What is this? Fungus? Bacterial? Excess slime?

an old injury maybe? i only say that cuz ive only seen fungus on a molly and it looks more like a film or tufts covering it and the pic just looks like faded scales to me
Someone else will chime in

I think it may be an old injury. But if you have had her for 2 weeks and not noticed it, I would watch it very closely, if it gets any whiter/bigger/fuzzier treat for cotton-Maracyn-Oxy is the best cotton killer I have found. But I think it may just be an old injury, just watch it closely! BTW, nice fish, gorgeous!

Yeah, it looks like a wound. Just keep up on the water changes to maintain good conditions and the chances of a secondary infection is slight. If she's healthy and eating well, it'll heal on its own. Gorgeous fish!

Beautiful Betta! I'm a little worried that this could be early Columnaris. It doesn't look like true fungus to me, which will have a hairy, whispy look; like a piece of food you accidentally left in the tank and has gotten long hairy looking fuzz.

Yet, it does look like there is something on top of the scales and not just a discoloration, to me. So this is what has me concerned.

Columnaris is more like wet cotton. Kinda flat, but also can look filmy. This may be nothing, but I'd do daily water changes, matching temperature with a really good condtioner. I love Prime, because it really helps detoxify any ammonia and nitrite traces, even as you do need to continue to do water changes.

I'd slowly bring the temperature in the tank down to around 75 or 76 degrees. If this is Columnaris, temps of 77 and above really help the bacteria take of like gangbusters.

I would watch her like a hawk to see if you see any signs that this area is getting bigger or more filmy. Other dark, dull areas that appear anywhere can be a sign of Columnaris.

I believe, if I were you, I'd go ahead and get some antibiotic to have on hand, just in case this becomes obviously Columnaris. I don't know what you have available, but I have used Kanamycin, or Kanaplex, with success.

Another good one is Furan 2. In fact, Kanaplex and Furan 2 can safely be combined for a powerful punch.

If not those, then the combo of Maracyn and Maracyn 2 can be used. (the combo is best, because usually an aeromonas infection will accompany a Columnaris infection and the Maracyn works on that, while the Maracyn 2 works on the Columnaris.)

Please keep us posted, and I hope this turns out to be nothing.

Others here on AC that are more experienced with Bettas will hopefully chime in, too.

Hi, Samantha! I just sent you an email, today. Yes, I do remember your sweet boy, Buster, may he rest in peace.

Here's a comment by a very very experienced Betta keeper, with a biology/science/medicine background who has dealt with Columnaris many many times. The following comment pretty much made a big impression on me.

I've copied and pasted this info from her post in another thread dealing with a sick fish in this forum. Here's her comment regarding the early signs of Columnaris.

I'm not sure, but I believe Sherryazure is quoting from the website flippersandfins.net in the following exerpt regarding the early signs of Flavobacter Columnare (FC)

Probably from the very excellent article "The Dreaded Flexibacter", by Dr. Barb, on that site.

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http://www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm

I've done hundreds of betta rescues where this and it's various forms is common (many different manifestations and as well shows up differently often in different fish species) and did much work on treating often end stages (covered with eyes missing) and even did government research to use h202 (very common in commercial fisheries so a great deal of this type of scientific data out there) (so much research as I used it after end stage due to building fire and holistic methods used on myself (iv's from doctor due to internal fungus! run wild into all of my organs and even bloodstream) - (was getting Masters in biochemistry).

But by the time is shows up on the surface the columes of bacteria are deeply embedded in the body of said fish, organs et al... and one reason why hard to treat with baths medical treatments (I learned that the single cell discoloration in the betta - didn't know what it was at first, but quickly learned that was THE beginning and best time to treat)...


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It was a little hard to follow Sherry's references, her information was extensive in her post, but the above quote is either Sherryazure speaking from her own experience, or quoting the article by Dr. Barb on FlippersandFins.net.

Samantha, my gut tells me that this is the very earliest sign of Flavobacter Columnare in your Betta, so if this were my Betta I would jump on it. There seems to me in the photographs that the area is not just a flat area, but that there is some degree of elavation to the lesion... a filminess or fluffiness that is very slight but noticable... at least to my eye.

If this is early FC, then Kanamycin and Furan 2 would be my first choice. Although I did succesfully use Maracyn and Maracyn 2. Some have reported resistant strains to the Maracyns, however. Bring the temperature in the tank down slowly to 75 degrees.

I think I would also add some salt, slowly, bringing the salinity up in the tank to 0.1 or 0.2%. Studies show the bacteria slows down it's spread over the surface of the body in salinity concentrations of 0.1 to 0.3% with the higher concentrations affecting lower mortality in the tank.


There's some argument about the effectiveness of salinty for fish already infected, saying that it's more to prevent others that have been exposed from contracting Columnaris. I have, however,read an abstract that indicated it did, in that study, indeed, help fish already infected with Columnaris.

Evenso, I don't think I'd go more than 0.2%.... you may even be more cautious and keep it at 0.1% which is one teaspoon per gallon.

There are other suggested antibiotics for the treatment of Columnaris, and others may chime in with help on this; the more help from experienced Betta keepers the better, but I think, personally, I'd go with Kanamycin and Furan 2.

You might even PM Sherryazure and ask her to take a look at this thread and give you her opinion. BTW, I emailed you to tell you about an orange Betta girl she wants to rehome to someone in NYC, since I remembered that you were from NYC I thought of you. It's in the Classified section on AC.

Having said all that, I hope others join in with this and offer advice on this for your consideration. I'm not a vet and by no means the most experienced fishkeeper here, so I hope we can get more opinions here.

I'm so sorry that you're having this difficulty and I do so hope that your new little friend will be OK.

I have very very little experience with bettas, but I agree with Mel.I would not wait to see if it gets larger as it looks like its the start of columnaris to me as well. Here is one of my favorite links for treatment (which has a TON of other links with information on how to determine type of columnaris and treatment): http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134928
Luckily since you tank is small, it won't be uber expensive to treat. One thing you might do is put a spare sponge into your established tank because meds can effect your biofilter and once treatment is over, you can add the newly established sponge back to her tank to help with the possible stress of it cycling again (especially since its new and not quite stable yet).

Best of luck and I hope she is better in no time.