Ich? (possibly?) and "cloudy eye"?

[smilla4]

I'm not entirely sure but I'm trying to determine if my betta has ich. He's only got one white spot on him. I just saw it today. It's not fuzzy. But it sorta looks oblong rather than round. And it's a raised bump. From photos it sorta looks like ich, but I'm not sure... I don't know if there are any white parasites that look like ich.

Plus one of my white cloud minnows has cloudy eyes. I've read that this is possibly a fungal infection (is that the same as popeye?)?

 

[Allivymar]

Double check it smilla; does it look like more like a grain of salt or a pimple?

And whats the water parameters? Thats the first place to check in cases of cloudy eyes.

 

[smilla4]

Hmm. More like a grain of salt or like some tiny creature has attached itself to him. I don't have anything to magnify it so I can get a better look.

ph: 7.8 (although the color is nothing like any of the colors on the AP color card. It looks closest to 7.8 or 8.2 on the card, but I can't tell for sure)
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrAte: 5
kh: 5 deg
gh: 11 deg

temp: 74F

 

[Allivymar]

Its likely ich then. Your tank temps are pretty low for bettas and that can be an issue. Betta's can handle the high temps needed for non-medicated ich treatment, but it will take you a while to bring the temps up above 86F.

Thing is, with one spot I hate to say for sure, especially since you describe it as raised. Is the fish scratching or flashing or breathing heavy?

 

[smilla4]

Nope. He's his usual self. He just seems to be curious that I keep staring at him.

 

[TankGirl]

I agree that ich is the likely culprit with the betta.

Cloudy eye is almost always due to poor water conditions, so check your water parameters and increase your water changing regimen. Make sure you are not overfeeding so there is not food debris collecting in the gravel.

The other thing that can cause cloudy eye is really low pH, often due to "old tank syndrome" so if this is a very well established tank it might need an overhaul.

Cloudy eye is very often easily resolved (just dealt with it myself!) so check your parameters and post back.

 

[smilla4]

Is ich sort of like chickenpox? You see a spot or two then all of a sudden the whole body is covered?

He's got another tiny spot on his head, it looks sorta greyish green compared to the other one. He seems a little lethargic today, but not itchy or breathing heavier than usual. Are they always itchy with ich? I guess I'll keep some medication on hand and see... I don't want to wait too long, but I don't want to treat everyone with the wrong med either, I'm worried that might compromise them as well!

I'm hesitant about the heat and salt treatment since the white clouds are supposed to be at temps below 72F (though my tank ranged from 70-82 over the summer). And the otos max temp is 79. I don't know how they would handle 86F. Or if the otos can stand the salt? I've seen them listed as scaleless, so I would guess based on that they can't...

It's probably that I haven't been changing the water as much as I should. It seems since I've been skipping weekly water changes I've been having problems.

The minnows don't really let much food get to the bottom, and I think the ghost shrimp takes care of whatever settles... Some of the fish in there seem to be tiny poop machines, particularly the otos!

 

[smilla4]

Nevermind. That spot is gone. It must have been something stuck to his head. He still has the other white spot.

I saw him lying on the bottom today and freaked out. He usually swims up to the corner when I come in. I turned on the light. No movement. I couldn't see his gills because he was among the plants, so I finally stuck my hand in (I just put lotion on them too). And I scared the _crap_ out of him.

To be honest I don't know how I can be so obsessive when my desk looks like a tornado hit it. I think I forgot to pay my phone bill again. But I don't know what pile it's hidden under.

I'm just going to go back to weekly water changes and see what happens.

 

[Menagerie]

I'm just going to go back to weekly water changes and see what happens.

That sounds good--you can QT the betta too--to prevent spreading whatever it has.

Now, go find your phonebill!

 

[smilla4]

Now, go find your phonebill!

LOL.

I think they already sent me another one, so I am spared of the hidden terrors I will face in digging through my desk! Especially in the form of the little tiny spiders that like hiding out in papers. Eeek!

Thanks for your help all of you!! (That's a beaming smile, not a laugh. I think the regular smiley guy looks sorta constipated.)

 

[Menagerie]

That's a beaming smile, not a laugh. I think the regular smiley guy looks sorta constipated

*smacks self in head* -- that's what it reminds me of!!! I tend to avoid that one, too