If you know anything about bettas, please help, thank you

[Bertha Venation]

I hope it's okay to post a thread from another forum. Please view my thread (which contains pictures) here http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19542 (edit: my handle there is "surf city baby")

My betta is suddenly sick and I don't want him to die. His name's Fishy Fish. Post replies here so you don't have to register over there.

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. can you describe what's wrong with him?

I wasn't really able to tell by the photo...is he bloated, is he eating?

How long has he ben sick for?

[Bertha Venation]

3. he's not bloated, and he didn't eat tonight...

He has these little tumor-looking things behind his fins (or between his gills & fins, I can't tell), and he's all green around the head & face. (Okay, green around the gills - I guess it originated w/ sick fish.)

There are two other photos in the thread. I've been searching & searching the 'net for answers and can find nothing about this particular thing.

Oh -- and he wasn't sick two days ago, when I last fed him. He was fine, ate like crazy that day.

[THUNDER HANDS]

5. he might just be a defective fish

I'd get another one in preparation for this one's untimely passing. :(

[MoonAndSun]

2. Bertha, I had a Betta too, and I was told when I bought him

that they live for only about a year. And they were right, mine did almost a year from when I bought him. How old is yours?

[Bertha Venation]

4. he's four months

That is, I bought him four months ago, from a woman at work who sets 'em up in those pretty vases with plants. I have another one, about the same age, and he is fine.

[MoonAndSun]

6. I hope he gets better, but I am not sure why he is so sick.

with fish it is almost impossible to make a sick one better, unfortunately.

Best of luck with your little Betta, I really enjoyed mine, they have such a great personality, for a fish.

[Shakespeare]

13. I've had mine for a year and a half....

He was already an adult when I got him, and he's still going strong. I've read that bettas who are well cared for can live about 4 years.

[ironflange]

7. My betta looks just like yours

His name is Henry, and he lives in a big goldfish bowl in our kitchen. He loves to greet us, and follow us around the room. He is a real character.

I sure hope your fish gets feeling better.

[LandOLincoln]

8. Do you live in a good-sized town...

with some reputable, preferably locally-owned pet shops? If so, you might want to talk to the people in the fish section. They might have some ideas.

[Bertha Venation]

10. unfortunately no

The only fish store is PetSmart and PETSMART SUCKS for fish. The fish people don't know fish.

And after reading up on betta care tonight, I don't think I trust the woman who sold him to me. So I'm relying on my 'net pals. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[Ready4Change]

9. Maybe a fungus, maybe water quality, maybe age?

This page has some good info:

http://www.petsofparis.com/petstore/pages/fishchar.htm

In particular, Costiasis sounds like a possibility. (A grey fungus might look green against a Betta's brilliant colors.) Most of these things seem to funguses, and can be controlled/eliminated with anti-fungus stuff at aquarium shops. However, I've found that once I notice a problem it's progressed far enough that I'll loose at least some of the fish in the tank.

It could also just be age. Betta's live shorter lives, and no fish lives forever.

Lastly, since you mentioned recently doing a water change, did you do anything to condition the water first? Tap water has chlorine and other chemicals that aren't too good for living fish.

Hope he makes it.

[Bertha Venation]

11. R4C, thanks for your suggestions, too, and for all:

thanks for weighing in.

I'll kick the thread tomorrow & let you know what's up.

I know this is so way minor in the world, minor even in the world of pets, but as moonandsun and ironflange wrote, these fish are real characters and have great personalities and one really does get attached to them. Plus I hate to see any living thing suffer, and I don't want to have to put him down.

[brainshrub]

12. Maybe he's just depressed about BBV? (nt)

[Ediacara]

14. It's hard to tell from your pictures

Is the green kind of cottony? Outgrowths resembling cotton are generally fungal in nature. There are a lot of anti-fungal medications available at pet stores, but not all meds work for all diseases, so please read the information before purchase.

Unfortunately, fish medications generally don't work very well, and if the infection has spread to the point that you notice it, it will be s struggle for Fishy Fish. If the gills look in any way enflamed or infected, you may be too late, but you can always try.

Good luck, and I hope Fishy Fish makes it!

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. Go to your local aquarium supplier. They'll recommend a medicine

It's been so long ago, I'm sure I've got this wrong, but, it's probably rot. Usually caused by acid water, which is odd considering that the original Siamese Fighting Fish survived in worst conditions.

But the pet store will probably recommend a mineral that turns the water green. Can't remember which one it was. But then, I could be confusing the medication for Ich.

[Bertha Venation]

16. Fishy Fish Update

Fishy Fish is much better today! After putting him into a new jar with fresh (treated) water, he's swimming around and even tried to attack my finger once. I feel very hopeful.

I didn't go to my fish store for help. I was afraid all they'd do is show me their vast array of bettas for sale, many of which are obviously sick, and say, "does he look like this one? Or this one?" Couldn't deal w/ that; I'd have to buy them all.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I took a couple and they helped, I think.