My first disease--is this ich?

[harpreno]

My betta has been in his new 10 gallon planted aquarium for a week now, and today he has two white spots on either side of him. Is this ich? He spent six weeks in my punchbowl while this tank cycled, with no problems, so I'm assuming that this came from the lfs with the plants, or...?

Ph is 8.1 (consistently), 0 ammonia and nitrites, about 15-20 nitrates. I turned up the heater and the flow of the filter, which has just the sponges in it. He's the only tank occupant. Tomorrow I'll do a water change.

Help, please! He still seems happy, and is active and eating.

 

[coralbandit]

If the spots are on base of fin and body(bottom of fish) then that may just be color changing?

Those don't look like ich IMO.

 

[sinibotia]

If the spots are on base of fin and body(bottom of fish) then that may just be color changing?

Those don't look like ich IMO.

+1, ich looks like grains of salt- very tiny! Those spots are too big to be ich. I agree it looks like color change to me.

 

[Nils]

Agree with what's said above. Could we get some more close up pictures? That would help determine the problem, if there is one.

 

[nkoyko]

It does not look like ich. I had ich on my red female betta and you will see little white bumps (look like grains of salt) on the fish and they will multiply pretty quickly. When my betta had it, I noticed 3 white bumps on her head at night and by 3pm the next day they were all over her head, body, and fins. I'd say observe him for a day and if they stay the same then there is nothing to worry about (unless the spots are fuzzy).

 

[nkoyko]

Oh and ich can come home on plants if the plant was housed with fish that had ich. Ich usually does not affect fish that have a healthy slime coat.

So any new plants you purchase do a plant dip (coralbandit can explain pp best, and others can explain the other types of dip) to get rid of any "things" that may come home with new plants. I learned this the hard way.

 

[harpreno]

Better view of the problem

Darn fish won't hold still for a photo! This is the best closeup I could get. Thanks, everybody, for helping me check this out.

 

[coralbandit]

That's funny that the color is through the fin(same on both sides)?
The finnage on your betta is beautiful!
What's the tank temp?

 

[harpreno]

Tank temp

Thanks--he really is a pretty fish ( and I think he knows it). At first I thought I was just seeing light through a separation in his fins, but, no, they really are white areas that seem to be running through from one side to the other.

The tank temperature is 79-80 F.