Fungus or open sores?

My frail little betta Cowlick has either fungus(fuzzy bacteria) or open sores or both. I noticed this two weeks ago after I had the flu and didn’t have the energy to do water changes. He had dropsy, fuzzy white stuff on a small spot on his tail. I dosed kanaplex in food and water and he survived and perked up. Yesterday he relapsed, he has another fuzzy white spot on his body behind his fin.



This is his healed spot, the darker red area. It was open and pink last week but scales are covering it now.



This is his current spot, it whites but his fin is covering it slightly.
I’ve moved him from his current 2.5g tank to a 10 gallon hospital tank so I can dose some stronger meds.
On hand I have fungus cure, furan2, em erythromycin and a few weaker stuff.

 

It looks like he has fin rot. What medications are you using on him right now?

 

It looks like he has fin rot. What medications are you using on him right now?

It’s fin melt, and currently healing therefore not the disease I need help with. Like I said, this betta is frail, he needs pristine water otherwise he gets sick. He’s had fin rot twice before, even at 20 ppm nitrates which is almost standard for planted tanks. Now I don’t dose nitrates in his tank unless it’s at 0ppm, because he’s to darn frail. He’s also super cute, as he has a strand of dorsal fin that curls away from his main dorsal fin. Please help my fish.

 

It’s fin melt, and currently healing therefore not the disease I need help with. Like I said, this betta is frail, he needs pristine water otherwise he gets sick. He’s had fin rot twice before, even at 20 ppm nitrates which is almost standard for planted tanks. Now I don’t dose nitrates in his tank unless it’s at 0ppm, because he’s to darn frail. He’s also super cute, as he has a strand of dorsal fin that curls away from his main dorsal fin. Please help my fish.

First I would put him in a quarantine tank if he isn’t in one already.
Can you post a picture of his tank?
How often do you do water changes and how much water do you change?
What medications did you use and when? And which ones are you currently using?
I know this is a lot of questions but I’m going to try to help.

 

First I would put him in a quarantine tank if he isn’t in one already.
Can you post a picture of his tank?
How often do you do water changes and how much water do you change?
What medications did you use and when? And which ones are you currently using?
I know this is a lot of questions but I’m going to try to help.

I answered 60% these with background and pictures in the original post, but here’s short answers.
2-3 water changes a week, 60%
I used kanaplex, nothing currently
Currently in 10 gallon hospital tank(you might want to stop skimming posts), was living in a 2.5 g tank, cycled.

 

I answered 60% these with background and pictures in the original post, but here’s short answers.
2-3 water changes a week, 60%
I used kanaplex, nothing currently
Currently in 10 gallon hospital tank(you might want to stop skimming posts), was living in a 2.5 g tank, cycled.

I wasn’t skimming? Sorry if it seemed like I was I guess. I was just trying to help and I needed a direct answer to be sure I had all the info. Anyway, if you are currently doing a 2-3 60% WC weekly in the 10 gallon it seems like too much. Since you mentioned your betta is really sensitive, you should try getting a filter (I suggest a sponge filter) if you don’t have one already, make sure to vacuum gravel thoroughly, and do 50% or less water changes a week.

As for the white sores, I’m going to be honest and say I’m not quite sure if it actually is fungus or open sores. Just to be clear you are talking about the small white dots on your betta right? Because from the pictures you provided it looks like that’s just your betta’s coloring. If you weren’t talking about the small white dots could you provide another picture where your concern is?

This is just a suggestion, but another thing that I would do, is change the 2.5 gallon to be the quarantine and the 10 gallon to be your betta’s tank. It would be easier to keep the water perimeters stable in a bigger tank, which would definitely be better for your betta since you mentioned he was really sensitive. I would also try adding Indian almond leaves to the tank. This would help your betta’s overall health. (This is just something I would suggest potentially doing. I’m just trying to help the best I can).

 

I wasn’t skimming? Sorry if it seemed like I was I guess. I was just trying to help and I needed a direct answer to be sure I had all the info. Anyway, if you are currently doing a 2-3 60% WC weekly in the 10 gallon it seems like too much. Since you mentioned your betta is really sensitive, you should try getting a filter (I suggest a sponge filter) if you don’t have one already, make sure to vacuum gravel thoroughly, and do 50% or less water changes a week.

As for the white sores, I’m going to be honest and say I’m not quite sure if it actually is fungus or open sores. Just to be clear you are talking about the small white dots on your betta right? Because from the pictures you provided it looks like that’s just your betta’s coloring. If you weren’t talking about the small white dots could you provide another picture where your concern is?

This is just a suggestion, but another thing that I would do, is change the 2.5 gallon to be the quarantine and the 10 gallon to be your betta’s tank. It would be easier to keep the water perimeters stable in a bigger tank, which would definitely be better for your betta since you mentioned he was really sensitive. I would also try adding Indian almond leaves to the tank. This would help your betta’s overall health. (This is just something I would suggest potentially doing. I’m just trying to help the best I can).

Yeah you are skimming lol, or maybe coming to the wrong conclusion. I said he was in a 2.5g, which is why I was changing so much water so often. I just moved him into the 10 gallon hospital tank so I could treat him with stronger medication. Which I said in the main post. I’m not trying to be harsh, I know I’ve skimmed too.
2.5 for quarantine is Not a good suggestion, as if your fish gets sick it’s impossible to dose dry meds, since all dry meds are measured for 10g. Hence the need to keep a 10 gallon for hospital.
Not to worry, I decided to treat for fungus and see what happens, as well as continue to dose kanaplex in his food. I’ve kinda lost faith in forums for disease help anyway. I’m intending to make a paladrium out of a 20 gallon and that will be his new home if he makes it through this disease.

julkosi17
Sorry about how I replied, I’m distressed about my fish relapsing, which has gotten to me especially since my kuhlI loach died by swimming up the water outflow from the filter. It’s not been a good week for me.



Here’s the fuzzy white spot, his fin is blurred over it a little. It’s fuzzy, sticking somewhat out of his body so I’m assuming I should treat for fungus.
If its an open sore that has a secondary infection I can only hope Cowlick can hold on long enough for me to treat that too.

 

julkosi17
Sorry about how I replied, I’m distressed about my fish relapsing, which has gotten to me especially since my kuhlI loach died by swimming up the water outflow from the filter. It’s not been a good week for me.

View attachment 667899
Here’s the fuzzy white spot, his fin is blurred over it a little. It’s fuzzy, sticking somewhat out of his body so I’m assuming I should treat for fungus.
If its an open sore that has a secondary infection I can only hope Cowlick can hold on long enough for me to treat that too.

I get worried about my betta fish as well and I completely understand. The reason I mentioned a 2.5 gallon as the quarantine tank is because I figured a smaller tank would make the medication more affective, I might have been wrong though. Anyway that’s not important right now. Thanks for the picture pointing out your concern. It’s hard to tell what it could be, but since you mentioned the spot is fuzzy, you could treat him for fungus first, but I think I it might be a bacterial infection like columnaris. If it is a fungus, do you have any ideas on what type of fungus it could be? I also don’t think it’s an open sore. Although I think it could potentially become into one, if it would be left untreated.
If it is columnaris, then I think it would explain his other symptoms like the fin melt. I would try using API E.M. For fish or API Furan-2. I would also only use one of these medications at a time and not add anything else to the tank water (water conditioner would obviously be okay) unless it’s obsoletely needed.
One more thing you could do it diversify his diet. It could him his immune system be strengthened.

I’m also not an expert, but I try to help the best of my ability.

 

I get worried about my betta fish as well and I completely understand. The reason I mentioned a 2.5 gallon as the quarantine tank is because I figured a smaller tank would make the medication more affective, I might have been wrong though. Anyway that’s not important right now. Thanks for the picture pointing out your concern. It’s hard to tell what it could be, but since you mentioned the spot is fuzzy, you could treat him for fungus first, but I think I it might be a bacterial infection like columnaris. If it is a fungus, do you have any ideas on what type of fungus it could be? I also don’t think it’s an open sore. Although I think it could potentially become into one, if it would be left untreated.
If it is columnaris, then I think it would explain his other symptoms like the fin melt. I would try using API E.M. For fish or API Furan-2. I would also only use one of these medications at a time and not add anything else to the tank water (water conditioner would obviously be okay) unless it’s obsoletely needed.
One more thing you could do it diversify his diet. It could him his immune system be strengthened.

I’m doubting the culumnaris, that disease moves quickly and can kill in just 48 hours. I’m sure it’s not a true fungus but a bacteria infection that is covered by the “fungus” umbrella. Many diseases that we call fungus are bacteria based, which is why I’m using fungus cure for this first round. Because fungus cure is also bacteria cure. I’ll use furan-2 next(a broad spectrum antibiotic) if the fuzz doesn’t disappear during the round of fungus clear.
Overdosing because of a smaller tank is lethal to both bacteria and fish, so not really effective in the way one wants.
I’m worried he might have internal organ failure though, he seems to be slightly bloated and float upwards. Bad sign that his swim bladder is going bad.

 

I’m doubting the culumnaris, that disease moves quickly and can kill in just 48 hours. I’m sure it’s not a true fungus but a bacteria infection that is covered by the “fungus” umbrella. Many diseases that we call fungus are bacteria based, which is why I’m using fungus cure for this first round. Because fungus cure is also bacteria cure. I’ll use furan-2 next(a broad spectrum antibiotic) if the fuzz doesn’t disappear during the round of fungus clear.
Overdosing because of a smaller tank is lethal to both bacteria and fish, so not really effective in the way one wants.
I’m worried he might have internal organ failure though, he seems to be slightly bloated and float upwards. Bad sign that his swim bladder is going bad.

I think that there are 2 types of columnaris though. One type kills fast, the other one doesn’t. But either way I think that furan-2 should help hopefully. As for the internal organ failure, I’m not sure what to do about it. The only thing I can think of right now is to try to help strengthen his immune system, like I mentioned before, if he’ll eat. I’m going to try to do more research about it to try to help. I really hope he’s going to turn out fine!

 

Yeah you are skimming lol, or maybe coming to the wrong conclusion. I said he was in a 2.5 gallon, which is why I was changing so much water so often. I just moved him into the 10 gallon hospital tank so I could treat him with stronger medication. Which I said in the main post. I’m not trying to be harsh, I know I’ve skimmed too.
2.5 for quarantine is Not a good suggestion, as if your fish gets sick it’s impossible to dose dry meds, since all dry meds are measured for 10 gallon. Hence the need to keep a 10 gallon for hospital.
Not to worry, I decided to treat for fungus and see what happens, as well as continue to dose kanaplex in his food. I’ve kinda lost faith in forums for disease help anyway. I’m intending to make a paladrium out of a 20 gallon and that will be his new home if he makes it through this disease.

You would be justified to lose faith in forums regarding disease help, because primarily the pathogens are microscopic and will be nearly impossible to differentiate with gross appearance alone. With that in mind, do you have a microscope handy? If so, could you do a wet mount of scrapings from the lesion area and report what you see?
Also since you're able to see the lesions better, is it surrounded by red inflamed tissue, or does it seem raised/attached? Do you note 'fluffiness' or very tiny hairs protruding from the lesion? If you scrape at it, is it removable or is it ulcerated? My first thought would be chilodonella or tetrahymena, but the bloating, if related at all, indicates systemic infection likely viral or bacterial. FungI quite rarely instigate infections on their own.

 

You would be justified to lose faith in forums regarding disease help, because primarily the pathogens are microscopic and will be nearly impossible to differentiate with gross appearance alone. With that in mind, do you have a microscope handy? If so, could you do a wet mount of scrapings from the lesion area and report what you see?
Also since you're able to see the lesions better, is it surrounded by red inflamed tissue, or does it seem raised/attached? Do you note 'fluffiness' or very tiny hairs protruding from the lesion? If you scrape at it, is it removable or is it ulcerated? My first thought would be chilodonella or tetrahymena, but the bloating, if related at all, indicates systemic infection likely viral or bacterial. FungI quite rarely instigate infections on their own.

No microscope at hand unfortunately. know any inexpensive ones that could help identify diseases?
There is only a single active legion, it is protruding white cotton ball fluff. Not quite visible hairs but the visual is blurry white against my red betta. It pops out about a millimeter from the body.
If it continues in the same as the legion he had two weeks ago the fuzz will dissolve to leave a pink open sore, which the old one has already healed and covered with scales.
I’m unsure whether my betta had the open sore first and the white fuzz, or if the white fuzz ate into my betta leaving an open wound.

 

No microscope at hand unfortunately. know any inexpensive ones that could help identify diseases?
There is only a single active legion, it is protruding white cotton ball fluff. Not quite visible hairs but the visual is blurry white against my red betta. It pops out about a millimeter from the body.
If it continues in the same as the legion he had two weeks ago the fuzz will dissolve to leave a pink open sore, which the old one has already healed and covered with scales.
I’m unsure whether my betta had the open sore first and the white fuzz, or if the white fuzz ate into my betta leaving an open wound.

I’m assuming the white fuzz ate into your betta first, leaving the open wound. Do you by any chance think it could be a tumor or an ulcer? That was actually first thought, but you said it has a white fuzz, so I’m not sure if it is. I also know that some betta tumors “explode” on they’re own, possibly leave open wounds, but then grow back. It’s more common on dragon scales though.

 

I’m assuming the white fuzz ate into your betta first, leaving the open wound. Do you by any chance think it could be a tumor or an ulcer? That was actually first thought, but you said it has a white fuzz, so I’m not sure if it is. I also know that some betta tumors “explode” on they’re own, possibly leave open wounds, but then grow back. It’s more common on dragon scales though.

Nope. Not an ulcer, I have not seen an bumps on him, before or after the fuzz.
I’ve had a betta with a benign tumor before, he had it for three years. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think there is a tumor that could grow in just one week, which this fuzz on his body seems to occur quickly, probably in just a day.
His 2.5 gallon home is on our dining table, so it’s hard to miss something that is slow growing when I eat breakfast with him 5 days a week minimum.

 

Nope. Not an ulcer, I have not seen an bumps on him, before or after the fuzz.
I’ve had a betta with a benign tumor before, he had it for three years. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think there is a tumor that could grow in just one week, which this fuzz on his body seems to occur quickly, probably in just a day.
His 2.5 gallon home is on our dining table, so it’s hard to miss something that is slow growing when I eat breakfast with him 5 days a week minimum.

A tumor or ulcer was my first thought when you pointed out what you were talking about, but it probably isn’t. But I do think there are tumors that can grow within a week, I’m not at all sure though, it’s just something that seems possible. The tumor could have also already been there, but just recently became visible? I’m just throwing out suggestions. Also I think getting a microscope like trahana suggested would be a good idea. I was thinking about getting one for myself potentially, because there was some kind of white sand? (I have black gravel) at the the bottom of my tank and I wanted to identify it. Anyway I think you can get some inexpensive ones on amazon.

 

A tumor or ulcer was my first thought when you pointed out what you were talking about, but it probably isn’t. But I do think there are tumors that can grow within a week, I’m not at all sure though, it’s just something that seems possible. The tumor could have also already been there, but just recently became visible? I’m just throwing out suggestions. Also I think getting a microscope like trahana suggested would be a good idea. I was thinking about getting one for myself potentially, because there was some kind of white sand? (I have black gravel) at the the bottom of my tank and I wanted to identify it. Anyway I think you can get some inexpensive ones on amazon.

Maybe your thinking of something like an abscess, which fish can get. Tumors are more related to cancer, and are untreatable in such small fish. They don’t burst and leave an open sore, which abscesses do.
I’m pretty sure this is white fuzzy bacteria eating at my fish.

 

I’ve taken a good look at Cowlick today and the white fuzz is gone! He is certainly bloated looking and floating at the surface but now only has the open sore to deal with, not the nasty flesh eating fuzz.
I’m changing 50% of the water and continuing with the fungus cure treatment.
I’d like to know if epsom salt would help, since it helps most swim bladder issues.

 

I’ve taken a good look at Cowlick today and the white fuzz is gone! He is certainly bloated looking and floating at the surface but now only has the open sore to deal with, not the nasty flesh eating fuzz.
I’m changing 50% of the water and continuing with the fungus cure treatment.
I’d like to know if epsom salt would help, since it helps most swim bladder issues.

I know that epsom salt is basically the same as aquarium salt, but make sure you buy and use aquarium salt for your tank. I also used aquarium salt after using API Bettafix and my betta looked so much healthier! I would recommend adding adding the salt to your tank after two 50% WC without the medication. I wouldn’t risk mixing it with other medications still in the tank, although I’m not quite sure if there would be any affects from adding both.

 

I’ve taken a good look at Cowlick today and the white fuzz is gone! He is certainly bloated looking and floating at the surface but now only has the open sore to deal with, not the nasty flesh eating fuzz.
I’m changing 50% of the water and continuing with the fungus cure treatment.
I’d like to know if epsom salt would help, since it helps most swim bladder issues.

This sounds suspiciously like the life cycle of one of the parasites I initially suspected (chilodonella etc.). If you ever encountered a holotrich infestation before, you'll know what I mean: most common is example is 'ich', where visible spots fall off the fish as the parasites multiply. Ciliated protozoans also do this. Unfortunately tetrahymena is very slow growing and can take months of cycling between visible lesions and 'falling off'. Chilodonella also take weeks cycling between visible lesions and 'disappearing' deep into fish's skin. But like I said, without miscroscopic confirmation my guess is as good as anyone's.

As for the bloating, imo is not a good sign...it can be any number of things, not just swim bladder. I found most common is kidney issues (most hobbyists do not do a necropsy, so assume bloating is swim bladder issues - this is not true in my experience). Unless your fish has a tendency to develop swim bladder issues before? Just putting a word of caution out there. You know your fish better, after all.

I know that epsom salt is basically the same as aquarium salt, but make sure you buy and use aquarium salt for your tank.

Just a little correction for future reference, epsom salt is not the same as aquarium salt and has an altogether different purpose. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, its primary purpose in the aquarium is to stabilise osmoregulatory issues in fish, and as a laxative. This is why it is commonly used for goldfish with swim bladder issues, first to prevent excess water from impinging on the swim bladder sphincter and second to urge the fish to remove its intestinal contents in case that is pressing against its swim bladder.

As for aquarium salt, it is usually sodium chloride, but sometimes calcium chloride is used as well. It has many uses, as an antiparasitic, antifungal, and/or antimicrobial (works only for specific types of each, not all). It's also used to help a fish recover from nitrite poisoning, and as a stimulant for slime coat growth. I'm sure there are more, but the point is, these two cannot and should not be interchanged - they each have their own uses.

 

This sounds suspiciously like the life cycle of one of the parasites I initially suspected (chilodonella etc.). If you ever encountered a holotrich infestation before, you'll know what I mean: most common is example is 'ich', where visible spots fall off the fish as the parasites multiply. Ciliated protozoans also do this. Unfortunately tetrahymena is very slow growing and can take months of cycling between visible lesions and 'falling off'. Chilodonella also take weeks cycling between visible lesions and 'disappearing' deep into fish's skin. But like I said, without miscroscopic confirmation my guess is as good as anyone's.

As for the bloating, imo is not a good sign...it can be any number of things, not just swim bladder. I found most common is kidney issues (most hobbyists do not do a necropsy, so assume bloating is swim bladder issues - this is not true in my experience). Unless your fish has a tendency to develop swim bladder issues before? Just putting a word of caution out there. You know your fish better, after all.

I’ve just looked at a few different web pages about Chilodonella, I don’t think that’s what this is. He’s been in the same 2.5 gallon for at least 4 months without adding any new plants or snails, even those are from my own tanks. I hadn’t purchased anything new for at least 3 months before adding the plants to Cowlicks tank, I think my main tanks would have shown some sign. So I think If it is chillodonella, do you have a medicine you suggest?
Cowlick had a constipation issue within the first month after I bought him, probably from switching foods. The constipation came with swim bladder issues, which I simply starved him and after a few days it cleared up without further issue. I’m hoping this is what’s going on again since I did switch up his food for bloodworms dosed with kanaplex.

 

This sounds suspiciously like the life cycle of one of the parasites I initially suspected (chilodonella etc.). If you ever encountered a holotrich infestation before, you'll know what I mean: most common is example is 'ich', where visible spots fall off the fish as the parasites multiply. Ciliated protozoans also do this. Unfortunately tetrahymena is very slow growing and can take months of cycling between visible lesions and 'falling off'. Chilodonella also take weeks cycling between visible lesions and 'disappearing' deep into fish's skin. But like I said, without miscroscopic confirmation my guess is as good as anyone's.

As for the bloating, imo is not a good sign...it can be any number of things, not just swim bladder. I found most common is kidney issues (most hobbyists do not do a necropsy, so assume bloating is swim bladder issues - this is not true in my experience). Unless your fish has a tendency to develop swim bladder issues before? Just putting a word of caution out there. You know your fish better, after all.

Just a little correction for future reference, epsom salt is not the same as aquarium salt and has an altogether different purpose. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, its primary purpose in the aquarium is to stabilise osmoregulatory issues in fish, and as a laxative. This is why it is commonly used for goldfish with swim bladder issues, first to prevent excess water from impinging on the swim bladder sphincter and second to urge the fish to remove its intestinal contents in case that is pressing against its swim bladder.

As for aquarium salt, it is usually sodium chloride, but sometimes calcium chloride is used as well. It has many uses, as an antiparasitic, antifungal, and/or antimicrobial (works only for specific types of each, not all). It's also used to help a fish recover from nitrite poisoning, and as a stimulant for slime coat growth. I'm sure there are more, but the point is, these two cannot and should not be interchanged - they each have their own uses.

Ty! I got mixed up with the salts lol. I was thinking of table salt.

 

I’ve just looked at a few different web pages about Chilodonella, I don’t think that’s what this is. He’s been in the same 2.5 gallon for at least 4 months without adding any new plants or snails, even those are from my own tanks. I hadn’t purchased anything new for at least 3 months before adding the plants to Cowlicks tank, I think my main tanks would have shown some sign. So I think If it is chillodonella, do you have a medicine you suggest?
Cowlick had a constipation issue within the first month after I bought him, probably from switching foods. The constipation came with swim bladder issues, which I simply starved him and after a few days it cleared up without further issue. I’m hoping this is what’s going on again since I did switch up his food for bloodworms dosed with kanaplex.

Ciliate parasites are difficult to eradicate as they are free-living in the water. I will only recommend treatment if their presence is confirmed, as it is a tedious process. Come to think of it, I have another suspicion. What foods do you feed him regularly? If live food, are you dosing it with vitamin B complex, C and D? If prepared food, are these supplemented with said vitamins? If yes, how long are you keeping them in storage? Also, have you ever dosed salt in his tank before? If yes, for how long and how much?

Ty! I got mixed up with the salts lol. I was thinking of table salt.

You're welcome! Table salt is just aquarium salt...plus iodine (that's if it is iodized. Don't add iodized salt to your tank!)

 

Ciliate parasites are difficult to eradicate as they are free-living in the water. I will only recommend treatment if their presence is confirmed, as it is a tedious process. Come to think of it, I have another suspicion. What foods do you feed him regularly? If live food, are you dosing it with vitamin B complex, C and D? If prepared food, are these supplemented with said vitamins? If yes, how long are you keeping them in storage? Also, have you ever dosed salt in his tank before? If yes, for how long and how much?

You're welcome! Table salt is just aquarium salt...plus iodine (that's if it is iodized. Don't add iodized salt to your tank!)

Oh heck, vitamins could be a problem. Cowlick can’t eat pellets so he hasn’t been eating the variety I usually feed. He’s been eating Omega one betta buffet flakes. It says it has vitamin supplements added(A,C, B, E, and D3) but they don’t show the guaranteed analysis so I’m not sure if it’s complete or not. I give thawed bloodworms as a treat too. His food has an expiration date of next year, I bought the flakes just for him.
I’ve never dosed salt in his tank before.

 

Oh heck, vitamins could be a problem. Cowlick can’t eat pellets so he hasn’t been eating the variety I usually feed. He’s been eating Omega one betta buffet flakes. It says it has vitamin supplements added(A,C, B, E, and D3) but they don’t show the guaranteed analysis so I’m not sure if it’s complete or not. I give thawed bloodworms as a treat too. His food has an expiration date of next year, I bought the flakes just for him.
I’ve never dosed salt in his tank before.

He's currently in a hospital tank, right? What I would do is, get a pack of concentrated vitamin C, probably the capsules used for human consumption, and dunk it in his tank just before feeding time at 10mg/L daily for a week, then do this every first week of each month at maybe basal dose of 5mg/L. Fish (and humans) are some of the few animals on earth who can't produce their own vitamin C, so this is critical to their diet. And unfortunately, vitamin C is so unstable they don't last very long in processed food (even if your fish food manufacturer says the food expires in a year, for example, the vitamin C in it has broken down and has become ineffective long before expiry, so keep that in mind. There are estimates that shelf life of the vitamin in most commercial fish food is from less than a month to max 3 months). Do be careful and check your pH regularly as vitamin C can lower the pH of your water.

And then while doing that, you can opt to dose your tank with aquarium salt at 5 tsp per gallon. This serves several purposes, one, to hopefully annoy any potential parasite to drop off; two, to hopefully prevent secondary infections setting in; three, to stimulate mucosal growth and hopefully encourage healing; and four, to help reduce osmoregulatory pressure. Fish who had developed breaks in their skin can have trouble keeping water out. Think of it as a submarine poked with holes. Salt helps slow this process.

I would hold off 'real' medications for now in the absence of clear indications of what it might be that's causing that. But it would be prudent to keep observing the lesions and behaviour for other developments, if you do choose to follow my suggestions.

 

I dosed salt bright an early this morning, if I have time I will buy vitamin C, but my truck is in the shop so I’m borrowing a car.
It’s been a roller coaster of a month.

So he is more bouyant then before I dosed salt.(now slightly listing when he floats) Isn't it possible that salt could be messing up his swim bladder more? I dosed vitimin C yesterday before I fed him.
Still no fuzz comeback. Lively and eating, he had 5 bloodworms yesterday(thawed)