Betta (crowntail) with white stuff on fins and in water

lilcavy2

lilcavy2

AC Members
Mar 3, 2009
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Tampa, FL
My betta has developed white fuzzies on the ends of his fins. (see picture) I have moved him to a hospital tank where the water is changed 50% daily, but the water has the same fuzzies in it. They sink to the bottom where I suction them out daily. I am very reluctant to use any medication as bettas are so sensitive but what can I do to treat him besides the water changes? After 2 weeks he has much better energy but the fuzzies are still there and not any smaller. I think it's really weird that the fuzzies are floating in the water as well :huh: . Anyone cured a fish of this before? (I am also going to post this in the forum for betta fish.) Thanks for any help. (Oh I should mention that I have had him for 2 years.)

sickbetta.JPG
 
Water tests are always perfect 0/0/>10(nitrates) but his regular tank got a bad case of blue green algae. I didn't know it was in his filter and down hiding in the marbles on the bottom. (That tank gets a lot of natural sunlight.) I moved him because the constant water movement of the filter in his usual tank was causing him to change to that dusky brown color of a very stressed fish.
 
cicrush13 said:
Melafix for the betta!
Click to expand...

Ummm, according to the treatments sticky:
Melafix
Active ingredients: 1% melaluca oil
Diseases: wounds and tattered fins, bruises
Contraindications:
There were some situations where Melafix itself proved fatal on some fish species such as bettas as it was alleged that the oil can clog gills and therefore obstruct breathing. Not to be used with labyrinth fish or oxygen-challenged specimens.

I'm looking for something that won't clog their gills. Not easy since any infection already damages the gills.... Are there any individuals, maybe site moderators, with lots of betta experience?
 
There are lots of people with lots of betta experience on this site, but you have to understand if your fish is sick there are always going to be side effects no matter what you use. Many people have a lot of success with melafix and bettas. It is one of the safer remedies from what I understand. I am not saying it is perfect for your fish as I don't know what illness your fish suffers from, but there are going to be contraindications on ANY treatment, even just using salt for ich can have horrible side effects on some fish. That being said, I am not an illness expert, but it looks bacterial to me as well, and if it were my betta I would probably use melafix as well. i would start with big water changes though, because it looks like you might have some fin rot going on there and clean water works wonders for that.
 
First of all, I'd be doing lots of water changes. If that is the water the betta is living in it looks pretty horrific. Clean water is the best healing agent for fish, period. Also, that looks like a bowl, is there any filtration and heating? It's ambiguous from your earlier post.

As far as Melafix and labyrinth fish, it's usually ok as long as you don't overdose (as many people are prone to do). It can be used half-strength for these fish if you are concerned about affecting the labyrinth organ (not the gills). In fact, the product "Bettafix" is simply diluted Melafix packaged in a small bottle and sold for more $$$.

Water changes daily combined with low dose melafix are what I would do were that fish mine. Ash is right that any medication (even salt) used incorrectly can kill a fish.
 
Water change, water change, water change! Best to start with that and see if there is any improvement before adding meds. Also, if you can get your hands on some indian almond leaves, adding one to his bowl or tank may also be beneficial in his situation. Good luck!
 
Found the diagnosis!!!

I found out what my fish has!!!! I racked my brain and remembered one of the people who used to peruse this forum and post - badman, who has an excellent website. He has an awesome picture at this website:
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/fish_palace/tropicalfish_disease_identification_1.html#Finfungus

It's common name is "cotton fin fungus". I have 'Rid Fungus' by Kordon that I am going to try. :thm: Thank you very much for all the posts!

Incidentally in the picture I posted I was only trying to show the cottony stuff on his fins, the "water" looks weird because it's a reflection (you can actually see me taking the picture lol). The real water is crystal clear. Now that I know what he has I am going to move him back into his filtered home. Just all the water changes improved him a great deal (which is what I was trying to accomplish). If anyone has had success curing cotton fin fungus with a different product I'd love to hear which one. :)
 
If anyone's fish has cottony stuff on their fish's fins, especially if there are cottony like threads floating in the water I can HIGHLY recommend Kordon's 'Rid Fungus'. At least half of my betta's fins had this stuff and after 5 days of treatment it was GONE! Didn't bother the fish at all.
 
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