Betta acting odd

[aauringe]

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm hoping somebody has some insight into what's going on with my little guy. He is a male betta who I have had for about a year and in the past couple days has been acting strange (not coming up right away during feedings, resting on plants and wood A LOT) he also has developed a small bump on his head (slightly white)

I'd addition, under what would be his chin he looks like his gills are flaring a bit constantly, almost like pineconing. (I have looked at him from above and he shows no sign of bodily poneconing, nor other signs of dropsy besides that he is acting off. I'll attach a picture. normally his underside is very smooth and rounded.

Both of these things are a lot more pronounced when you look at him in person.

Tank:

Tank: 10 gallon planted
Lighting: LED national geographic
Filter: in-tank sponge filter (he wouldn't tolerate a power filter)
Heated to 79-80 F

Water change schedule: 25% once a week (twice a week sometimes if gravel needs more vacuuming). Vacuum gravel with each water change

Water parameters are VERY similar to my community tank, which is very healthy.

Tank is almost a year old and ammonia reads 0. Cycled the tank (fishless) before introducing him
PH:6
Small amount of nitrates showing
Nitrites were showing about a week ago for some reason but are gone now.
Very soft water, Kh and Gh are very low, near 0.

If I missed any info let me know!
Hopefully somebody has an idea what these things could be.

Thanks!






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[aauringe]

I forgot to add that there is about a tablespoon of aquarium salt in his 10gal as well to see if it might help heal whatever is on his head. He has also had ich in the past due to heating fluctuations (soon after I got him) but has never shown symptoms since


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[Fishfur]

Salt may help but don't keep it up for more than a couple of weeks. Eventually it can do more harm than help.

Any chance that nitrite spike did some damage ? It doesn't always show up right away, depends how high the spike and how fast it got taken care of.

He might respond to some live or frozen food, possibly. And he might have a tumour or something of that sort, though I hope not. A white bump on the head does not sound very good. If the Ich was cured, the only way he could get it again is if you added a new fish who had ich. So it's not likely to be ich.

 

[aauringe]

Yeah! Thanks for the response. I'll try keeping up the salt for a few more days and then start diluting with water changes. Maybe try some melafix? If I can't find anything to fix it I guess I'll just have to make the tank as comfortable as possible for him and wait it out.
Thanks!


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[aauringe]

Not sure if it might be something bacterial, fungal?


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