annc
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hello! I'm a newcomer here, and a newcomer to the fish scene. I've posted in Introductions, but I need some help here please. I've been keeping two bettas, Magellan and De Gama, since February, and I've fallen in love with them. Also with the weird little tanks I'm keeping them in (described in my Profile). But my light pink Magellan has some issues so I took him down to PetSmart where the head fish guy said he had fungus, and a tumor/cyst in his bottom fin (which he thinks I should cut out 
I'll tackle that on here later, but am more concerned right now about the fungus. Here's your sick-fish form, and yet more blathering on below. Hope you can help!
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
Betta half-moon male (light pink) with 1) darker pink/red patch or rash on his head and 2) light black streaks in his tail and fins and very dark black edge rimming his flared gills, plus dark black patch on his throat/underside beneath gills.
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
A week ago, before I started medication (API Pimafix, treats fungal infections), parameters were zero on ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates; pH is consistently high 7-low 8; today, after a week of no water changes (per directions) all remained at 0 except ammonia, which was a tinge greenish, so 0-.25.
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
One-half gallon tank, set up in February 2014.
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
No filtration.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
One betta, one nerite snail. Betta is about 6 months old
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
I don’t vacuum gravel (tank is NoClean Aquarium, sucks up some residue from the bottom through a tube when you add water to the top; search NoClean Aquarium to see short video of how it works if you like). Did a 25% water change yesterday, per directions on Pimafix, after a week of no water changes, per directions on Pimafix. To the 1/2-gal tank I added one drop (from a large dropper) of Pimafix per day for past 7 days, then changed 25% water, then continue (today) to add one drop of Pimafix per day. But I see no improvement in the black spot on his throat/belly or gills, and I’m concerned that I have the wrong diagnosis. More on that below.
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
About 3 months. Acclimated with floating fish bag in tank water, then releasing.
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
No.
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Per breeder’s recommendation, have fed only 6-8 pellets Attison Betta Pro 2xday.
Since I’ve seen no improvement, I’m worried about continuing the Pimafix for another week with no water changes, as bottle says is okay to do “if needed.” NoClean Aquariums recommend 50-100% water change every day or two, which I do (most usually 50% day and weekly 100% water change, but sometimes 100% more often [it's so easy]).
I’m also concerned because I’ve been looking at fish for sale on eBay and Aquabid, and I’ve seen several light-colored fish on Aquabid with the same blackness I see on Magellan (my pink betta). I don’t think professional breeders would post pictures of sick fish online to sell; seems like that would be bad for business. So I’m wondering if this really sounds like fungus to you, should I continue with the Pimafix for another week, and what then if the black hasn’t cleared up?
Hmm, something else: About three weeks ago, I switched Magellan from a 3-gal tank (which has had the same parameters, same timeframe) into this smaller tank. I’m also concerned that De Gama may have this black coloration fungus, but he’s blue-black so how would I tell? Is it better to treatment as a precaution or not? (De Gama (the blue-black) had been in the 1/2-gal, but I switched them because I thought De Gama might be nibbling on his tail and could use more room. I’m ordering another, larger tank for Magellan too, and will use this half-gal as a quarantine/treatment tank, but that’ll be another month.
I have pictures, which I will now try to figure out how to post. Thank you SO MUCH for any advice you can give me! I’m loving this fish thing, and want to get more bettas, but I’ve got to be sure I can take care of them properly first. Thanks again! - Ann
I'll tackle that on here later, but am more concerned right now about the fungus. Here's your sick-fish form, and yet more blathering on below. Hope you can help! 1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
Betta half-moon male (light pink) with 1) darker pink/red patch or rash on his head and 2) light black streaks in his tail and fins and very dark black edge rimming his flared gills, plus dark black patch on his throat/underside beneath gills.
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
A week ago, before I started medication (API Pimafix, treats fungal infections), parameters were zero on ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates; pH is consistently high 7-low 8; today, after a week of no water changes (per directions) all remained at 0 except ammonia, which was a tinge greenish, so 0-.25.
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
One-half gallon tank, set up in February 2014.
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
No filtration.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
One betta, one nerite snail. Betta is about 6 months old
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
I don’t vacuum gravel (tank is NoClean Aquarium, sucks up some residue from the bottom through a tube when you add water to the top; search NoClean Aquarium to see short video of how it works if you like). Did a 25% water change yesterday, per directions on Pimafix, after a week of no water changes, per directions on Pimafix. To the 1/2-gal tank I added one drop (from a large dropper) of Pimafix per day for past 7 days, then changed 25% water, then continue (today) to add one drop of Pimafix per day. But I see no improvement in the black spot on his throat/belly or gills, and I’m concerned that I have the wrong diagnosis. More on that below.
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
About 3 months. Acclimated with floating fish bag in tank water, then releasing.
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
No.
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Per breeder’s recommendation, have fed only 6-8 pellets Attison Betta Pro 2xday.
Since I’ve seen no improvement, I’m worried about continuing the Pimafix for another week with no water changes, as bottle says is okay to do “if needed.” NoClean Aquariums recommend 50-100% water change every day or two, which I do (most usually 50% day and weekly 100% water change, but sometimes 100% more often [it's so easy]).
I’m also concerned because I’ve been looking at fish for sale on eBay and Aquabid, and I’ve seen several light-colored fish on Aquabid with the same blackness I see on Magellan (my pink betta). I don’t think professional breeders would post pictures of sick fish online to sell; seems like that would be bad for business. So I’m wondering if this really sounds like fungus to you, should I continue with the Pimafix for another week, and what then if the black hasn’t cleared up?
Hmm, something else: About three weeks ago, I switched Magellan from a 3-gal tank (which has had the same parameters, same timeframe) into this smaller tank. I’m also concerned that De Gama may have this black coloration fungus, but he’s blue-black so how would I tell? Is it better to treatment as a precaution or not? (De Gama (the blue-black) had been in the 1/2-gal, but I switched them because I thought De Gama might be nibbling on his tail and could use more room. I’m ordering another, larger tank for Magellan too, and will use this half-gal as a quarantine/treatment tank, but that’ll be another month.
I have pictures, which I will now try to figure out how to post. Thank you SO MUCH for any advice you can give me! I’m loving this fish thing, and want to get more bettas, but I’ve got to be sure I can take care of them properly first. Thanks again! - Ann
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The blackness I've seen is from high ammonia but that seems ruled out. Is there any chance any other chemicals could be getting into the tank? Does it have a cover? 
