Pufferlily
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2020
- Messages
- 8
Betta: Gill sores or normal coloration?
Betta, 8 months old has markings on gills and sides of head. I have seen pictures of similar markings on the internet but no context to know if it’s normal. Father and some siblings also have similar marks, not extremely visible until they flush colors, first noticed on dad when he was showing off for a female, ditto with this one. (In this picture he is happily building a bubble nest because I used his tank to put his biggest sister in a time-out cup for bullying the smaller ones, just out of frame) dad and this fish both exhibit dramatic color changes from olive and pale brown to deep black when flushed, they have naturally red eyes and red accents around the mouth but these ones on the gill margins I’ve never noticed, can’t tell if they are sores or just like that.
They are symmetrical and water parameters in this tank (solo, 5 gal), dad’s tank, ( solo, 10 gal )and community tank (20 gal) are all within range (ammo/nitro/nitra=0, temp 76, ph 7.7 buffered with leaf tannins) except KH which is elevated. Bottom is fine sand, filtration is external livewater system with evaporative reclaim. flowthru replaces ~7% of water per day and supplies all tanks, appx 90gal system.
I’ve given the dad a medicine bath (paragard, stress coat and melaleuca) marks don’t visibly appear reduced after that first one, but have changed back to his olive-brown background color. Before I send him and all the kids in for another round in the cups I wanted to get some input.
Thanks!
Betta, 8 months old has markings on gills and sides of head. I have seen pictures of similar markings on the internet but no context to know if it’s normal. Father and some siblings also have similar marks, not extremely visible until they flush colors, first noticed on dad when he was showing off for a female, ditto with this one. (In this picture he is happily building a bubble nest because I used his tank to put his biggest sister in a time-out cup for bullying the smaller ones, just out of frame) dad and this fish both exhibit dramatic color changes from olive and pale brown to deep black when flushed, they have naturally red eyes and red accents around the mouth but these ones on the gill margins I’ve never noticed, can’t tell if they are sores or just like that.
They are symmetrical and water parameters in this tank (solo, 5 gal), dad’s tank, ( solo, 10 gal )and community tank (20 gal) are all within range (ammo/nitro/nitra=0, temp 76, ph 7.7 buffered with leaf tannins) except KH which is elevated. Bottom is fine sand, filtration is external livewater system with evaporative reclaim. flowthru replaces ~7% of water per day and supplies all tanks, appx 90gal system.
I’ve given the dad a medicine bath (paragard, stress coat and melaleuca) marks don’t visibly appear reduced after that first one, but have changed back to his olive-brown background color. Before I send him and all the kids in for another round in the cups I wanted to get some input.
Thanks!
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