Help! My betta has a long stringy thing attached to his fin by his gill! What is it?

[Sachiel]

When I was taking pictures of sachiel, I noticed his water is murky and he's got this stringy thing attached to his right fin, next to his gill. I've read about fungi, and I heard this is common with cottonmouth, but he doesn't have any cottony substance on his mouth. I also noticed he looks kinda velvety, but I figured that's from the minerals in the water (I conditioned it) This is new water, I let it sit for a while while the conditioner was working and put him in this morning. It was fine up until now. I do have pictures, obviously since I was taking pictures when I noticed it, so I'll show you all and see what you think. If it is a disease, what should I do? should I try Bettafix? Or is there something else you would recommend? I want to show him this year, so I want to make sure he stays healthy.

Additional info is, he's alone in a 5 gallon tank with a sponge filter and fluorescent lights. I keep the lights on during the day, off at night.

Please help me find out what's wrong with my baby

The other stuff is floaties in the water, it's the thing on his fin I'm worried about.

He's not lethargic, he was actively swimming around in the tank and flaring at the camera, so he seems healthy, but looks can be deceiving.

 

[Sachiel]

It's gone now, but what should I do? Just watch to make sure he's okay?

 

[Cichildlife]

Id watch him, it could be ich... If it happends again id treat for ich. But first, did you cycle the tank?

 

[Sachiel]

Id watch him, it could be ich... If it happends again id treat for ich. But first, did you cycle the tank?

Yeah I cycled it, and now he's showing some fuzziness? It's hard to explain but I'm starting to think it's itch too. I'll post an updated picture afterwhile so you can see

 

[Cichildlife]

Ok.... My guess is ich, they sell treatment at walmart for ich if it is

 

[Sachiel]

Ok.... My guess is ich, they sell treatment at walmart for ich if it is

okay

the thing on his head I was gonna show you disappeared when I was trying to get it on camera, but it had formed into the cyst salt-like thing that's the sign. He has some on his gills still, so I'm definitely treating him ASAP. I heard I could use kosher salt? I don't have a heater yet, so I can't set it to 86'F, and until I can get to Pet Finatics, I can't get the treatment so kosher salt is what I have, but I'm skeptical because I'm using a sponge filter atm, so what do I do? <

 

[librarygirl]

I guess it could be Ich, but you said he looks velvety? I'd make sure before treating him to make sure you have the right illness. Take a look at this page; scroll down to step 4, diagnosis and treatment. Read the illnesses there and see if you can match what the betta has to one of those.

 

[Sachiel]

I guess it could be Ich, but you said he looks velvety? I'd make sure before treating him to make sure you have the right illness. Take a look at this page; scroll down to step 4, diagnosis and treatment. Read the illnesses there and see if you can match what the betta has to one of those.

It doesn't seem like he has any of those, because he's actually more active recently since I upgraded him to a 5gal tank and isn't showing Any symptoms of illness, except for the fuzzy balls, but it's kinda hard to tell when they keep disappearing xD I'm going to go try to get a heater tomorrow and set it to the parasite killing temp (gradually) and see if that helps. If not I'll try salt, and then medication.

 

[New]

u didn't have a heater? that COULD be the cause of the problem

 

[Sachiel]

u didn't have a heater? that COULD be the cause of the problem

It could, but my water stays 76'F minimum. I was gonna get the heater anyway to keep it preferred 80'F

 

[New]

yeah, not positive on that, just a thought

 

[Sachiel]

yeah, not positive on that, just a thought

I'm leaning more toward ich, I just caught him rubbing against his castle that's molded from coral grounds, so I'm going to try the heater trick, and if further action need be, so be it. I'll post progress/regression

 

[New]

yep, sounds like ich

 

[Sachiel]

yep, sounds like ich

Yep I figured. Hopefully I caught it before it got too bad!

 

[maverick977]

There's this product out called ich attack its all naturall and is less harmfull twards fish its made from herbs and I sware by it

 

[Sachiel]

There's this product out called ich attack its all naturall and is less harmfull twards fish its made from herbs and I sware by it

Yeah I saw that at the pedagogy. I didn't get to cause I'm not sure how effective it is. I got nox-ich and ich tablets incase the no ich fails. I'm still getting a heater wether or not mom likes it.

 

[maverick977]

Yeah I saw that at the pedagogy. I didn't get to cause I'm not sure how effective it is. I got nox-ich and ich tablets incase the no ich fails. I'm still getting a heater wether or not mom likes it.

Lol it works within a week or 2 aslong as you have high heat I had a bad case of ich mind you what ever survived later died only because they were to far gone I waited to long because I had no money when it first apeared but it deffenently works good too

 

[Sachiel]

Lol it works within a week or 2 aslong as you have high heat I had a bad case of ich mind you what ever survived later died only because they were to far gone I waited to long because I had no money when it first apeared but it deffenently works good too

Oh my gosh, pet store* not pedagogy xD

Ah yeah see there's a red flag already, since I have no heater I have room temp water, and thats what caused the ich In the first place lol but I'm selling paintings to get money, so if I can sell my butterfly painting I should have the heater by this weekend. Plus I have my ag teacher to help me out, so that's always an advantage.

 

[maverick977]

Cool np just get that quick

 

[Sachiel]

Cool np just get that quick

Will do Looks like he's getting worse since he's rubbing against EVERYTHING now, not just the castle. x.x Poor guy I hope I can help him, he's too pretty to euthanize