Please Read ~ Betta losing scales??

[MyameeGirl]

Hi All,

I finally got my beautiful betta, Gandalf!

He arrived yesterday and he is just beautiful. He did a little bit of tail chewing on his trip over from Thailand, but I read that that's normal. I hope it is anyway, and that the tail should grow back in okay. Is there anything I should be doing for that or adding to the water?

My MAIN question is this:

Yesterday his scales looked totally fine, but this morning I noticed that it looks like there's a small patch of scales missing by his spine area?? It looks like that anyway. I have no idea what that is from.
It looks like they've been rubbed off and I can see pinkish skin underneath. He's a platinum gold Halfmoon betta, so his skin is a pinky under his scales anyway.
He seems to swim back and forth along the side of the tank fast, maybe he's scratching himself? And he goes from top top to bottom fast too along the corner of the tank.
He eats and seems normal otherwise, so I'm not sure if he scratched himself somehow or if there's another issue.

I've uploaded some pictures. Two are without the spot (how he looked yesterday), and two are with the spot on his upper back area. He moves around a lot, so if you need better pics, please let me know.

Please, if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

PS: Tankmates are an Apple Snail and an Amano Shrimp. Thanx!

PSS: HERE'S A VIDEO OF GANDALF IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE INJURY BETTER. I THINK AT 2:11 AND THE VERY END ARE THE BEST SHOTS OF IT. THANKS!! YouTube - ‪TheMyameeGirl's Channel‬‏

 

[Hubert90]

Omg! Firstly! U have my dream Betta! Im so jealous!!! Ahhhhh!! Hahaha I love it! Omg

Anyways to the point. Sounds like velvet. Though it's so awkward because im not sure how to identify and confirm it with Ur white Betta. Because to confirm that it Betta has velvet u flash a touch light at it and if u see copper dust on him then he has velvet! Hahaha give it a try! Anyways

 

[Flossie]

He could've burned himself on the heater if
He stays close to it a lot...

 

[Shadowraven]

Looks and sounds like it is probably an injury. Is there anything in the tank he could have rubbed up against to cause this, i.e. plastic plants, rocks, any items with sharp edges? The heater burn is a possibility, but it is more likely to be a scrape of some kind.

If it is any injury stress coat can help it heal. Check your tank to make sure of the cause though.

 

[Fishies86]

I'm sorry I don't know what is wrong with your betta, but I just wanted to say how beautiful he is he's gorgeous!!

 

[Mr. Limpet]

My betta (establish in tank) showed up with an injury/missing scales for no reason and I used Bettafix over a 3 day period and he's fully healed. Like yours, no rhyme or reason, just happened. As long as it feeding and acting healthy I'd say the Bettafix with help yours too.

BTW, beautiful looking betta .

 

[MyameeGirl]

Omg! Firstly! U have my dream Betta! Im so jealous!!! Ahhhhh!! Hahaha I love it! Omg

Anyways to the point. Sounds like velvet. Though it's so awkward because im not sure how to identify and confirm it with Ur white Betta. Because to confirm that it Betta has velvet u flash a touch light at it and if u see copper dust on him then he has velvet! Hahaha give it a try! Anyways

Thanks! I checked and it's definitely not velvet, but thanks for the input!

We looked high and low for the Platinum lil' guy, and I have to agree that, yep, he is gorgoeous and he knows it!! He has quite the character and I've only had him 2 days!! LOL

Cheers!

 

[MyameeGirl]

He could've burned himself on the heater if
He stays close to it a lot...

I did check the heater, but it's not hot enough to burn even when it's on.
I think he must have scratched himself somehow.

Thanks!

Cheers!

 

[MyameeGirl]

Looks and sounds like it is probably an injury. Is there anything in the tank he could have rubbed up against to cause this, i.e. plastic plants, rocks, any items with sharp edges? The heater burn is a possibility, but it is more likely to be a scrape of some kind.

If it is any injury stress coat can help it heal. Check your tank to make sure of the cause though.

That's what I'm more leaning towards. We have a Shrimp habitat in the corner of the tank that he always reaches around to get food that falls behind it. I checked the edges of it and it's not sharp, but maybe from him trying to squeeze in behind it he's rubbing that part of his body.

I'll move it a different position.

Thanks!

Cheers!

 

[MyameeGirl]

My betta (establish in tank) showed up with an injury/missing scales for no reason and I used Bettafix over a 3 day period and he's fully healed. Like yours, no rhyme or reason, just happened. As long as it feeding and acting healthy I'd say the Bettafix with help yours too.

BTW, beautiful looking betta .

Thanks for the input Mr. Limpet!

It makes me feel a bit more at ease that from you looking at the pictures, you think it resembles something your fish had an issue with.

I'll put some medicinal drops into the tank and see how he is after a few days.

Thanks again!

Oh, and thanks... we think he's gorgeous too! But, of course, we're biased! LOL

 

[MyameeGirl]

I'm sorry I don't know what is wrong with your betta, but I just wanted to say how beautiful he is he's gorgeous!!

Thanks Fishies!!

We absolutely adore him. We've only had him two days... he arrived on Thursday, and it's hard to not keep staring at the little guy! LOL

Cheers!

 

[Sachiel]

Yeah, I'd try Bettafix or Maroxy. These both will help grow back his tail, too. I hope he gets better! My Betta and I are fighting ich. (but it's hard to fight when your mum won't let you get a filter -glares at mum- Yet she spends 66.60 on produce! -_-' btw, he IS very pretty you should get a female of the same breed and color and spawn them... then trade me a fry this summer I'm spawning my fish if he pulls through. (turns out the ich was caused by the fluctuations and the temp itself! Finally got a heater) Love your fish

 

[vundercoverdog]

:O i'm jealous. I can't find a white betta anywhere!! I hope he gets better! @ don't worry my mom and family hate my fish. My sister killed my red one and my mom almost killed my new one yesterday -__- same story except my mom spends 66 on a belt ! Congrats again on that pretty fish!!! May i ask how much he cost (shipping included)?

 

[MyameeGirl]

Thanks for the suggestions you guys. I'm still battling issues, but this time it's finrot. Tried different treatments, but it just won't seem to go away 100%. Anyway, I got him from aquabid.com for $30.00, so with his cost and the shipping it was around $50.00 maximum. When you order from sellers in Thailand and places like that they ship to transshippers here in the states in bulk, so it only costs like $5.00 a fish for that and then the broker fee, which is also very small per fish.