Help me identify my betta's sickness

Hello all,

I monitor my betta, Minnow, very closely. Today I noticed his fins were slightly jagged and a white film had developed on his head. Please note that minnow has always had curled fins from the day I bought him. I do not think the filmy substance is part of his natural coloration. However, he is a young fish and the colors on his head are transitioning from white to black, which has resulted in an orange color. He originally had a white patch on his head when I first bought him as you can see in one of my photos. I have attached photos of his frayed fins and the filmy patch on his head.

On a positive note, he is still energetic, inquisitive, and hungry!

Can anybody tell me if this ich? Also, any tips on healing/uncurling his fins?

Thank you!

 

Hello all,

I monitor my betta, Minnow, very closely. Today I noticed his fins were slightly jagged and a white film had developed on his head. Please note that minnow has always had curled fins from the day I bought him. I do not think the filmy substance is part of his natural coloration. However, he is a young fish and the colors on his head are transitioning from white to black, which has resulted in an orange color. He originally had a white patch on his head when I first bought him as you can see in one of my photos. I have attached photos of his frayed fins and the filmy patch on his head.

On a positive note, he is still energetic, inquisitive, and hungry!

Can anybody tell me if this ich? Also, any tips on healing/uncurling his fins?

Thank you!

That white patch behind his head looks like early Columnaris to me and the fins look like possible infection to me as well-possibly related to the same bacteria. Wait though for others to reply, I've never had a fish with columnaris so I'm just going by s and descriptions i've seen on this forum and other disease sites.

 

I thought the same thing regarding columnaris. I have had it, sadly. You may want to read up on it. I treated with Kanaplex and Furan-2 but mine didn’t make it.

 

I treated my mollies for what I thought was Columnaris with Kanaplex and it worked very well. I recommend it if you know for sure you have an outbreak.

 

I treated my mollies for what I thought was Columnaris with Kanaplex and it worked very well. I recommend it if you know for sure you have an outbreak.

I just ordered API's Betta Fix because I have read good things about it treating bacterial infections. It will be here tomorrow. I might go buy Kanaplex tomorrow too. Thank you for your advice!

 

molly, you might want to get some kanaplex AND furan 2 (this is the treatment of choice for columnaris) and start your betta on that. Also, test your water ammonia, nitrites and nitrates,and do a 50-75% water change before you start the treatment. Remove any carbon from your filter or the meds will do no good.
According to another forum who contacted Seachem, Seachem suggests that if you are going to give both drugs together, you should feed the Kanaplex to the fish, and put the Furan 2 in the water as directed on the packaging.
To give Kanaplex in food (orally), Seachem suggests:
"Feed the medicated food mix (recipe below) every day until the infection clears or up to 1 week. This medicated food can be refrigerated or frozen between feedings.

• 1 scoop KanaPlex
• 1 scoop Focus™
• 1 tbsp food (preferably pellets or frozen food)
• A few drops of water if using a dry food

To enhance palatability use with GarlicGuard™ or Entice™.

After Treating
When the treatment period is over, KanaPlex™ can easily be removed using activated filter carbon like MatrixCarbon™. It does not linger in the substrate or filter media of the tank"
Seachem - KanaPlex
Good luck and please keep us posted!

I just ordered API's Betta Fix because I have read good things about it treating bacterial infections. It will be here tomorrow. I might go buy Kanaplex tomorrow too. Thank you for your advice!

Neither Bettafix, melafix nor Pimafix will cure any bacterial infections. Especially not Columnaris. Bettafix and Mellafix are the same aromatic oil from the melaleuca tree. They have antiseptic properties only. They may help prevent some infections in fish, but they do not kill gram negative bacteria. Melaleuca oil may also cause problems with the labyrinth organ in bettas and gouramis. I personally would not use it nor do I recommend it's use for any purpose in any labyrinth fish.

 

molly, you might want to get some kanaplex AND furan 2 (this is the treatment of choice for columnaris) and start your betta on that. Also, test your water ammonia, nitrites and nitrates,and do a 50-75% water change before you start the treatment. Remove any carbon from your filter or the meds will do no good.
According to another forum who contacted Seachem, Seachem suggests that if you are going to give both drugs together, you should feed the Kanaplex to the fish, and put the Furan 2 in the water as directed on the packaging.
To give Kanaplex in food (orally), Seachem suggests:
"Feed the medicated food mix (recipe below) every day until the infection clears or up to 1 week. This medicated food can be refrigerated or frozen between feedings.

• 1 scoop KanaPlex
• 1 scoop Focus™
• 1 tbsp food (preferably pellets or frozen food)
• A few drops of water if using a dry food

To enhance palatability use with GarlicGuard™ or Entice™.

After Treating
When the treatment period is over, KanaPlex™ can easily be removed using activated filter carbon like MatrixCarbon™. It does not linger in the substrate or filter media of the tank"
Seachem - KanaPlex
Good luck and please keep us posted!

Thank you for this detailed response! I did a 50% water change today and lowered the temperature a little to slow the bacteria down. I will head out tomorrow morning to find Kanaplex and Furan 2. I am hopeful to find it at a close by petco, but there is also a Petzone Tropical Fish store located here in San Diego. I'm sure Petzone will have it if need be. I will post an update on this thread soon! Thank you again!

Neither Bettafix, melafix nor Pimafix will cure any bacterial infections. Especially not Columnaris. Bettafix and Mellafix are the same aromatic oil from the melaleuca tree. They have antiseptic properties only. They may help prevent some infections in fish, but they do not kill gram negative bacteria. Melaleuca oil may also cause problems with the labyrinth organ in bettas and gouramis. I personally would not use it nor do I recommend it's use for any purpose in any labyrinth fish.

Thank you! I will not use Bettafix and will instead find Kanaplex and Furan-2 as soon as possible!

 

Thank you for this detailed response! I did a 50% water change today and lowered the temperature a little to slow the bacteria down. I will head out tomorrow morning to find Kanaplex and Furan 2. I am hopeful to find it at a close by petco, but there is also a Petzone Tropical Fish store located here in San Diego. I'm sure Petzone will have it if need be. I will post an update on this thread soon! Thank you again!

If you can't get the ingredients to feed the kanaplex to the betta (which would be best), you can dose the meds like this:
Day 1: Use recommended dosage for both KanaPlex & Furan-2
Day 2: Use recommended dosage for Furan-2 only
Day 3: 25% Water change and use recommended dosage for both KanaPlex & Furan-2
Day 4: Use recommended dosage for Furan-2 only
Day 5: 25% Water change and use recommended dosage for both KanaPlex & Furan-2
DONE