes had a long life and he could be on the end of it so making him as comfy as you can , would be best...poor mom must be upset hes sick..sending my love! | 
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November 2nd, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| I know she feeds him Hikari betta biogold. It really looked like a tumor, but I have very little experience with sick bettas, so it could've been constipation, but it went on for a few months. Until last night, I had not seen him in over a month. This whole situation has me confused, but I knew he'd do better here in a cycled, filtered, heated tank than at her house in the bowl while we figure out what's going on.
I'll continue as you said and keep an eye on him. Thanks, Shawnie  . | |
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November 2nd, 2009
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| | Moderator
| well im glad the tumor is lessening then! I still feel compassion for mom as im sure she misses him ....good luck with the handsome boy! | |
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November 2nd, 2009
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| | Moderator
| I'm sorry about your mom's betta.
I'm with Shawnie, without knowing whats wrong meds can do more harm than good.
Best of luck with him. | |
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November 7th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| We can now add popeye to his list of problems. I ordered Maracyn Plus. It won't be here until Tuesday.
And the "fungus-looking" thing on his dorsal fin now has little blood spots on it.
Until the Maracyn Plus gets here, what else can I do for him? He's no longer in the breeder net. I bought him a five gallon tank of his own so he'd have some room to stretch his fins. I aquascaped it with a plant and a "betta-fun" ornament.
I am so out of my league here, guys. The worst thing my fish have ever had was ich, and that was before I quarantined. | |
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November 7th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| is his spot getting smaller or just added the red spots? ive never dealt with fungus so not good for a med recommendation sorry 
pop eye was probably from his tank he was in ...clean water, stress coat+ , vita chem, and fish protector (if you can find them) are great to heal it all.......poor lil guy! he really is a fighter isnt he! | |
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November 7th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| It's gotten a little bigger and now it has red spots. Stress coat-I have that, I gave him some garlic juice with his dinner as well.
He's such a sweetheart, Shawnie. I just set him up in the 5 gallon today, he swam around it and then I think he ran out of energy. He's inside the ornament resting.
Not only do I want to help him pull through for his sake, but I'd also like to prove how much good water conditions are so important for his health and well-being. For his future and the future of any other bettas she might get later on.
He is definitely fighting his little heart out and I'm willing to fight with him. | |
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November 7th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| Poor little guy...I hope he pulls through...What a wonderful thing you are doing for him... | |
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November 7th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Quote:
Originally Posted by bolivianbaby  It's gotten a little bigger and now it has red spots. Stress coat-I have that, I gave him some garlic juice with his dinner as well.
He's such a sweetheart, Shawnie. I just set him up in the 5 gallon today, he swam around it and then I think he ran out of energy. He's inside the ornament resting.
Not only do I want to help him pull through for his sake, but I'd also like to prove how much good water conditions are so important for his health and well-being. For his future and the future of any other bettas she might get later on.
He is definitely fighting his little heart out and I'm willing to fight with him. |  your awesome!!do you have a big leaf silk plant to get to the top and lay on? ...even in a 5g, he needs that for his strength might not be good to get him there ..Im pulling for the lil guy and that hes eating, is a great thing....dont medicate just for the popeye though...id be worried he doesnt have the strength to handle it...if its fungus, maybe MM can help...im sending tons of prayers for you and him! | |
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November 7th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| Thanks, MM.
Shawnie-Yep, I stole the big leaf silk plant from Firecracker's tank  . He had an extra. Dracula only had one, so I didn't want to steal from him.
So the popeye might be resolved with good water, garlic, stress coat, etc? I love the sound of that. I'll still have the Maracyn Plus here on Tuesday as a backup, but if we can help him without medication, I'd really like to go that route. Just please let me know what I need to do if I'm not already doing it. | |
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November 7th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| I know the pop eye can be cured with his good water and varied diet...as far as the fungus, im no help ..im sorry maybe pm lady of the shoe>? (MM) so you can get direct contact in case she misses this? | |
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November 8th, 2009
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| | Master Of Fish Poo!
| For a betta in this condition, I'd recommend 1-2 drops per gallon daily of: Fish Protector, Garlic Guard, and Vita-Chem (if you have those). If you treat him for popeye, I'd recommend triple sulfa. It seems to be the least harsh to the bettas.
Look for a product called Rid-Fungus. It's been very effective for us in treating fungus but is herbal & not harsh meds.
If you can get them, I'd feed him 3-4 thawed, frozen bloodworms (Hikari brand) 2x a day. He sounds like he needs a high moisture diet and the protein helps his system be stronger.
Good luck with him and I hope he just gets healthier from here on. | |
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November 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| Poor little darling! But unfortunately my fears would be that it is his age catching up with him and we can't fight that. How is his apetite? I would be very worried if he is off his food. Otherwise he just might be slowing down. Give him lots of TLC & talk to him. He sounds like an absolute doll of a fish.  | |
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November 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I'm no fish veterinarian, but I think if what he had was a tumor it wouldn't have shrunk. Fish don't poop tumors and tumors don't usually shrink spontaneously.
The previous swelling sounds most likely like constipation, but there could be other causes. Hopefully he was relieved by the big "poopy." Have you tried giving him a few bits of defrosted frozen peas for both literal elimination and exclusion of other disease factors?
The white spot turning red as well as the popeye doesn't sound good. I think you're doing all the best you can for him, figuring he has fungus plus other problems. He's an old guy and I hope you can save him for a while.
He sounds so sweet swimming into your hands. He must have somehow known in fishy terms that you are trying to help him.
Is he still eating? As fishtroy and others have said, talk to him. | |
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November 10th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| UPDATE: He has stopped eating My fins are crossed, but things aren't looking good. He stays hidden a lot as well and his color is dissipating. I've decided to stop treatment unless he starts eating again. I don't want to add to his stress. | |
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November 10th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| I'm really sorry he stopped eating. You can try soaking his food in garlic juice, sometimes it'll stimulate their appetite.
Although most of us agree 5g's is optimal for bettas, when they're weak it's hard for them to get used to a larger tank and filter current.
Sending my best fishy prayers to you.
You're doing your best and that's all we can do.  | |
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November 10th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucy I'm really sorry he stopped eating. You can try soaking his food in garlic juice, sometimes it'll stimulate their appetite.
Although most of us agree 5g's is optimal for bettas, when they're weak it's hard for them to get used to a larger tank and filter current.
Sending my best fishy prayers to you.
You're doing your best and that's all we can do. | Thanks, Lucy
I've been soaking his food in garlic juice and he's still not eating That's why I'm so concerned. I've been really hoping to get the garlic juice into him for his immune system, but I guess it's a good thing it's in the water, right  | |
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