Medicating Betta For Multiple Illnesses?

I'd really love to be able to post a picture with this, but I've been trying on and off today and yesterday and haven't been able to get a clear one. I'll update if I do.

My betta's conditions were, frankly, terrible before I took him in the day before yesterday. I may have bitten off more than I can chew as a beginner but it's too late for me to decide that now. He was in the typical tiny cup of room temperature, well under 70 degree Fahrenheit water. Now he's in a heated (slowly heated, to minimize stress) 2.5 gallon quarantine tank with much better water quality.

I'm on day 3 of treating him for ich (with 25% water changes between each treatment). Today I noticed a tiny patch, maybe twice as large as an ich spot, on his tail which looks like a bit like cotton. Now I'm reasonably sure my betta has ich and a fungal infection of some sort. After some research I'm not sure how best to handle both at once.

How do you recommend treating a fungal infection for a fish who's already being medicated for ich? Is it okay to use multiple medications at once?

Edit: I forgot to mention that the small spot has grown throughout the day.

 

I do know that there are medications that treat for both ich, fungal infections, and majority of ectoparasites such as Kordon Rid Ich plus and Seachem paraguard. I have never used Rid Ich, but I have used paraguard for fungal infection. How are you treating for the ich? And as soon as you get a good picture, it'd be really helpful.

 

I'm using Kordon Rapid Cure for the ich. I have no idea if that treats multiple problems the way Rid Ich plus does? But I'll look into it. Since malachite green is supposed to help with fungal problems and Rapid Cure has that in it I'm hoping maybe?

(Sorry about the lack of a picture. My problem is that my lighting makes it difficult to see the ich/fungal infection instead of just a decent shot of my betta. I'll post a picture as soon as I get a good one.)

Thank you!

 

From what the website tells me, Rapid Cure only treats Ich and protozoan infections. For about how long have you been using the rapid cure? It supposedly works in 24 hours. With a picture we will be able to diagnose for sure if it is ich or not. Could you describe the location of the spots? I have had to switch meds before, and to do so I stopped my current med, did a water change, waited a few days, and switched over to another. But I don't know how hard it would be for your little guy, and I am wondering if you have completed a full treatment of the Rapid Cure yet?

 

Tonight's treatment will be the third one. I started treating him the day I brought him home. I'm working on getting a better picture of him now. My camera isn't great but I'll update in the next few minutes with a pic.

 

Here are some normal pictures of the betta I just took, I hope they are some help. The spots just aren't showing up.

Edit: the spots are all over the body, some on the head, some on the tail, several on the fins. I looked at some pictures of fish with ich and it looked like the other bettas did, like little spots of salt, although in the pictures showing non bettas with ich I thought the spots on my fish were smaller, if that makes sense. The fungal growth (or, rather, what I'm pretty sure is fungal) is right on the top of the tail and spreading forward, immediately behind the little turquoise part of his tail.

Additional edit: I also just noticed a little section of his right fin in the shape of a triangle just... gone. I guess I need to treat my betta for fin rot too! Poor little guy!

 

If you get either paraguard or rid ich it can also aid with fin rot. Paraguard is a softer med so it may be a better choice. Unfortunately can't see much in the pictures
I think it may be best to get off the rapid cure

 

I'll get one of those tomorrow. I can't get it to him tonight so should I let him go without meds or treat with Rapid Cure one last time? I'm guessing letting him go without is better for tonight based on what you've said so far.

When I get the new meds is it usually best to wait a day or two to treat him or start that day? And should I do a 100% water change to get the Rapid Cure out or will it stress out the fish too much?

Thank you so much for your help!

 

I gave it a about a day, but if it's a dire situation maybe you could probably just start. A 100% water change would be fairly stressful, but if your tank isn't cycled I would do it. You can also use carbon to filter out the meds. I did 100% changes everyday because my QT wasn't cycled when I was medicating my goldie, but goldies are of course a hardier fish. If you do a 100% water change, you have to make sure to temp match the water and you can also slowly reacclimate him to the parameters. If you can I would get paraguard. I have used it with success and it is a bit softer on the fish. A 2 week treatment should probably do you. If that does not resolve, a harder medication may be needed, but I think it will be okay. I have switched medications many times (much more aggressive meds) and sometimes it is needed in situations where your med just isn't working. Tonight I wouldn't redose and just let the final bit of Rapid Cure already in the tank do what it needs to, or put in carbon overnight. Seachem paraguard can be found at an LFS. I have yet to see it at a chain petstore. If the Kordon is available I would pick it up, I just have never used it before so I don't have experience with using it, but the company is reputable and I have used their meds before. If none are available, see if there are any multI purpose ecto meds and research their effectiveness and see what others have said. Kordon and Paraguard are fairly broad spectrum which I think is most useful here for you. Check back if you need any more help!!! I am really routing for your betta to make it! As for a picture, have you tried shining a flashlight as you take the picture?

 

I'll definitely look for Paraguard. He'll be in a cycled tank after QT but the QT tank isn't cycled so I'll do a 100% change. I took the pictures while shining the light for the aquarium but I'll try a flashlight. And thank you so much for everything! After all this poor little guy has been through I hope he makes it.

 

If the QT isn't cycled I would in the least dose it everyday with Seachem prime. I do think he would be sensitive to everyday waterchanges, and if it isn't a 100% change it might mess with your med schedule. What I did was everyday 100% change, temp match, redose meds. But this was a 6 inch goldfish, granted in really bad shape. Built up ammonia worries me here, because it won't do him any good. Perhaps once he gets a little stronger I would do those changes, but for now I would do daily prime. I am not too knowledgeable on how a betta would take that many water changes.

 

Sounds good to me. I think I've learned a lesson considering bettas here: in the future I'll try to have a CYCLED QT tank to make things easier on the fish.

 

Sorry about your betta, I think Paraguard is a good way to go for the next try.
Also, instead of keeping a cycled QT, I've found it's a lot easier to keep an extra filter on another tank and just move that to QT. It may not always help, as some medications kill the beneficial bacteria

 

Good idea. That would also help a lot when to be safe I'm just keeping a fish in QT before introducing them to the tank instead of treating for disease.