Betta Fish - Gill Problem

[Puriti]

I think what my betta's have is those gill...flukes or worms or whatever, but i'm not sure.

Two of my female bettas have one gill raised and what looks like a peach blob underneath them. One's been like this for a while, the second one just got it and is being sluggish and breathing heavy. At first i thought that it was a bite wound that swelled, but since it hasn't gone away and with the second one now having this bulge (which is why i checked the first one) it's making me worried.

Other fish in the tank: Male and female bettas, mollies, cory catfish, SAE, CAE

29 gal

Nitrates: 60
Nitrites: 0

 

[An t-iasg]

Are any of the other fish affected? Your nitrates look a little high. I would try some water changes first and see if that helps with their breathing. You need to lower the nitrates gradually so you won't shock the fish (they may be used to the high nitrate levels). Try doing a 20% change every day for about 3 or 4 days.

 

[Puriti]

No, it's just one of the two with the gill problem. Everyone else is breathing fine. And she's not doing it anymore, just that one day I noticed the gills being popped out slightly.

 

[An t-iasg]

That's good to hear. Hopefully the extra water changes will help.

 

[Puriti]

@__@ Yeah but that hasn't helped their gills having hardened blobs underneath them and their gill covers sticking out.

The one that's had it the longest has like...whitish strands sticking out of it kind of.

 

[Skyrmir]

I haven't had quite the gill problem you're having there, however I might suggest Pemafix. It's primarily an anti-fungal, but my betta's have responded to it well. Cleaned up a case of pop-eye and an unidentified slime coat problem on different occasions.

Hopefully someone has seen something closer to what your fish have though in case there is a better treatment.