This is my betta fish Finn. He was the sickest looking fish at my local pet store, so I bought him home in September 2020. (Pic #3). He was in dirty water, suffering from swim bladder and looked like he could use some TLC.
In put him in a 5-gallon cycled Fluval Spec V tank by himself, with water heated to 79 degrees. As he had swim bladder, he would typically rest between a hammock leaf at the top of the tank under the filter flow to stay upright. In December, I noticed several thread like hairs floating at the top of the tank, saw he was losing his color and developed a shiny film on the side of his body. Within days of this, he developed a blister like growth near his tail (Pic #4).
After doing much research, concluded he had contracted Columaris and treated him with Kanaplex and Funan2 - two separate 5-days treatments (10-days apart). This treatment did clear up the Columaris (temporarily), but did nothing to help this blister. As he cannot swim upright, I moved him to a 1 gallon hospital tank in early January where he is currently. I expected the blister to pop, but it hasn't and he seems to be progressively getting worse (Pic #2). I've treated him with various medications over the past three months (PraziPro, Erythromycin, General Cure) - none of which have proved effective.
He is eating well (3-4 Aqueon Pro pellets daily, with either a small pinch of Hikari Brine Shrimp or Daphnia every other day) and actively darts around to greet me - despite only being able to float on his size at the top of the tank.
I change 50% of his water every other day, add a 1/4 tsp of API aquarium salt every other water change, and have dosed him with a drop of Methylene Blue daily on this blister.
He currently has a betta log, heater, (set at 76), half a Catappa leaf (Moss brand) and an air stone in his hospital tank. No substrate. Given his poop is brown and regular, I do not think he is constipated, nor has internal parasites (although I'm no expert...)
Tank parameters: Ammonia and Nitrates 0, temp 77, pH 7.0, KH 40, GH is between 30 and 60 range.
Any advice? I did buy clove oil, but cannot bring myself to euthanize him when he is still active, but worry he is suffering.
Thank-you so much!
Finn's Mom
In put him in a 5-gallon cycled Fluval Spec V tank by himself, with water heated to 79 degrees. As he had swim bladder, he would typically rest between a hammock leaf at the top of the tank under the filter flow to stay upright. In December, I noticed several thread like hairs floating at the top of the tank, saw he was losing his color and developed a shiny film on the side of his body. Within days of this, he developed a blister like growth near his tail (Pic #4).
After doing much research, concluded he had contracted Columaris and treated him with Kanaplex and Funan2 - two separate 5-days treatments (10-days apart). This treatment did clear up the Columaris (temporarily), but did nothing to help this blister. As he cannot swim upright, I moved him to a 1 gallon hospital tank in early January where he is currently. I expected the blister to pop, but it hasn't and he seems to be progressively getting worse (Pic #2). I've treated him with various medications over the past three months (PraziPro, Erythromycin, General Cure) - none of which have proved effective.
He is eating well (3-4 Aqueon Pro pellets daily, with either a small pinch of Hikari Brine Shrimp or Daphnia every other day) and actively darts around to greet me - despite only being able to float on his size at the top of the tank.
I change 50% of his water every other day, add a 1/4 tsp of API aquarium salt every other water change, and have dosed him with a drop of Methylene Blue daily on this blister.
He currently has a betta log, heater, (set at 76), half a Catappa leaf (Moss brand) and an air stone in his hospital tank. No substrate. Given his poop is brown and regular, I do not think he is constipated, nor has internal parasites (although I'm no expert...)
Tank parameters: Ammonia and Nitrates 0, temp 77, pH 7.0, KH 40, GH is between 30 and 60 range.
Any advice? I did buy clove oil, but cannot bring myself to euthanize him when he is still active, but worry he is suffering.
Thank-you so much!
Finn's Mom
