Help! I think my Betta has velvet.

[francapps]

Hello,

I have a crowntail betta. Ive had him for almost a month now. Hes usually very active and a bit of an eater. I have been away for a few days (my brother fed him while i was away). i noticed he stayed at the bottom of the tank a lot today which isnt his norm. Hes normally a happy little guy and likes to nap on his leaf. His fins are normally spread out as he swims but he has had them a bit clamped today and was not eating as much. He also started darting around which concerned me. So i changed the water in his tank to see if that would change things, it hasnt and im worried. I used my flashlight to get a better look at him and noticed a little bit of gold shine to him. He has a natural iridecence to him but im not sure if this gold has always been there. I have him in a 3.5 gallon tank with an air pump filter (that i turned off just now to see if that would help). The tank has a heater, its somewhere between 80-86 degrees right now..just not sure how to read it.

Please help, im worried something is wrong. He had made such a lovely bubble nest before last weeks water change and now he isnt acting himself.

Here is a photo I took tonight. The photo is with the flash on. I took some video as well but Im not sure how to upload it on here.

 

[Rbishop]

Tank parameters from a good liquid test kit?

Overfed from your brother?

 

[francapps]

Tank parameters from a good liquid test kit?

Overfed from your brother?

I dont have a kit yet. Getting one today. My brother fed him only what he could eat in 3 min (3-4 pellets)

 

[Rbishop]

Is that a stick on thermometer? They can be difficult to read. Turn the filter back on, skip a couple days of feeding and do daily water changes with a good additive like Prime.

 

[francapps]

Is that a stick on thermometer? They can be difficult to read. Turn the filter back on, skip a couple days of feeding and do daily water changes with a good additive like Prime.

NO3 = 20
NO2 = 0
PH = 7
KH = 120
GH = 120

i went out and got a new thermometer, super ick cure (ive heard it works on velvet, and betta salt.

What should I do?

He seems to be swimming around more today. I came home and found him on his leaf at the top of the tank and now hes swimming around

 

[Rbishop]

I wouldn't treat on a hit or miss issue.

 

[francapps]

I wouldn't treat on a hit or miss issue.

Oh no. I already treated him. I looked at him this morning and saw gold dust all around his face and saw some horizontal lines across his body so, Im hoping I caught it early enough. I used a combo of betta salt and super ick cure. Ive heard that a combo is helpful.

Are the water readings normal though? Im unsure.

 

[Rbishop]

Are those readings from a dip strip?

 

[francapps]

yes

 

[Rbishop]

Not the most reliable as I'm sure you have read. Get that liquid one when you can, do water changes even if just 25% daily and watch his behavior.