What's on my betta's face?

Hi! Within the last two days, my betta has been more lethargic, tight clamped fins, eating less, spending time on the gravel, and hiding. I do not see any visible signs of bacteria, fungi, parasites, anything I know to check for. The water temp is 79-80, pH is 7.4-7.6, ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate is around 20 I believe but the color is hard to tell (API test kit). He has 10 gallons to himself (well, 2 nerites share with him). The only thing I can see that might be new/different/wrong is a possible growth or injury to his face just above his upper lip. Can anyone ID this and tell me how to help my betta? Thank you so much--I care a lot about this little fish!

Other info: I have noticed his L gill (my right, his L) opens much more than the other, but has been like this for a while. The black spots on his scales have always been there. He's an alien betta, plakat type. I've had him since July in a fully cycled and planted tank and he has been treated for ich once, but otherwise had been getting healthier and coloring up nicely since I got him until now. He's usually really active and this is unusual for him. I can post comparison photos if needed. Thank you SO much.

 

Definitely see it, makes me think a tumor or a cyst, but can't tell for sure. If so, may be inside as well pressing on the fish brain, which probably would cause such behavior. Mostly theory from me at this point.

 

His fins seemed clenched. This could be dropsy. Dropsy isn't one disease necessarily, but many. It could also be a tumor.
Seems to show most signs of dropsy...

 

Thank you for the replies. Setting up the hospital tank as we speak to make it a little easier for him to come up for air, etc. I don't see any signs of bloat or pineconing, but could be early dropsy symptoms. If it's a tumor or cyst, is there anything I can do for him other than keeping his water pristine and putting him in the hospital tank so it's more shallow? I really haven't had him long, poor guy, and I've been trying to do as much research and provide the best care for him possible. He is a pet store betta, so who knows what his history or genetics are like.

 

Hi,

That's a beautiful boy!!! Unfortunatley, there's really nothing that can be done for tumors or cysts other than clean water. Giving him a more shallow tank, like you are doing, will help a lot. Tannins in the water will cut down on fish stress, so adding Indian almond leaves or driftwood, alder cones, or using rooibos tea would be beneficial. I hope he starts thriving soon!!!!

 

Thank you! He seems to be more active in the hospital tank, which is a good sign. I treated the hospital tank with API Stress Coat+ (also a water conditioner) and Dr Tim’s First Defense. Water parameters should be the same except for there being less nitrates in this tank as his main tank I had tested to be at ammonia 0, nitrite 0, and nitrate under 20. So not sure why he’s more active and happier in the hospital tank other than it being more shallow, but I’m very happy he seems to be feeling better. Depending on his recovery, he may do better in this 5 gallon and I can move things over for him (his normal tank is a 10 gallon cube). I am adding an Indian almond leaf for tannins today.

Thank you—I really want to do my best by this guy and give him the best care possible. He had been doing so well, here’s his “glow up”:

https://imgur.com/a/NnJPdOF

Edit to add: appetite is definitely lower than normal, but he ate a few pellets this morning with breakfast

 

If you haven't tried yet, you can try giving him some frozen foods like brine shrimp or daphnia if you aren't already doing so. Frozen is really better than pellet foods, but I know that it's not always easy to get depending on where you live and access to pet stores that carry it. Bettas do really well with 60 to 70 % frozen foods, and the rest made up of pellets/bug bites. Avoid freeze dried blood worms....they really are not good for the betta.

Keep us updated on his progress! Aliens are really neat-looking bettas!

 

If you haven't tried yet, you can try giving him some frozen foods like brine shrimp or daphnia if you aren't already doing so. Frozen is really better than pellet foods, but I know that it's not always easy to get depending on where you live and access to pet stores that carry it. Bettas do really well with 60 to 70 % frozen foods, and the rest made up of pellets/bug bites. Avoid freeze dried blood worms....they really are not good for the betta.

Keep us updated on his progress! Aliens are really neat-looking bettas!

Thank you! I live in Alaska and can’t find frozen food in store, but have ordered online before. He has frozen blood worms (1-2x/week) and frozen mosquito larvae (3-4x/week) that I use, and I give him either Fluval Betta Bug Bites or Ultra Fresh Betta Pro pellets the other meals. He gets 2 smallish meals a day and fasts 1 day a week. I will see if the shop I usually use has more frozen daphnia back in stock—they were out last time. He used to love live daphnia but I ran out of that supply, too (ordered online and then I raised them in a huge jar until they ran out/crashed). Thank you for the help—I really care about this little bugger and want to do what I can for him.


Adding—any idea why he might be happier in the hospital tank like this? None of the tested parameters were out of range in his main tank (temp, pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate we’re all good and stable across the last several months of tests). I don’t have a phosphate test. I have not tested harness in his tank, only test hardness in my shrimp tanks so far. The lights are a little lower, maybe, in this hospital tank. The current is about the same in both tanks due to a bubbler/sponge filter. If he’s happier in here I’m fine setting this hospital tank up as his permanent tank because I want him to be healthy and to do well, but I would have assumed the 10g planted tank he normally lives in would be better for him. Again, he’s from a local pet store and other than being an alien betta, I have no idea what his age, genetics, history, etc are like. The pet store I got him from up here keeps them in tiny cups but each one is attached to a filter/bubbler so it’s slightly better than petco, but idk if they share water this way or not or how long he was in there. His fins have grown and his color has become vibrant in the 3 months I’ve had him, until now (fin length same, no sign of fin rot, but fins are clamped tight and color is less vibrant, plus that growth on his face). Thanks so much again for the help—Fiyero is special to me and I want to do my best for this little fish. Luckily my other tanks seem to be doing really well so I can focus on him. Thanks again!

Attaching favorite pics of him at his prime including his best grump face. He’s very handsome but surprisingly hard to photograph—all my tank photos look bad compared to how they look in person!

 

He is very handsome...just stunning!!!! Your pics are very good. And I am glad to help.

And wow, Alaska! I would love to visit there one day! I am in Louisiana, which is just about the exact opposite, lol!

This may sound weird, but I have read accounts that some bettas are happier in smaller tanks. I have never personally experienced this, but I have read about this a few times from different betta keepers. And they do love dimmer lights, too.

I would just give him some time, and see how things go. If he is perking up, then that is wonderful!

 

He is very handsome...just stunning!!!! Your pics are very good. And I am glad to help.

And wow, Alaska! I would love to visit there one day! I am in Louisiana, which is just about the exact opposite, lol!

This may sound weird, but I have read accounts that some bettas are happier in smaller tanks. I have never personally experienced this, but I have read about this a few times from different betta keepers. And they do love dimmer lights, too.

I would just give him some time, and see how things go. If he is perking up, then that is wonderful!

Thank you so much for all of your help and advice!! It’s truly appreciated as an anxious fish keeper lol. I will keep him in clean water in the hospital tank and just try to make sure everything is as ideal for him as possible and see from there. Who knows, but I am willing to give him the care he needs. Plus might be an excuse to put a few celestial pearl danios I’ve been eyeing into his old 10g if he’s loving it in this 5g…
Also, Its gorgeous up here in Alaska, and so different from the rest of the states! If you ever plan a trip up here I’d love to tell you some gems to visit. Thanks again!

 

Update: he perked up for several days, but now has unilateral popeye along with a red patch on his cheek that looks like the hemorrhagic disease, but could be associated with the swelling. I’ve read unilateral popeye is often injury related, but there’s nothing in here that’s sharp in the hospital tank and the popeye appeared while I was at work today, though he clearly had been sick for a while. I started treating with kanaplex a few days ago and did the 2nd dose today (every other day treatment) based on suspicion from his symptoms, and I’m glad I did now due to the popeye I’m seeing in his right eye. Anything else I should know or can do for him?? Thank you, I’m so stressed and sad for my betta. I’ll add pics if I can get them—he’s back to hiding in the live plants and resting on the ground again. I did an 80-90% water change before the second dose of kanaplex today to reduce free floating bacteria. I will get an anti fungal or other antibiotics if it’s recommended—really unsure as it’s unilateral and I don’t see how he could have injured himself in here, so I think it’s bacterial, fungal, or possibly related to the growth that was on his forehead. Thank you for your help.

 

Since you are dosing with kanaplex, the only other thing that I would do is an epsom salt bath. That may help with the swelling. Use only pure epsom salts with no additives or scents. Use a separate container, and dissolve one tablespoon of epsom salts into a gallon of treated and heated tank water. Put him in the bath, and if he isn't too stressed, or if he doesn't poop right away (extreme stress response), leave him for 15 minutes. This will help with the swelling. You can do epsom salt baths daily as long as he isn't reacting badly to them. I have even done them twice a day, when needed.

Does it look like he is having trouble breathing? Just running through some things in my head....

If that is a tumor, it is a fast growing one to affect his eye like that.

Every website that I have ever read about popeye says that same thing about unilateral being an injury, but that's just one possibility. One of my betta girls had unilateral popeye, and it was definitely not from an injury. She had some sort of fungal/bacterial thing on one of her gills/gill plate, and it spread behind her eye. But I could actually see the white build up of infection behind her gill. Are you seeing anything like that at all?

 

Since you are dosing with kanaplex, the only other thing that I would do is an epsom salt bath. That may help with the swelling. Use only pure epsom salts with no additives or scents. Use a separate container, and dissolve one tablespoon of epsom salts into a gallon of treated and heated tank water. Put him in the bath, and if he isn't too stressed, or if he doesn't poop right away (extreme stress response), leave him for 15 minutes. This will help with the swelling. You can do epsom salt baths daily as long as he isn't reacting badly to them. I have even done them twice a day, when needed.

Does it look like he is having trouble breathing? Just running through some things in my head....

If that is a tumor, it is a fast growing one to affect his eye like that.

Every website that I have ever read about popeye says that same thing about unilateral being an injury, but that's just one possibility. One of my betta girls had unilateral popeye, and it was definitely not from an injury. She had some sort of fungal/bacterial thing on one of her gills/gill plate, and it spread behind her eye. But I could actually see the white build up of infection behind her gill. Are you seeing anything like that at all?

Yes, he is breathing hard. I finally got pics and last one is a video. He looks really rough on that side and I’m heartbroken for him. You can see some red under the popeye by his mouth on one of the front on photos, but lighting is bad and aquarium pics are always blurry. I currently only have scented Epsom salts but will go to the store tomorrow for some for a salt bath. I also ordered some meds recommended by Aquarium Co-Op including myacin and paragard to have on hand and can use those when they come if any would be better. I cannot find Furan 2. I do think I saw something like an infection behind a gil plate yesterday but don’t see it today, it almost looked like a small strand coming out of his gill (not a parasite, more like a fungi or bacterial growth Imho). Thank you for your help, I’m so stressed for him and am trying to do everything in my power to help him be comfortable.

Pics here:

https://imgur.com/a/qaJ8KeZ

I guess the good part is he is no longer clamping his fins, or at least a lot less, and the color on his “good side” is better. But otherwise everything else is same or worse/progressed to this. Thanks again for any and all help for my little guy.
Is there anything I’m doing wrong in his care or should improve? I have always been under the impression that a lot of these diseases are at least partially caused/worsened by dirty water. He has his water changed every week religiously and was in a fully cycled, under stocked, heavily planted tank prior to going into the hospital tank. I’m doing daily water changes in the hospital tank, though trying to balance kanaplex dosage with water changes. Thank you again, I might just be babbling at this point.

 

Poor little boy!!! I can see that he is stressed, and his breathing is a little frantic. I am so sorry that you are going through this!!! I have been where you are, a few times, and it is never easy. When we love our bettas, we will spend tons of money on a $10.00 (well, now maybe a $30.00 fish depending, lol) fish to save it's life! I guess that's what betta people do!

And I do think that they stopped making Furan 2, for whatever reason. I saw a lot of folks trying to find it during covid, and it was not available anywhere.

I would say watch for any new develpments, especially around the gill area. If you start seeing him rub against things, or start seeing lesions/sores around his gills, that might point to gill flukes. Paraguard can treat that.

It is so hard for the humble hobbyist to diagnose some of these things. If you don't have your own microscope and some kind of degree in biology, then it really can be a guessing game, unfortunately. I wish I could tell you exactly what is wrong, but symptoms come on one at a time sometimes, and that makes it a guessing game as some illnesses have the same symptoms.

Sending you good thoughts!!!!

 

Poor little boy!!! I can see that he is stressed, and his breathing is a little frantic. I am so sorry that you are going through this!!! I have been where you are, a few times, and it is never easy. When we love our bettas, we will spend tons of money on a $10.00 (well, now maybe a $30.00 fish depending, lol) fish to save it's life! I guess that's what betta people do!

And I do think that they stopped making Furan 2, for whatever reason. I saw a lot of folks trying to find it during covid, and it was not available anywhere.

I would say watch for any new develpments, especially around the gill area. If you start seeing him rub against things, or start seeing lesions/sores around his gills, that might point to gill flukes. Paraguard can treat that.

It is so hard for the humble hobbyist to diagnose some of these things. If you don't have your own microscope and some kind of degree in biology, then it really can be a guessing game, unfortunately. I wish I could tell you exactly what is wrong, but symptoms come on one at a time sometimes, and that makes it a guessing game as some illnesses have the same symptoms.

Sending you good thoughts!!!!

Thank you so much for your help. And I agree, I am of the opinion that any living creature under my care should have the best possible treatment no matter the species. Plus he is such a fun little fish and I’m quite fond of him. I feel he has always breathed harder than other bettas since I got him, to be honest—I’ve mentioned this to my sister before. And one gill had always opened more than the other (like one normal and one excessively opened). I’m wondering if there may have been any long term issues he had since I got him in late July. That’s a bummer about the Furan 2 but makes sense why I couldn’t find it—thank you for letting me know.

I will continue to keep an extremely close watch on him and will update if I see anything. I purchased the new medications just a few hours ago when I got home from work and saw his new symptoms, and will monitor for signs of parasites. There is very limited fish medications or supplies locally here, so unfortunately I do often have to rely on shipping (side note—in addition to these, Indian almond leaves, and Ich X, are there any other meds you keep in your fish medicine cabinet to have on hand at all times?).

I know kanaplex can only be used for 3-5 treatments or 6-10 days, then 14 days off (if I’m remembering that correctly, I’ll verify before proceeding), but might try the myacin after the kanaplex round if no change since it treats a different range of things. It’s just weird that I can’t see any clear signs of bacteria or fungi to diagnose him, and like you said frustrating how there aren’t really fish vets so we do our own research, diagnosis, and care to the best of our abilities. Treating ich was so much more straight forward, and I haven’t had any other illnesses pop up in my tanks until this! I feel that clean and well maintained water is usually the best treatment for most things, but am glad to have these meds on hand in case for the future so my fish don’t have to wait for treatment. Again, just babbling at this point I think, or anxiously venting lol. I work in pediatric therapy and, not for the first time, I am truly wishing I had x-ray glasses that could just let me see what is wrong so I can figure out the best route to help treat/fix it!

Thank you again for your help—it is so nice to have someone knowledge to talk to, as well as someone who gets it and knows it’s not “just a fish.” Your time and effort here is so appreciated!

 

I think that your nitrates are too high, plus your pH should be below 7.

 

I think that your nitrates are too high, plus your pH should be below 7.

I have done extensive research and am struggling with some of this, please help me learn more if I’ve been misinformed or missed some research that might change what I’m doing. Nitrates are naturally around 5 in the wild, yes, but research has gone up to 200 before being lethal (not that I would ever advocate for that ridiculous high level and there’s a difference between lethal level and thriving level). Around 40-50 is what I’ve always read as a suggested limit, and I change when it gets above 20 as I’m trying to balance everyone’s needs in the ecosystem and don’t want to let it get that high. I have a heavily planted tank and the nitrates need to be 10-20 for the health of the plants from everything I’ve read, which is a safe level for fish and invertebrates. The lowest I’ve ever been able to get it is 10 as there are nitrates in my tap water, despite others who are also heavily planted experiencing the plants lowering their nitrates to almost nothing. And fertilizers add nitrate. If I can’t lower them below 10 or so due to the tap water baseline that’s where I get stuck—do you have a suggestion that helps with this as having tons of plants hasn’t worked yet? As for pH, there is ideal level yes, but stability is something I’ve always read to be much more important than chasing a “perfect” pH. My tap water is hard and basic, and I already lower it with Indian almond leaves as that is slower released and therefore more stable. I know using a buffer to lower pH can cause wide swings in pH that is much harder on fish than adapting to a stable level. Ideally I would want it lower, but I have fought my tanks on this before, and have learned through hours of reading and asking others that know more that stability is the most important if it’s within the safe range. If you have more information on this, please let me know. I am trying my best by my fish and doing everything based on the research and articles I can read, and would hate to have accidentally ever hurt any animal under my care. If there is better research out there I will fix what I’m doing, but for now know I am doing everything in my power based on reading articles and research and working with the water I have access to (tap only, no RO/DI, only chose animals that can thrive in the conditions I have access to). I apologize that this sounds defensive, I am extremely stressed and just trying to explain my reasoning.

 

In my opinion, your ph and nitrate levels are fine. If your betta were a true wild, and not a hybrid like all aliens, then I would agree that the ph needs to be lower. Nitrate levels rise and fall with water changes, and as you say, the plants do suck them up pretty well, too, so that level will decrease between water changes. My ph levels are just about the same as yours, too. So I think your water parameters are fine....

Edit: Sorry, you asked about what meds I have/keep on hand. I always have aquarium salt and plain epsom salt along with hydrogen peroxide. I keep methylene blue, too, as it has a few uses. For anitbiotics, I have kanaplex and neoplex by Seachem, and sometimes API fin and body cure, too, and Maracyn 2 (most of these are for gram negative bacterial infections). I know this sounds like a lot, but I only ever have cheaper, $6.00 mass bred bettas from big chain pet stores (all we have around where we live) that are prone to illnesses, so I like to be ready in case something comes up. Maybe one day I will actually buy an expensive betta from a breeder!