Chlo Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 I'm not sure if my female betta has velvet or some other disease. When I first got her she was my first fish, so she went through a lot of cycling problems and some medications because I over diagnosed her and at some point thought she had every disease a betta can get. She was never lethargic or not eating, but her skin always looked weird and she always had ragged fins. She never really looked better after I treated with meds, and recently she kind of looks like she has velvet (if I shine a flashlight on her head she kind of looks like she has rust on her head). Her skin/scales don't look too good either. The last few days two of her scales started peeling/coming off, and I'm not sure if that is advanced velvet or something. I've treated her for velvet a couple times before, but her head didn't change color so I assumed she didn't have it. I'm not really sure anymore. She's not lethargic, she is still eating and swimming around a lot. She also has cloudy eye or it might be popeye, I though that was because of bad water quality but she has had it for a long time now. In the pictures I am shining a flashlight on her pH: 8.0-8.2 Nitrates: 5-10 ppm when I tested a few days ago Hardness: around 17 dGH Nitrite: 0 Ammonia: 0 KH/Buffer: 6 dKH Water Temperature: 78 F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 It's a symptom of some underlying problem. Usually, bacterial infections. This could also be a symptom of your earlier cycling problems or trauma from previous medications used in excess. Also, Betta are soft water fish. Soft water fish in hard water can be an underlying long term stress condition. I would fix the water before trying any more meds. You could try doing a 50/50 source water to distilled water mix. That would put you at 7ishGH and 3ishKH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 26 minutes ago, Mmiller2001 said: It's a symptom of some underlying problem. Usually, bacterial infections. This could also be a symptom of your earlier cycling problems or trauma from previous medications used in excess. Yeah I feel really bad that I made her go through all of that😭 27 minutes ago, Mmiller2001 said: Also, Betta are soft water fish. Soft water fish in hard water can be an underlying long term stress condition. I would fix the water before trying any more meds. You could try doing a 50/50 source water to distilled water mix. That would put you at 7ishGH and 3ishKH. Could I maybe do RO water? I was considering that before but I found out that buying water from my lfs was more expensive than I thought... but if it will really help Cupcake (the betta) I guess I might be able to do that. Also isn't 3 dKH too low? That will allow the pH change a lot, right? It's kind of annoying having super high GH but kind of low KH... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 3 minutes ago, Chlo said: Yeah I feel really bad that I made her go through all of that😭 Could I maybe do RO water? I was considering that before but I found out that buying water from my lfs was more expensive than I thought... but if it will really help Cupcake (the betta) I guess I might be able to do that. Also isn't 3 dKH too low? That will allow the pH change a lot, right? It's kind of annoying having super high GH but kind of low KH... Betta come from soft acidic waters. That's no problem at all. I keep my tanks at 1.5KH and the person I follow, to learn aquarium plants, keeps a 0KH. A 3dKH is a good KH for Betta. Just do a 50/50 mix and you will be right on target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 15, 2021 Author Share Posted May 15, 2021 Just to clarify, it doesn't look like velvet, right? Also, she seems to be getting more red spots/patches on her head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 I know this is late, but would it be fine to use peat moss to lower my pH instead of RO water? Or is that dangerous or something? It also is supposed to add tannins I think and maybe that will help reduce stress a little? I also think Cupcake has popeye and is starting to get fin rot, her fins are white and uneven at the edges. Should I treat her with medicine (in a quarantine tank)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 8 minutes ago, Chlo said: I know this is late, but would it be fine to use peat moss to lower my pH instead of RO water? Or is that dangerous or something? It also is supposed to add tannins I think and maybe that will help reduce stress a little? I also think Cupcake has popeye and is starting to get fin rot, her fins are white and uneven at the edges. Should I treat her with medicine (in a quarantine tank)? Peat would be fine. I would definitely treat for a bacterial infection. Maracyn should work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 If she has popeye and the start of fin rot I would treat with maracyn and aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons salt will help to reduce the swelling of the eye if you have live plants salt at that level will harm them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 11 minutes ago, Mmiller2001 said: Peat would be fine. I would definitely treat for a bacterial infection. Maracyn should work. 11 minutes ago, Colu said: If she has popeye and the start of fin rot I would treat with maracyn and aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons salt will help to reduce the swelling of the eye if you have live plants salt at that level will harm them Ok, so should I treat with maracyn and aquarium salt at the same time? If I treat her in a qt tank, should I add peat moss there too? Also, here is a picture of her eyes and fins do they look like popeye and fin rot (just to make sure)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 Yes I would treat with aquarium salt and maracyn together I can't see the pictures wouldn't add the peat moss to the Qarantine tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 6 minutes ago, Colu said: Yes I would treat with aquarium salt and maracyn together I can't see the pictures wouldn't add the peat moss to the Qarantine tank Oh ok let me try attaching it instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 The white edges to the fins can be a sign that it's starting to heal looking at the eye it only looks a bit swollen looking at the pictures I would just treat with maracyn in the main tank moving her will stress her out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 1 minute ago, Colu said: The white edges to the fins can be a sign that it's starting to heal looking at the eye it only looks a bit swollen looking at the pictures I would just treat with maracyn in the main tank moving her will stress her out Oh ok, the fins look like they are getting smaller not really growing, but I'm not sure. Won't the maracyn kill the bacteria in the tank though? Also is it plant safe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 No maracyn won't harm your benefial bacterial and it's safe to use with plants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 36 minutes ago, Colu said: No maracyn won't harm your benefial bacterial and it's safe to use with plants But isn't it erythromycin? A lot of sources say that erythromycin/maracyn will kill the bacteria. (Sorry I'm just really worried and don't won't Cupcake to have to go through cycling again) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 Also, if I use peat moss in my filter, is it safe when I do water changes, because the pH of the tap will be higher than in the tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikv6 Posted May 26, 2021 Share Posted May 26, 2021 I have used erythromycin without any noticeable negative impact on the good bacteria/cycle. If you have a newer "unseasoned" tank, I have read that you can have a bump in the cycle. Just keep some Prime on hand, just in case, and you should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 17 minutes ago, quikv6 said: I have used erythromycin without any noticeable negative impact on the good bacteria/cycle. If you have a newer "unseasoned" tank, I have read that you can have a bump in the cycle. Just keep some Prime on hand, just in case, and you should be fine. Oh ok, my tank is cycled, as of a few weeks to a month ago maybe?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 (edited) Is it ok if I use API erythromycin instead of maracyn? It is easier to find than maracyn Edited May 26, 2021 by Chlo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikv6 Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 Yes. Same active ingredient, though I think you get more packets in the box of Maracyn. (Unless I am mistaken, and thinking of Paracleanse vs. General Cure) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlo Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 6 minutes ago, quikv6 said: Yes. Same active ingredient, though I think you get more packets in the box of Maracyn. (Unless I am mistaken, and thinking of Paracleanse vs. General Cure) Oh ok, I actually think I might get maracyn from aquarium co op, I found erythromycin before but I can't find it again. Do you think it would be ok if I try out using peat moss in Cupcake's tank before breaking out the meds? I really don't want to stress her out more, and I've tried both maracyn and erythromycin before, maybe I should have treated longer until she actually looked better but it mostly just stressed her out a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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