Does My Betta Have Ich?

[slinky]

Not sure what happened overnight but my Betta may have developed Ick. One of my Albino Cories seems to have developed pop-eye in one eye but all the other fish seem fine - I think. I separated both fish and have put the Betta into a 1 quart bowl which has Ich medice in it (the blue stuff - Quick cure.) I'm wondering if this is Ick because it's not clear white spots but like darker spots that seem to be on his skin. I've seen ich before although perhaps this is like the day before the spots become very obvious and much whiter as time progresses. They look almost like little circular legions or blisters or some small protrusions hanging onto his scales - maybe that is what ich looks like.

Here are some pictures (it is so tough geeting good pics.)

Before:
http://www.aquariumspace.com/mystuff/betta.jpg

After:
http://www.aquariumspace.com/mystuff/bettaspots.jpg

http://www.aquariumspace.com/mystuff/bettaspots2.jpg

[SkarloeysMom]

Its kinda hard to tell from the picture. Maybe you could get a med that treats ICK, fungus and external parasites because its bound to be one of those three.

Also, is your betta still as fat as he is in the before picture? He's eating too much if he is. 3-4 pellets a day should be the enough. Remember that their stomach is only as big as their eye. Don't let their piggy appetites fool you cuz they will eat themselves to death.

[MeganL3985]

I was about to say the same thing....that is a very fat fishie.

It is hard to tell from the pics, but if those white dots look like salt grains, its ich. I also agree with SkarloeysMom on the med for ich, fungus and external parasites. Maybe a combination of some melafix and pimafix?

[cocoa_pleco]

actual i would maybe go with something stronger than melafix and pimafix like some mardel anti-bacterial (ich is not a fungus, its bacterial). i think that with bacteria its best to let hardcore meds do the work

EDIT- and does he have a heater?

[slinky]

Thanks guys. No, betta is not as fat as in the picture. It is thanks to taking a picture between a pane of glass and a plastic case, lol. I also noticed the same thing but in looking again he's pretty slim. I feed him like 4 pellets twice a day of the Atison's Betta food. Those pellets are smaller than the average ones I got from the store at first, probably half the size at best, which is why I think it says to add what they can eat in just 2-3 minutes. He eats all 3 or 4 in about 1 minute. :) Here is another picture taken in the hospital bowl... he's a really beautiful and unique mixture of three colors:

http://www.aquariumspace.com/mystuff/betta2.jpg

Regarding the heat, I raised the temperature and also added Pimafix in there to make sure I'm hitting the right problem. Here is another picture where the contrast is slightly high. The dots are not as white as the way they appear but it does look like Ick to me in this photo. They look like little granules of dark salt stuck to his body. FWIW, here it is... and thanks SO MUCH guys!!

http://www.aquariumspace.com/mystuff/bettaspots3.jpg

http://www.aquariumspace.com/mystuff/bettaspots4.jpg

[MeganL3985]

Yeah those pics are better, definitely looks like Ick. I dunno if I would treat for other issues though, unless your sure that there are other problems besides the ich. I used some stuff called "Quick Cure" for Ich, from walmart cost I think like $3....worked in 2 days. Kept up with treatment for 5 though and then did large water change. Worked very good.

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, or one-drop works well for ich too. ich isnt hard to treat so he should be fine

[slinky]

A day later and it looks like the spots are starting to go away. Not sure what caused this, thanks for keeping me calm guys. :)

[Nick_Pavlovski]

Raise the heat a notch to, helps speed up the ich life cycle and the meds will be able to get it better.

[slinky]

Super. 2 days later and it looks like he's all clear. My apartment is generally warm and I run a warm tank, usually 80-82F. The fish seem very happy at that temperature and I think it helps fight diseases although I wonder if the good bacteria can stand it... :D

We shall introduce my good friend back into his home later tonight or perhaps tomorrow, after I'm sure it's all gone. :)

[*Sarah*]

I'm glad it's clearing up for you. I've dealt with Ich a few times, and salt and raised temp has worked for me.