Comments on: Betta Fish & Ich: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

By: MARIA DEL CARMEN CERVANTES

MARIA DEL CARMEN CERVANTES — Sat, 23 Feb 2019 01:20:11 +0000

All these questions and answers were very helpful! My betta started showing odd signs a couple of weeks back and have been treating him with BETTAFIX which I could see helped him dramatically, however, after 5 days of treatment and a water change I am noticing white spots next to his gills. He has refused to eat and at times his gills flare up :'( I will be retreating him with RID-ICH and adding a heater soon as I can..I hope he gets to feeling better soon!! He’s the best fish I’ve ever had!

By: Bryan

Bryan — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 02:28:39 +0000

In reply to Whitney. It's common for a betta to be lethargic and they may not eat for the first few days as they get settled in. Moving from the store in a cup, and in varying temperatures on the way home, and finally into their new tank can produce a lot of stress. Huddling up close to the heater is also common because they like the warmth. All bettas have varying personalities and activities and I don't think your betta has Ick based on what you've told me here. Changes in color are also common after they get better care and heated habitats.

By: Whitney

Whitney — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 21:21:22 +0000

Hi, I just bought a Betta from Wal-Mart about 3 days ago. At first he was very lethargic staying on the bottom most of the time and not swimming much. I bought a heater, some aquarium salt, and some stress coat+ and treated his tank the very next day. He is now swimming up to the top of the tank more to get air but doesn’t stay very long and I just caught him huddled close to the heater. He is improving but I noticed a few light colored spots on him that at first I thought was ick but looking closer it doesn’t look like it’s on the outside of his body but more like a discoloration? Any suggestions and tips are greatly appreciated. I want him to have the best life possible.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Sat, 19 Jan 2019 19:14:23 +0000

In reply to Chelsea Fowler. Sounds like stress which is most commonly caused by water that is too cold (ensure it's 76-82 degrees Fahrenheit), or water that is dirty. Use test strips to check your pH and ammonia levels, and if necessary perform a partial water change.

By: Chelsea Fowler

Chelsea Fowler — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 00:53:09 +0000

My beta doesn’t have any of the same symptoms. She has a clamped tail, loss of color, jerky movements, lays on her side when not eating and even then it takes so much work for her so she tires easily. Her fins look smaller than normal but not sure. What is this I don’t want to give her the wrong thing?

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 22:47:28 +0000

In reply to Momo.

If it’s an injury, keep the water very clean so it does not get infected – do 20% daily partial water changes and yes you need to get a heater. They can also be found on Amazon for around $10 for a tank that’s 5-gallons or under.

By: Momo

Momo — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 06:53:00 +0000

My betta fish is young, and she has a white dot on her. I searched up some pictures of the same fish types/ betta fishes and they all have a white dot on them. I thought it’s supposed to be normal for her to have that dot, but when I checked on her, the side of her dot was right next to the filter that was vibrating. I knew this was a symptom of the side rubbing in stuff in the tank, but I don’t know what to exactly purchase for her. I did heat up the water for the night since I don’t have a heater even though I know it’s important. Just too broke right now. =| The local store for me is Petco, and what should I buy from there? Please reply. I’m in desperate need for this poor fish. =<

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 02:05:51 +0000

In reply to Jan. Could it be white colors developing in small areas that you have not seen before? Hard for me to say it is or isn't without seeing the betta.

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 19:55:18 +0000

Hi Bryan, my betta has 2 tiny white spots and one bigger spot (that looks like a grain of salt) on one of his pectoral fins. I’ve had his tank temp increased to 86 for over a week, and I do regular water changes. The spots are still there, no change at all. No other spots have appeared anywhere on his body. I thought that the adult parasite would have fallen off by now. Does this mean it’s not ich? Thanks

By: Bryan

Bryan — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 01:24:54 +0000

In reply to Christin. Do you have a separate smaller tank you can use for a hospital and treatment tank? I would purchase a 2-3 gallon tank for this purpose. It will reduce the amount of medication you need to use and will be much easier to keep a close eye on him or her. This will also prevent issues with your filtration and any other tank mates or live plants.