Fungal infection treatmeant?

[sunnypseudo]

Before I do anything I want to double check a few things I've read, and compare to my tank set up.

I have a 10 gallon tank, temp 78
ammo/nitrites 0
nitrates 5.0

1 Double tail betta
2 juli cory cats
1 spotted cory cat

I noticed a small white spot on one of my Betta's fins, and figured I'd wait since the cories are fine and it didn't look to be doing anything I guess that was mistake one. He ended up with a second spot on his head, very small so now I'm about to panic. He's eating fine, he's not flashing, he's not staying at the top of his tank. He isn't doing anything out of the ordinary. But I am wondering on how to treat this now. Should I try to do a 100% tank change for one, second I've been reading about salts, in which its 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons. If I go the salt route, how often and how much of water changes should I be doing during this? I'm right now really concerned mostly because we are moving soon (within two weeks) and I know that's going to stress them out pretty bad, and I don't want to end up losing my Betta or cories over this.

 

[alex07]

Do you have a heater?

 

[sunnypseudo]

Yes I do have a heater.

 

[Aces11]

Do the spots look like little grains of salt? Because it might not be fungal- it could be ick.

 

[sunnypseudo]

One looks like a grain of salt, the other is like a white lump. The small one does look fuzzy though.

 

[Aces11]

Is it possible to post a picture?

 

[sunnypseudo]

Ok pictures soon hopfully. I have no idea how they turned out, my Betta isn't.. cooperative.

 

[Aces11]

Ya I understand. Fish are hard to get pictures from when they're always swimming around.

 

[sunnypseudo]

This is the lump, its the best picture I could get, its the white mass on the long fin I don't know technical terms..

The white spot is above his gill I'm really sorry these turned out so poorly.. I'm no photographer.

 

[Aces11]

Sorry I can't really see the the lump in the first pic but the spot in the second pic could be the start of ick. Do you know which fin the white stuff is on in the first pic? I might be able to see it if I know where to look.

 

[sunnypseudo]

Now that I looked it up yes, it is the pelvic fin, right side, unfortunately it doesn't help that he's like a calico with all his colors, that particular fin happens to be white.. The mass is a little south of center on that fin.

 

[Aces11]

Ya I do see it now. I'm not sure if it is fungus though. If it is, I've had Melafix work wonders in my tank. If that doesn't work Maracyn 2 also works but its expensive and I had to keep treating with it. As for the other white spot, it could be the starting of ick. I've never had ick in my tank before (knock on wood) but I've read that aquarium salt, raising the water temp. to about 80*F, and doing pwc help. I'm not an expert tho

 

[sunnypseudo]

Salts as well as PWC I've read helps fungal as well, so I think I'm just going to go with the salts and see if there's any improvement. I just got done with a 50% PWC. By any chance do you know if one should wait a little while before adding salt right after a change? or should I be alright to start it same day?

 

[Aces11]

I always add my aquarium salt right after I fill my tank back up after a water change and I've never had an issue.

 

[sunnypseudo]

Alright well I've added the salt, and picked up a better heater for my tank. I'll be putting it in tonight.

 

[Aces11]

Good luck! Keep us posted on how your treatment goes!

 

[sunnypseudo]

I will =) thanks

 

[sunnypseudo]

Its only been a couple of days but the one white spot on his head is just about completely gone. Having the new heater I think has helped a lot. My old one was a 50 watt and I replaced it with a 100 watt with the temp on the dial which helps (me at least) quite a bit. With it just being warmer with the salt seems to have done wonders. Unfortunately the weird white bump on his pelvic fin is still there, so I don't know what to make of it. I guess another week and see how it looks then. So when I do my 20% PWC should I be adding the salts again? or wait until I do another 50% in a week?

 

[Ant329]

I dont think its ick according to what you just said.. Prob just an infection.. Ich usually just drops off the fish completly.. My gold nugget had spots all over him after a couple days of treatment i went to work with him covered came home to nothing on him.. But im just speaking from my expierence

 

[sunnypseudo]

Aside from the lump on his pelvic fin, it was a single white dot on his head, which is now almost impossible to tell was even there. From everything I've read from infections to ich, it seems its all treated somewhat the same. Raised temp and salts. It isn't getting any bigger, it isn't spreading and my cory cats are all perfectly fine. Maybe I'll see if I can't get a better picture if Boris feels like working WITH the camera today. He's not shy, just not.. cooperative.