My Marine Betta needs diagnosis

[user 26995]

Okay, I know your all going to ask, so...
Water parameters
ammonia 0
nitrates 0
nitrites 0
ph 7.8 Yeah, a little low

Only thing added to the tank during the time the symptoms started was some zoas I bought from barrier. dont think they have anything to do with the problem

He started hiding a couple weeks ago and not eating. It was hard to get a look at him. I squeezed behind the side of the tank and got a look at him. His upper lip is extended and he has a white growth on his nose. I rearranged the rock and netted him and in doing so, the white growth was torn off and that caused the open sore on his nose. He’s in the hospital tank and being treated at the moment with melafix. His breathing is good. He’s swimming around normally but he’s not eating and his upper lip is still extended and the growth is growing back. What do I need to do to get him better?

first two pics are in the tank before netting him. You can see the white growth on his nose.
next three are in the hospital tank.

 

[krisfal]

How long have you had the fish? What are you feeding him?

The spot looks like possibly lymphocyctis. http://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/...-Diseased-Fish-(Pictures)&p=915073#post915073

Lymphocyctis is often cured through good nutrition and good water quality.

 

[leebca]

I would like to know a couple of things:

1. What has been fed to this fish?
2. How have you managed to have zero nitrates?
3. How long have you had this fish?

Stop the Melafix treatment and remove it from the water.

If fed properly with the proper nutrition, the fish could go hungry for a few weeks. If it is a newly acquired fish, it may not last that long.

Whatever has infected the fish has caused harm in the one spot that is life threatening -- the mouth. An infected mouth is usually enough to stop a fish from eating.

The open soars prevent the use of Formalin. You don't want the problem to get secondary pathogens (like a bacterial infection) so you should use an antibiotic. I recommend Maracyn Two for Saltwater fish.

The original problem can be opportunistic microbes, indicating the fish was not fed properly, or the water quality is not optimum, or both. If this is true, then even if the fish recovers, the original problem may persist. There are many microbes that give the appearance of being fluffy and white. Most are considered to be 'false fungal' microbes.

In the QT maintain excellent water quality. Perform ammonia and nitrite tests using a test kit (not test strips) at least 3 times a day and if any is detected, perform a very large water change. Use water changes to control these and pollutants. Keep the antibiotic level up at twice the level indicated on the medication. If you use another antibiotic do not double the dose. If you do use another antibiotic, it must be systemic and against Gram Negative bacteria.

The antibiotic treatment is short and if no improvement is seen, then treat the fish with Cupramine. You'll need a copper test kit like Salifert or SeaChem that works with this medication. Please do not use any other copper medication. This is the safest med for the fish in this condition.

Keep us posted and take photos every few days so that you can definitively determine if the condition improves or doesn't.

 

[user 26995]

1. What has been fed to this fish? He has been feed a mixture of shrimp, scallops, mysis shrimp and 3-4 times a week soaked in a vitamin suppliment and garlic.
2. How have you managed to have zero nitrates? The API test kits reads zero. I retested with RedSea and results are
ammonia 0
nitrates 10ppm
nitrites .05 this is the tank he was in.
I am going to test my saltwater mix and do a 20% water change on that tank.
3. How long have you had this fish? I have had him, has to be at least 8 months.

He is in a seperate tank thats being treated. To stop the melafix treatment and start the maracyn should I do water changes to get the majority of the melafix out of the system first?

 

[user 26995]

Okay, I am having a problem with my fresh mixed saltwater. I am using rodi water and ocean pure pro salt. It is comng out with the following params freshly mixed.
ammonia, approx .25
nitrates 0
nitrites .10
Can I fix this with anything besides dumping 35 gals of water and getting a new salt mix.

 

[user 26995]

Well salt mix problem solved. I went thru my boxes of salt and found a new batch #. Its testing okay. I'm dumping the premixed 35gals. and the other 200 gals worth of salt in that batch.

 

[leebca]

It's so unusual to have zero nitrates that such a reading should be a tip off that test kits or testing is wrong.

Glad you found your problem. More times than not it's usually the source water having contamination. Salts are much more trustworthy. Still, all manufacturers suffer an occasional error in mixing or choice of chemicals. It's always worth checking each lot of salt out.

You can remove the Melafix quickly by a huge water change or more slowly by use of a large water change and carbon. Follow directions that come with the bottle/container for how to remove it.

 

[user 26995]

Just an update. My betta seems to be doing okay. The sores on his nose look to be healing up. Two more days left to treatment. Tried a small piece of mysis. He was interested in it but is not eating yet. Its removed with in 10 minutes if he doesnt eat it.

 

[user 26995]

Well, maracyn treatment is over, did a 50% waterchange. I can see him better now and took pics. It was kinda hard to see him thru the yellow water. I'm not liking what I see. I am really concerned for him. It doesnt seem to be worse but not any better. Should I do another maracyn treatment?

 

[user 26995]

Okay, I reread your post. I am running carbon and will do another water change tomorrow to get most of the maracyn out of the water and start a cupramine treatment. I have a salifert coper test kit. If you have any other suggestions or special instructions, please let me know.

 

[leebca]

While you are performing the copper treatment: 6 days before the copper treatment is over, perform a concurrent Maracyn Two treatment, but with one difference:

Double up on the concentration of Maracyn Two. Whatever the directions tell you to use, double it.

Cupramine and Maracyn will work together, so if you are not using Cupramine or are using another copper product, you can't do this.

Has the fish ate anything? If not, I would try live food -- tiny live (blood-like) worms, tiny freshwater guppy, live adult brine shrimp, etc.

 

[user 26995]

I have cupramine. I will be using it. He has not eaten anything. I have black worms for the freshwater fish. Are they okay? I suppose they are.

 

[leebca]

They are okay. At this point in time, all rules are set aside to get the fish to eat. . .something. Even the wrong foods are okay.

 

[user 26995]

Well he turned his nose up at those. I am trying every thing I can to get him to eat short of catching him and force feeding. Probably not an option. That would stress him out for sure.

 

[user 26995]

OH, I am shedding tears of joy!!!!!!
Hes eating. He ate two pieces of frozen mysis soaked in garlic and vitamins. Its a start

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

I sure hope this is a success story because I've always loved those fish and feel they are way underrated. I hope he pulls through for you!

 

[user 26995]

I sure hope this is a success story because I've always loved those fish and feel they are way underrated. I hope he pulls through for you!

Thank you.
I hope he does too.

 

[user 26995]

Okay, after a week of maracyn two and now 6 days into the cupramine treatment. He is not eating as well as I would like him to be, but he is eating a little every couple of days. His nose seems to be looking better. I am starting another maracyn treatment this sunday.

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

Yeah his nose is looking better hope he makes a full recovery!

 

[user 26995]

Thanks again.

I think he will. I've been fussing over this guy and it hasn't been easy. A week ago last sunday I rolled my right ankle and fractured it. Should have seen me trying to move a 5 gal bucket of water from another room while on crutches and I could absolutely not use my right foot. Its impossible to carry things when on crutches. As a kid I would have been able to hop all around the house and up and down stairs no problem. HA not today! Boy am I out of shape. It's getting better though. I'm actually able to walk on it today. Softly!
Anyway, If Helix will start eating more I think he will be okay. Thanks again