Worried..

[Bugsy]

I've had Percy, my betta for a week now. I woke up this morning, turned on his light to see him just still inbetween the plants, I watched him for a few moments and then he swam off. Looking at the surface of the water there's loads of little white flecks and then I noticed Percy had quite a few white flecks on his body, they don't look like spots in the actual scales, more like little pieces of white stuck to him

I took the filter out and washed the foam lightly then put it back in, I've added a little bit of AquaSafe and now I'm stuck O.o he doesn't seem to be dying, just un-happy? part of his bubble nest has gone aswell.

I'm worried there's something wrong, or wether the filter has just played up?

Edited June 9, 2007 by Bugsy

[y2jdaze]

can you get a pic of him with the white stuff? it may help us determine the problem.

[Bugsy]

will try now =]

[Bugsy]

here =[

there;s defantaly something wrong, he keeps going to the corner of his tank and just staying still

[Bugsy]

help, anyone?

[Beano]

That looks like Ich to me. Do you have a heater in there? If so, turn the heat up to 30 degrees, and add some salt to the water. I'd start with 1 teaspoon per 20L, and monitor him for stress.

Ich (aka white spot) is a parasitic infection. Parasites encyst under the fishes skin. The heat and salt both stop the eggs hatching and the live parasites from completing their life cycle.

Also, if you have some Ich Medication, you could add that, but the salt and heat would normally work. Do it soon, Ich can kill fast.

Edited June 9, 2007 by Beano

[Callatya]

Well it doesn't explain the white stuff on the surface, but I think you might be dealing with white spot or "ich". it is a small parasite that attaches itself to the skin. Is he scratching himself on things, or just hanging around breathing strangely? Any darting around or 'flashing' on the decorations etc?

If you can, I'd get your hands on some Protozin, and dose him with that. :P

[Bugsy]

I've done some research and it looks like ich to me aswell =[ I've just rang my mum to see if she can stop off at the LFS and pick up some Aquarisol which treats it, I can't increase the temperature on the heater but it's at about 30*C.

I've added the aquasafe (like i said before) which reduces stress, so you recommend just adding regular salt? shall I do a small water change aswell?

calla - he's just very quiet, sitting at the bottom of the tank and then going to get air and then staying still again =[ although he's swimming about at the moment

Edited June 9, 2007 by Bugsy

[Bugsy]

right i've added about 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt, took about 1.5litres out of the tank and added another 1.5litres of warm treated water (had been sitting for about 2 hours) and I've turned the filter up very slightly.

[Beano]

no sorry, I should have been more specific. Pure sea salt, or rock salt is better. Table salt has anti-caking agent in it. In the short term it may be ok, but long term will harm your fish. Also avoid iodised salt.

I have used Ich medication before without salt, and it works, so if you don't have the right salt, don't stress too much

[Beano]

oh you've added the salt. Short term table salt shouldn't hurt him, so don't freak out. But try to get the sea salt or aquarium salt.

[Bugsy]

oh dear >.< I'll need to ask mum what sort of salt she buys seeing as she puts it in clear containers, she's a bit of a fuss pot though so I think she would have bought pure salt. If it is regular table salt however what should I do? take him out and put him in a bowl of warm treated water and then completly clean the tank?

[Beano]

sorry didn't realise you were typing when I replied. See above.

[Bugsy]

so he's alright for now? he's actually perked up already O.o hasn't sat at the bottom of the tank for a few minutes now and is flaring, so does that mean I need to do a complete water change in the future or will the salt that I've used eventually dissolve completly in the water and it'll be gone? also should I give him some food? he hasn't been fed today

[Bugsy]

just rang mum, she said we buy pure sea salt =] so thats ok, I can't believe how quickly he's perked up already O.O

[Beano]

normally you should dissolve the salt in another batch of water then add the salty water a little at a time. If you add the salt not dissolved, it could burn your fishy if he rests on it. Though, I've only heard of it happening, not seen it.

He's probably perked up because he feels a bit better, but also because the salt irritates their slime coat a bit. So just watch him and make sure he doesn't start shedding. My Copper halfmoon (now deceased) - I added too much salt, dosed too high and he was swimming around heaps, but this slimey stuff started forming strands off him - then the people here told me his slime coat was probably shedding.

Just watch him, he should be ok. Ich's mostly ok, sometimes you get nasty hard to kill cases, but usually they are ok.

[Bugsy]

right, I'll keep a close eye on him, if his slime coat does seem to be shedding is there nothing much I can do? and what about feeding?

Edited June 9, 2007 by Bugsy

[Beano]

if his slime coat starts coming off in strands, just replace half the water with fresh water (no salt).

[Bugsy]

right =]

[y2jdaze]

i'd suggest feed him if he'll eat. he'll need the energy from the food to help fight the infection :cheer:

[Callatya]

Be aware that the temperature tolerance of the ich parasite continues to rise. A few years ago, they would 'fry their brains' at 29*C/84*F, but it seems that the temperature tolerance has increased, meaning that the temperatures that used to fizzle them out will sometimes only serve to speed up the life cycle of the parasite.

It might get worse before it gets better. Most medications can only kill the free-swimming parasites, not the ones already on the fish or as eggs, so you have to wait for the life-cycle to come around again. If the temperature falls short of killing the parasites, you will likely see him get more spots for a day or two until the salt and/or medications are able to do their job.

The thing with older style treatments is that there is a fine line between stressing/killing the parasite and stressing/killing the fish, so watch him like a hawk to make sure he isn't too distressed.

Keep up the treatment for several days after all of the visual signs of infestation have cleared, and don't drop the temperature back down straight away. try to drop it 1*C every 6 hours or so, just to make it a bit gentler on the fish :cheer:

[Bugsy]

thanks everyone, he seems to be better, I've given him food and he's hoovered it all up which is nice to see

[Bettarazzi]

I think you should treat with the Ich medication even if he perks up. He might feel better because the cysts have hatched and are off his body but the parasite may still be in the water ready to attack again in a few days. Follow the dosage on the bottle and you should be ok. Depending on the kind of medication you may only need to treat once.

[Bugsy]

Percy has now had his second dose of ich medication and is well on the way to recovery =]

[Bettarazzi]

That's great news :P