Scale Scratches On Betta/ Milky-oily Tank

Hello! My name is Laura. And below I am attaching pics of one of my bettas, Moon. (Including flash and no flash pics).

Moon has what it looks like scratches on both sides of him. Like as if literally he had little hands and nails and just scratched himself.

They are particularly obvious since he is a dragon scale betta: a gorgeous, vibrant shade(s) of platinum green and turquoise. He is also a half-moon betta (from my understanding about types of fins and tails) (I am new).

Just recently I came back from a trip and left a friend taking care of my bettas. When I came back and for the first time ever I noticed all their (separate) tanks looked milky/murky. And as if they had an oil layer on top. Pretty yucky, whiteish oil that crumbled a bit when I stirred the bamboo shoots in each tank.

I immediately started research and my best guess is that my friend fed them too many "treats" (dried bloodworms) and the worms hey didn't eat just sat at the bottom of the tank. While my friend changed their water twice (I was only gone two weeks) I have learned that stagnant uneaten bloodworms just sitting there can cause an issue fairly quickly.

I have been bringing them back to health with a combination of methods thru the past week; they all seemed less affected than Moon, and they all seem to be paving a good path for recovery. Moon however had a bit of fin rot, plus these super obvious scratches on his gorgeous dragon scales (I hope I can fix this for him!!). He has been intermittently laying on the bottom of the tank, has been puking his little food pellets (I try to feed him very slowly at the minute, just 5 pellets if he can a day); sometimes he acts hyper crazy hectic and thrusts around the tank as if he had been pinched by electricity (it looks super stressful) and I have no idea if I am making any progress on recovering his scales and tail, and improving his general well being by the combo of things I am doing.

As usual I add a dash of methylene blue to all tanks. I just started aquarium salts on all. Of course water renewal, and conditioner drops. For Moon I have continued BettaFix and MelaFix drops by the brand API. I did two water changes the week I got back and daily starting two days ago.

Am I doing anything wrong? Anything mildly right?

He was (is in spirit) my fiercest, and he would jump at my fingers when I was about to feed him. He would flare and show off wide open his gorgeous fins and tail 24/7. Now he looks so sad, so not himself, doesn't show the same excitement as before, lost the vibrancy in his colors, etc.

Any help so kindly appreciated! This is the first time in my life caring for little bettas.

All my best,

Laura

 

What I think I'm seeing is an improper tank first. How big is the tank (gallons)? Is it heated? Is it filtered? How often is the water changed? What is being fed? Is it only dried bloodworms being fed? How much is being fed? And how many times are they being fed in a day? The first no no is the medication being used. Bettafix and Melafix are controversial mediations for bettas because it contains tea tree oil which covers the surface of the water and coats the bettas "lung" when they breathe, making it hard for them to get oxygen. So stop that medication and did you say you add methelyne blue as usual? You shouldn't be dosing medication regularly because if the fish isn't sick then they don't need it and it can cause a reverse in effect and harm the fish instead. Though since they are sick now I think it's fine. Are you dosing according to the directions? Because a dash can be any amount and you can overdose on it.

 

HI Laura, welcome to fishlore. I've had a betta or two in my time but I don't know if I'm the best person to help you with treatment/illness but I'll jump in until someone more experienced comes along. First, great effort, and yes the milky water, especially a top layer film sounds like excess protein in the water most likely from the blood worms. Any treat like that is bad to leave uneaten as it can spoil water quickly. Also, I think what will help is some water movement. It looks to me like he doesn't have a filter or heater. Without a filter water changes need to be very frequent. In my opinion a bit of a home upgrade would go a long way in helping and lowering stress from water condition fluctuations. I would suggest at least a 2.5 gallon tank with a filter and a heater if needed, they like to be at a nice 25/26 degrees C, 77/79F. This kind of equipment is usually not too expensive for bettas but the filter will be most important, try and get him into something bigger if you can. (I know pet stores are usually fin with very low tech environments for bettas but its very difficult to keep the water healthy for them without a filter especially in smaller water volumes.

As far as the fin rot, it is most likely from a spike in Ammonia, Nitrites or Nitrates in the water from the leftover food. Apart from water changes, the filter will be the biggest thing to help prevent this as the bacteria that colonizes filter pads will break down the ammonia & nitrites into less harmful nitrates which are then reduced during water changes. For medication, I try not to use them if I can avoid it. I find just keeping their environment suitable goes a long way. Hopefully that helps, I thought I should just cover whatever jumped out at me...

So, I thought I'd also include this link, it should explain a bit more about why filtering is important for any fish tank. Hopefully Moon bounces back to regular health soon.

Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

 

Hi! Welcome to fishlore I don't know about the scratches to me they look like he some how damaged his slime coat or he bumped himself against your fake coral.
First the nitrogen cycle I recommend viewing that link that Mendellen made if you don't understand basically fish poop and unseating food are waste. they can decay and cause ammonia which is toxic to fish. So bacteria named nitrITES come and eat the bacteria they poop too. That poop is also toxic. But bacteria come and eat that poop this bacteria is called nitrATES which is beneficial to the tank and is not toxic in low levels

2nd the tank bettas need a miniumn of 2.5 gallon heated and filtered tank. The tanks can go from 2.5-10 if you have a single betta. Bettas are tropical fish and do best in tempetures 78-80. The filter will basically change your water for you (wait you keyboard vultures!) But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't perform weekly or daily it depends on how big your tank is water changes. For me I prefer a aqurium siphon to suck up all my fish's poo. Some fake plants can make bettas fin rip what you can do is take a panty hose and drag it over the plant if it catch that means that that plant will likely rip your bettas fin. Make sure the coral doesn't have any rough edges.

3rd the scratchs most people will tell you that clean warm water is the best medicine and they're absouluty right. I suggest taking out 50% of his water. I don't know what the scratchs are but Some people might Goldiemom Repolie Rtessy Fanatic Gypsy13 I'm also guessing the oil thing is from not daily water changes

 

Yeah getting back on the scratches, I've been thinking about this all night and I think I made a connection. My betta once got the same thing, though it wasn't as bad as yours and I thought it was weird because he wasn't a marbled betta and his body is a teal colour and seeing random black lines on him was strange and he had this when there was an ammonia spike in the tank. I upped the water changes and after a few weeks, it was gone. Your betta's scale looks intact and more like a colouring though it's strange that it's lines, so it's not colouring and there was a spike in ammonia from rotten food. I'm guessing ammonia burns for the black scales and ammonia poisoning for the darting movements.

 

I agree with treating scratches with good clean water. 50% daily until healed. Probably just scratched himself in something. Look for the culprit and remove it. Good luck!

 

What I think I'm seeing is an improper tank first. How big is the tank (gallons)? Is it heated? Is it filtered? How often is the water changed? What is being fed? Is it only dried bloodworms being fed? How much is being fed? And how many times are they being fed in a day? The first no no is the medication being used. Bettafix and Melafix are controversial mediations for bettas because it contains tea tree oil which covers the surface of the water and coats the bettas "lung" when they breathe, making it hard for them to get oxygen. So stop that medication and did you say you add methelyne blue as usual? You shouldn't be dosing medication regularly because if the fish isn't sick then they don't need it and it can cause a reverse in effect and harm the fish instead. Though since they are sick now I think it's fine. Are you dosing according to the directions? Because a dash can be any amount and you can overdose on it.

-----
Hi,

-Thank you for taking the time to, kindly, reply to me.

-My tank is a massive glass jar. It is 11 inches tall, with a diameter of 4'', this equates to a volume of 138.229 cubic inches, which translates to 2.265 liters. I was unaware this was inappropriate. I am currently looking into other/bigger tanks and saving the funds for them.

-I liked the tall jar because they love swimming up and down constantly all day, and because I have tall, natural, bamboo shoots in it. This was something the pet store recommended in particular: the bamboo shoots.

-I have active-flora gravel on the bottom. At the pet store they told me this would be great to use. I bought a few bags, and every so often with water changes I replace some of the gravel with fresh new one.

-My tank does not have a heater or filter. They told me I wouldn't need one if I do water changes often, which I do. Every 5 days, or more often. I always feed them one pellet at a time and I don't let them go uneaten.

-I do have a heater, but when I tested it it got SO hot I felt afraid it would be too much. Like burning hot. I want to give it back to the store and get a different one. It just seems so extremely hot and it doesn't have a way for me to control it.

-I also have tank thermometers; I just want to find the right heaters. And I am researching and looking through this forum about how to properly use them.

-I feed them pellets as I mentioned above. I have two brands, one is Aqueon natural better food. The other one is fairly similar, I just transferred it from it's flimsy container to one of my air tight OXO non BPA containers. I only feed them pellets once a day, in the morning, 5 pellets. I was reading about how it was "good" to not feed them everyday, but every other day, since bettas in the wild do not get to eat everyday. There is a lot of stuff written out there and I am wondering how exactly accurate is this.

-No, I don't just feed them bloodworms. I was told they were just treats. And I had given them one here and there, always making sure that if they bit on it and left a bit, I'd take it out of the tank immediately. I believe my friend who was taking care of them did not do this. Which is why I went into emergency mode when I got back.

-I didn't know that at all about Bettafix and Melafix. I went to a bunch of pet stores asking and they recommended such, and was guiding myself through this index here: and this one:

-I was also told that each new water change should be set with the appropriate amount of methylene blue. In my case that would be almost less than a drop. So because that's difficult to measure, I just make 5 gallons of water at the time, add the conditioner (following the measurements instructions, 2.5 mils per 5 gallon), and then add the 2.5 mils per 5 gallon as well of methylene (a measurement also based on their instructions).

I am sorry for the long reply.

Laura

HI Laura, welcome to fishlore. I've had a betta or two in my time but I don't know if I'm the best person to help you with treatment/illness but I'll jump in until someone more experienced comes along. First, great effort, and yes the milky water, especially a top layer film sounds like excess protein in the water most likely from the blood worms. Any treat like that is bad to leave uneaten as it can spoil water quickly. Also, I think what will help is some water movement. It looks to me like he doesn't have a filter or heater. Without a filter water changes need to be very frequent. In my opinion a bit of a home upgrade would go a long way in helping and lowering stress from water condition fluctuations. I would suggest at least a 2.5 gallon tank with a filter and a heater if needed, they like to be at a nice 25/26 degrees C, 77/79F. This kind of equipment is usually not too expensive for bettas but the filter will be most important, try and get him into something bigger if you can. (I know pet stores are usually fin with very low tech environments for bettas but its very difficult to keep the water healthy for them without a filter especially in smaller water volumes.

As far as the fin rot, it is most likely from a spike in Ammonia, Nitrites or Nitrates in the water from the leftover food. Apart from water changes, the filter will be the biggest thing to help prevent this as the bacteria that colonizes filter pads will break down the ammonia & nitrites into less harmful nitrates which are then reduced during water changes. For medication, I try not to use them if I can avoid it. I find just keeping their environment suitable goes a long way. Hopefully that helps, I thought I should just cover whatever jumped out at me...

-----
Hi!!

Thank you so much!! thank you for welcoming me here

I definitely read about the water movement as you mentioned, and yes I am now looking into the filters. I was just initially told I wouldn't need one if I did very frequent water changes, which I do. At least every 5 days or more often. Do they get very worried/stressed during water changes? perhaps this is why exactly as you said the filter will ease this process and the frequency of it.

I am currently looking into 2.5 gallons, or even 5? I am just getting the funds in order and prepping the space. And yes! I bought a heater to start testing it out but I first tested it by letting it be on a safe surface, and when I hovered my hand over it felt SO hot. It was actually burning hot. I thought that of course that wouldn't work, unless I had a muuuuuuch bigger tank. But still though... it doesn't have a protective anything around it, a mesh, something? isn't it dangerous for them? if they were to come too close? it's a tiny heater but it felt like a rod of hot metal to me, capable of causing damage and burns.

Thank you so much again! A lot of other people have jumped in as you said, and this has been very helpful. I am so new to this it seems like everything I can find online has been in fact not the best advice. So it's a relief to find a forum like this

All my best!!

Lau

So, I thought I'd also include this link, it should explain a bit more about why filtering is important for any fish tank. Hopefully Moon bounces back to regular health soon.

Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

Thank you!!

It's funny, when I joined the forum last night I was asked "do you know about the nitrogen cycle?" and I clicked no, as I honestly didn't. Now I feel like it's gonna be on my profile forever!

I don't understand how the personnel at the pet stores is not a little bit more prepared? I kept asking things like, how to do this, what do I need? etc. etc. no one really knows much I guess now.

Hi! Welcome to fishlore I don't know about the scratches to me they look like he some how damaged his slime coat or he bumped himself against your fake coral.
First the nitrogen cycle I recommend viewing that link that Mendellen made if you don't understand basically fish poop and unseating food are waste. they can decay and cause ammonia which is toxic to fish. So bacteria named nitrITES come and eat the bacteria they poop too. That poop is also toxic. But bacteria come and eat that poop this bacteria is called nitrATES which is beneficial to the tank and is not toxic in low levels

----

Hi,

Thank you for replying to me.

Yes, Mendellen has been very kind and helpful.

I do not have fake corals.

I have natural bamboo shoots. They are smooth and completely soft, and I trim the roots at times when I sense the roots may be a little too raggy. 99% of them are just soft, nice roots.

Yes, I understand fish poop and uneaten food are waste.

Thank you for letting me know about nitrATES. Very interesting to know the complexities and nuances of these bacteria and how they interact. Thank you.

Laura

2nd the tank bettas need a miniumn of 2.5 gallon heated and filtered tank. The tanks can go from 2.5-10 if you have a single betta. Bettas are tropical fish and do best in tempetures 78-80. The filter will basically change your water for you (wait you keyboard vultures!) But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't perform weekly or daily it depends on how big your tank is water changes. For me I prefer a aqurium siphon to suck up all my fish's poo. Some fake plants can make bettas fin rip what you can do is take a panty hose and drag it over the plant if it catch that means that that plant will likely rip your bettas fin. Make sure the coral doesn't have any rough edges.

----
Copy that on the tank. Working on this as I type. As well as the filter.

Of course, yes, very frequent water changes in addition to the filter.

Good tip on the panty hose! wouldn't have thought of that. Fortunately I do not have nor am I am planning to have any fake plants. And my IRL bamboo shoots are smooth as baby's skin.

Good tip on the aquarium siphon too!

Does it suck any of the good stuff as well?

Laura

3rd the scratchs most people will tell you that clean warm water is the best medicine and they're absouluty right. I suggest taking out 50% of his water. I don't know what the scratchs are but Some people might Goldiemom Repolie Rtessy Fanatic Gypsy13 I'm also guessing the oil thing is from not daily water changes

-----
I never, ever, had the oil. It only occurred after my friend took care of them while I was out of the country (2 weeks).

I have been doing water changes daily since I got back. Before that it was at least 1 change every 5 days.

Thank you for forwarding this to other users. I really appreciate all the help.

Laura

Yeah getting back on the scratches, I've been thinking about this all night and I think I made a connection. My betta once got the same thing, though it wasn't as bad as yours and I thought it was weird because he wasn't a marbled betta and his body is a teal colour and seeing random black lines on him was strange and he had this when there was an ammonia spike in the tank. I upped the water changes and after a few weeks, it was gone. Your betta's scale looks intact and more like a colouring though it's strange that it's lines, so it's not colouring and there was a spike in ammonia from rotten food. I'm guessing ammonia burns for the black scales and ammonia poisoning for the darting movements.

-----
Yes, the scales seem intact. I have examined him under light and magnifiers. But the scratches are indeed black, ragged lines throughout the scales.

I have upped the water changes on him (Moon) to daily. I hope to report success on this. Can't wait to have his beautiful scales back.

Thankfully the darting movements are mostly gone now. I just try to keep him as comfortable as humanly possible.

New bigger tank with all the suggestions everyone has kindly offered in the works as we speak.

Laura

 

Bettas like their space more wider than tall because they like swimming back and forth and there were dry seasons where the water was about 2-3 inches tall, but they can have territory up to 2 acres in length. For a heater, you should get one with a thermostat that can maintain the temperature, I think the Tetra HT10 works great. As for a filter, in that small of a tank many filters are too big for it or the flow is too powerful. The Elive Betta Sponge filter is hard to come by in stores, but it's the smallest sponge filter and I think it'll be perfect for a new 2.5 tank. As for food, variety is important. By just feeding one, your betta is not getting the nutrition they need that others foods might have/provide. I recommend New Life Spectrum, Omea One Buffet Pellets, and Fluval Bug Bites because their first ingredients are real food and not something artificial (ingredients that end with "meal"), giving better nutrition to your betta. Also feeding frozen bloodworms contains more nutrition than if it was dry, it's much more tasty and there's lesser risks of complications with frozen food. Bettas go crazy for it. Also feeding more variety enriches the betta's life because you wouldn't want to be eating the same meal everyday. Feeding 5 pellets in one meal is bad because it swells up in their stomach which then can cause constipation and if they can't poop it out, swim bladder disorder. Samething with freeze dried bloodworms. It's best to split the feeding into 2 meals a day, to allow the betta to process it and pass through with barely a risk of constipation. Better safe than sorry. All dried foods should be soaked in tank water first, then fed, so it can pass through easier. It's best to not feed them once a week (their fasting day) to allow any food to pass through so it doesn't jam up inside. Also the betta's splendens are so domesticated due to human intervention that they can barely survive without a human. Just like some dog breeds we have today. So you should be feeding them daily because they aren't "wild" anymore (quotations on wild because there are some living in fields or ponds). You should try looking into live or silk plants because bettas like resting near the surface but the roots are at the bottom of the tank. The Bettafix and Melafix are still controversial medications for bettas as said before and the risks, I wouldn't risk it. Better safe than sorry.

 

you'd probably do good not to listen to pet store employees' advice. ever. lol. they aren't properly trained in these things. big chain stores feed them false info, and I bet most employees don't even remember it. they're just there to make a sale.

i'm very glad you're taking the proper steps to make things right for your betta!!!!

 

Thanks Laura, yeah, it's difficult getting into the hobby to know where to go for advice or even what to ask, I think we've all been through it and most of us still have learning curves and setbacks even after years, there's a lot to learn but it also keeps fish keeping interesting and exciting, at least for me. Exploring the forum and learning from each other is a great way to get introduced to new ideas and practices. (Not sure if this has been covered but yeah is a medication which can be quite hard on fish, so each water change instead just needs a dechlorinator to remove chlorine from tap water if you're not using one already (I use API Stess Coat) And good on the daily water changes, that will be very helpful in the mean time.

 

I'm not sure about having the bamboo in there because it's not an aquatic plant. I personally prefer anubias because it's fully submersible and doesn't need to be planted in a substrate, it can just float. It gives bettas a good resting spot too.

If you live in the U.S., Wal-Mart sells pretty inexpensive glass aquariums that include the tank itself, a hood, a light, and a filter (although I usually have to replace the filters with something less stressful for the fish).