Betta w/inflammed face, acting lazy

[Lillyan]

I have a Betta that is about a year old. I noticed 2 days ago that his face is swollen and his left gill cover, cheek and to/around the eye is puffed and the scales look dreadful. They stick out, uneven, very weird like Betta that are badly bred. Seems the gill is also more red, he is hanging at the bottom doing nothing. 2 nights ago he ate blood worms, idk if he ate the flakes last night or not, but he did eat a few for sure.
I don't know what's wrong with the poor fish.
:help2:

Tank, 55g divided 4way. cycled, heated, planted, 0-0-5.

 

[Lillyan]

Bump?

 

[Lillyan]

Ok then.
He is doing better if anyone cares to know. Even though his whole gill flap is inflamed and messed up...

 

[RiVerfishgirl]

I didn't see your post until now.

Is there any way you can take a picture? Gill inflammation can be caused by various factors. The description is a little vague to diagnose.

It sounds like he may have pop eye, but that's not a disease it's a symptom. Can be caused by bacterial infections, poor water quality, parasites, injury, tumors, etc.

Make sure there's nothing he could have injured himself on. Keep tank heated to around 80 or slightly above. Keep monitoring the water quality and keep it as clean as possible.

 

[Lillyan]

He likes to give me attitude about the camera and won't face me or stay still for a picture. He is fine everywhere else, rest of the scales are normal, color is good, he eats. I put him in a half gal container with holes in his section and I put him in for 24hrs just to keep him near the surface. It helped him, since before he was always at the bottom and only came up to breathe. Now he stays at the top and swims around down. I started him on antibacterial flake, he eats a few then stops. So I give him a bit of that and regular food. I am getting salt today to add a bit, water is warm. There is nothing in his section for him to of injured the gill.
I will try to get a pic, but no guarantee.

 

[Lillyan]

Can't get better pics. I think it's a tumor or something now. It's not going away and he is still eating and doing all the normal Betta things...

 

[Lillyan]

Bump.
Anyone?

 

[Ara]

Hey hon, sorry there's been no responses..

I don't know for sure what's up with you little guy, but it does seem like he has some gill inflammation- which I would imagine would be some sort of bacterial infection, possibly from poor water parameres.

Have you checked your water stats? (NItrates, NitrItes, Ammonia, etc?).

You mentioned you put him in a half-gallon tank.. was this tank cycled? What kind of filer/heater do you have? I don't recommend a half-gallon tank as any sort of 'hospital' tank as a tank that small does not allow for good and stable water parametres, not to mention room for the fish to swim..

I guess if it was me, I might go for a treatment of water changes and a goood water treatment (I use Prime), with some aquarium salt.


Here's a website that may help:
http://nippyfish.blogspot.com/2006/10/betta-with-red-inflamed-gills.html

Good luck!

 

[Lillyan]

He lives in a 55gal divided in 3 sections. It's cycled and on the warmer side since the summer heat thinks it's too cold, lol. But it's not over 80F, so I don't worry over it, it also doesn't fluctuate often nor radically. The levels are 0, big filter, big tank, very under stocked.

The half gallon was a plastic bin I attached on the inside corner of the tank, in his own home and water. So all that changed was where he could go. It was only for a day to help him get air. After the day, he perked up and is not showing any sign of illness other than the growth or w/e it is. I wish I could get a better pic, there is detail and color you can't see in the other pictures.


There is no Chlorine or Chloramine in the water, so I don't treat it. I added some Kosher salt.

 

[Ara]

Well, I think the problem may be partly that you are not using a water conditioner.

Just because you do not have chlorine or chloramine does not mean it is not beneficial. Water conditioners can do many other things, such as removing ammonia, detoxifying ammonia, nitrates and nitrites, ad other heavy metals found in water.

Conditioners also promots the production and regeneration of the natural slime coat of your fish, which keeps them healthy. This slime coat is the mucoprotein protective coating that protects them from biological, parasitical, or fungal infections. It can be broken down due to many factors, such as water changes, temperature fluctuations, any stress to the fish including netting or moving them, and many other factors. Using a water conditioner helps to heal their slime coating and keep them healthy. I recommend trying one - it may really help.