New Betta on 5 Gallon tank - white marks on body

[DigSpider]

Hi all.
I'm new to the forum, as I am giving up on trying advice from local stores...

Hopefully those who have been doing this for a while and have some experience with tropical fish can help me, please.
Long story short: We have a 20L fully cycled tank (0 amonia for months) where 2 bristlenose plecos were living for the past 8 months (about 1 inch and 1.5 inch in size each).

We purchased a Betta 3 weeks ago and they all live happily together. The Betta doesn't annoy them and they leave the Betta alone.

I've been feeding premium food to the Betta (4 pellets of Hikari OR New Life Spectrum Betta food per day - no more.) and he's been happily swimming around, exploring and just being merry about the place.
We do weekly water changes of about 40% of the 20L tank (gravel vacuuming every single time).

This is our first Betta, so upon close inspection, I noticed he has some white marks in his mouth, near the gills.
I've googled for diseases and it doesn't look like Fungus at all, but it does look like some photos I've seen from "Columnaris" bacteria.

As I'm new to the hobby and not super experienced, I'd love to hear your opinions on what these may be and how to treat them to avoid losing the poor Betta and the 2 little plecos living with him.

I've treated him for the past week with "Bettafix" but it doesn't seem to have done anything to the white marks. The temperature is being kept stable at 24.5-25 degrees Celsius and ammonia levels are at 0. Nitrates are also within the acceptable range (always way, way less than 30ppm) and with the regular water changes, these levels never reach high numbers.

Thank you.

 

[Autumnsky]

You have a ~20 Liter tank? (~5G ) not 20 Gallon Long tank (also noted as 20L at times)?

Do you know your water parameters?
NitrIte
pH
TDS
Alkalinity /KH
General Hardness / GH

How often and how much water are you changing?

 

[Autumnsky]

Is there a filter?

Columnaris is usually a grey to tan patch as the most tell tale example of it. From the pics, I do not see that.

The food sounds ideal for the little guy. But maybe add a few more pellets of Hikari as they are very small, at an alternate time, like some AM and some PM.

The big thing, look at the fish poop. What do you see?

Are you feeding the Plecos too?

 

[DigSpider]

Hello and thank you for replying!
Please see my answers below:

- It's a 20L tank (5 Gallon).
Do you know your water parameters?
NitrIte
- 0
pH
- For some reason it's oscilating and going up over the week, after I perform water changes. Right now it's at 7.4, but it usually sits at 6.8-7 (I have a Seneye device and also compare with my API test kit - which doesn't give me exact numbers, but approximates)
TDS
- I don't know that
Alkalinity /KH
- I don't know that, just the PH
General Hardness / GH
- The water in my region (Sydney) is "soft", but I don't have the exact numbers on the tank. I, of course, declorinate the water using prime every single time I do water changes.

How often and how much water are you changing?
- Once a week - About 50% as it's a small tank and I always vacuum the bottom.

Is there a filter?
- A small hang on back filter with floss in it and a bucket load of bacteria media in it, which's been keeping the Ammonia levels at 0 constantly.

The big thing, look at the fish poop. What do you see?
- Great question. I have gravel at the bottom, so I can't quite see it that well. It's mostly small pieces of "wooly" stuff around the aquarium that I suck up once a week with the vacuum on the water change.


Are you feeding the Plecos too?
- Definitely, I have special Hikari and New Life Spectrum Algae wafers that sink to the bottom.

You have a ~20 Liter tank? (~5G ) not 20 Gallon Long tank (also noted as 20L at times)?

Do you know your water parameters?
NitrIte
pH
TDS
Alkalinity /KH
General Hardness / GH

How often and how much water are you changing?


Is there a filter?

Columnaris is usually a grey to tan patch as the most tell tale example of it. From the pics, I do not see that.

The food sounds ideal for the little guy. But maybe add a few more pellets of Hikari as they are very small, at an alternate time, like some AM and some PM.

The big thing, look at the fish poop. What do you see?

Are you feeding the Plecos too?

Thanks!

 

[Autumnsky]

It sounds like you are taking very good care of them.

Back to the spots on the fish. I can not see specific patches of whitish, grey off white/cream spots. Usually start the size of a small pencil top eraser, can grow longer and wider.

This article is what I would treat with and have treated with if you think it IS columnaris. Shows some good pics too.
https://fishlab.com/columnaris/

 

[DigSpider]

It sounds like you are taking very good care of them.

Back to the spots on the fish. I can not see specific patches of whitish, grey off white/cream spots. Usually start the size of a small pencil top eraser, can grow longer and wider.

This article is what I would treat with and have treated with if you think it IS columnaris. Shows some good pics too.
https://fishlab.com/columnaris/

I'm not too happy with the small place they're in right now (even though it's big compared to what other people keep Bettas in) so I've bought a 290L (75ish Gallons) tank and am still setting it up.
Working on the hardscape, real plants to make them all happy and all for a few more weeks still...

In regards to your questions on the white marks, it's a greyish/white area around the mouth - just under it, near where our "jaws" would be, and a bit near the belly.
Not sure if that's normal for a Betta or not as this is my first Betta (these are my first fish, really).

Thank you for the link, I'll do some further investigation.
I'll also try to get some better photos today (little rascal won't stand still for a photo! ) and upload here.

Thank you once again for taking the time to review my questions and help me out, as I really just want to give them the best life I can.

Thanks.

 

[Autumnsky]

That description does sound like Columnaris is possible.

 

[Autumnsky]

Do not move any of these fish into the new tank, or anything from this tank until you know the problem is fixed. TBH I wouldn't use any filtration, plants or anything from the small 5G for the new tank.

This way you have more assurance the new tank will be safe.

Also remember hands and nets and forceps anything touching the water can contaminate the other tank. Just to be safe. This is a good resource for cleaning your supplies.

 

[DigSpider]

Do not move any of these fish into the new tank, or anything from this tank until you know the problem is fixed. TBH I wouldn't use any filtration, plants or anything from the small 5G for the new tank.

This way you have more assurance the new tank will be safe.

Also remember hands and nets and forceps anything touching the water can contaminate the other tank. Just to be safe. This is a good resource for cleaning your supplies.

Thank you very much!!
I won't be moving anything into the new tank, apart from the "Seneye" sensor, which I can disinfect before doing that (and discard the "reading slide" which is the "sensor" part that does the reading).

I'll watch the video you shared carefully and follow the instructions there.

Thanks again (photos coming later today, after I'm done with the work).

 

[DigSpider]

That description does sound like Columnaris is possible.

Please see some more photos I managed to take (although the little guy won't stand still at all)

Let me know what you think.

Thank you very much once again.

 

[Autumnsky]

I wish I could see it well enough to tell. In pictures, I have a hard time being able to see them closely enough. If you google some additional pics you might be able to tell. Maybe someone with better abilities can help ID it.

Some Bettas change color to some degree as they mature and he could be having that happen.

But the necrosis is identifying as it will gradually rot away and increase steadily in size.

Kanaplex and Furan 2 (double check me on that article.) I believe are the 2 medications which will treat it. It is very stubborn, a gram negative infection / illness and is resistant to a degree of medications.

 

[DigSpider]

I wish I could see it well enough to tell. In pictures, I have a hard time being able to see them closely enough. If you google some additional pics you might be able to tell. Maybe someone with better abilities can help ID it.

Some Bettas change color to some degree as they mature and he could be having that happen.

But the necrosis is identifying as it will gradually rot away and increase steadily in size.

Kanaplex and Furan 2 (double check me on that article.) I believe are the 2 medications which will treat it. It is very stubborn, a gram negative infection / illness and is resistant to a degree of medications.

I really appreciate your willingness to help and advice.
I know how hard it may be looking at these pictures alone, so I really appreciate the help.

I'll see if I can film him and post on Youtube (never uploaded a video myself, but shouldn't be hard).
Perhaps that will help get a clearer picture of what it is.
I won't move him or any of the plecos into the new tank until this is 200% confirmed.
At the same time, access to antibiotics is extremely limited here in Australia, so we're stuck with Melafix and Pimafix only, with some few exceptions.

I managed to get an import from the US (API General Cure Powder Packets, 10 Count, 6 Pack) and am eagerly waiting for it to arrive so I can have on my "fish pharmacy" ready in case I ever need it.

Thanks again!

 

[Delapool]

Must confess I can’t tell either.

As above the bacterial infections will eat away scales/flesh while growths tend to overlay scales. Like us really - that might help. First couple of slides I did think a colour change but very hard to tell. If it’s the same on both sides and scales look good (not sticking out or with white/grey patches).

You could try triple sulpha as that is available in Aus and quite safe.

In spring I do find warm days bumping up tank temps can cause infections. Definitely one to watch for.