Voltaire-Emilie
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2021
- Messages
- 1
Hello, I am looking for some advice on an ill male betta- I'd appreciate any thoughts you have. I think it might be velvet, but I am not entirely sure if I should begin copper treatment.
My male betta has been lethargic, has some fraying/white edged fins that have started dropping pieces, and has developed a spotting that looks a bit gold depending on the lighting - but not in the picture. I did turn off the lights and look with a flash light- it definitely looks gold to me then. I had noticed a bit of lethargy for a week or so, and he has not build a bubble nest in quite some time (he used to build one daily). I just noticed the fin fraying and spots yesterday. He has been eating okay.
I am considering treatment for velvet, and I moved him yesterday to a 2 gallon quarantine tank with 1 tsp aquarium salt per gallon. I upped the salt slowly and have a heater in the tank, though it is a preset one that does not go above 78. I have not added any filtration or bubble stone to the quarantine tank.
From what I've read, I am not entirely understanding if velvet can be treated with aquarium salt alone or not. I do like that the salt helps with ich, velvet, and fin rot - but I'm scared to add the copper treatment without being 100% certain it is velvet.
Here are some details on him and his original tank:
- I've had him for 3 months
- Housed in a divided 10 gallon tank with a female betta on the other side, and a mystery snail (5 gal to each fish)
- I can't see anything clearly wrong with/on the female betta, but she is more shiny than him and I'm not 100% sure. She has been acting fine.
- I had added a nerite snail in a couple of weeks ago, who I believe to be the source of infection. I hadn't quarantined the snail (drat). The snail has died yesterday or the day before as far as I can tell.
- Tank is heated between 75-78F
- Tank is filtered with active carbon, etc
- Tank contains soil, gravel, and plants
- Tests with API kit show the following results as of today: Ammonia 0.25, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 40 (I do struggle with the colors on these tests though!)
I'm new to this, so please excuse my numerous questions. Thank you!
A. Is it velvet?
B. Should I return the male to the original tank and treat it as a whole, since velvet is contagious? Or should I remove both fish to quarantine, treat both fish in quarantine, and clean the heck out of the original tank? If I treat in the original tank, I know I need to remove the carbon filter, but do I need to worry about the plants with salt and/or copper?
C. Should I treat with just aquarium salt, and if so for how long? 10 days was suggested on one site for a salt treatment
D. Should I monitor for a while (how long?) before beginning copper treatment? (I assume I just follow the bottle's instructions for this)
E. Can I combine the salt and copper treatments?
F. How frequently should I change the water in the quarantine tank, and what percentage?
G. How long should I leave him (/them?) in the quarantine tank? 3-4 weeks was suggested one place - but that is longer than the treatment time I'd think...?
I think that is all I have for now. If you've made it this far thank you!
My male betta has been lethargic, has some fraying/white edged fins that have started dropping pieces, and has developed a spotting that looks a bit gold depending on the lighting - but not in the picture. I did turn off the lights and look with a flash light- it definitely looks gold to me then. I had noticed a bit of lethargy for a week or so, and he has not build a bubble nest in quite some time (he used to build one daily). I just noticed the fin fraying and spots yesterday. He has been eating okay.
I am considering treatment for velvet, and I moved him yesterday to a 2 gallon quarantine tank with 1 tsp aquarium salt per gallon. I upped the salt slowly and have a heater in the tank, though it is a preset one that does not go above 78. I have not added any filtration or bubble stone to the quarantine tank.
From what I've read, I am not entirely understanding if velvet can be treated with aquarium salt alone or not. I do like that the salt helps with ich, velvet, and fin rot - but I'm scared to add the copper treatment without being 100% certain it is velvet.
Here are some details on him and his original tank:
- I've had him for 3 months
- Housed in a divided 10 gallon tank with a female betta on the other side, and a mystery snail (5 gal to each fish)
- I can't see anything clearly wrong with/on the female betta, but she is more shiny than him and I'm not 100% sure. She has been acting fine.
- I had added a nerite snail in a couple of weeks ago, who I believe to be the source of infection. I hadn't quarantined the snail (drat). The snail has died yesterday or the day before as far as I can tell.
- Tank is heated between 75-78F
- Tank is filtered with active carbon, etc
- Tank contains soil, gravel, and plants
- Tests with API kit show the following results as of today: Ammonia 0.25, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 40 (I do struggle with the colors on these tests though!)
I'm new to this, so please excuse my numerous questions. Thank you!
A. Is it velvet?
B. Should I return the male to the original tank and treat it as a whole, since velvet is contagious? Or should I remove both fish to quarantine, treat both fish in quarantine, and clean the heck out of the original tank? If I treat in the original tank, I know I need to remove the carbon filter, but do I need to worry about the plants with salt and/or copper?
C. Should I treat with just aquarium salt, and if so for how long? 10 days was suggested on one site for a salt treatment
D. Should I monitor for a while (how long?) before beginning copper treatment? (I assume I just follow the bottle's instructions for this)
E. Can I combine the salt and copper treatments?
F. How frequently should I change the water in the quarantine tank, and what percentage?
G. How long should I leave him (/them?) in the quarantine tank? 3-4 weeks was suggested one place - but that is longer than the treatment time I'd think...?
I think that is all I have for now. If you've made it this far thank you!
