Betta white growth(?) Or damage on scales

[Socqua]

I'm concerned about a white growth you can hopefully see in the below video. It seems to be attached to the fish, but maybe it's just damaged scales? I recently moved it from a quarantine tank (to see how he interacted with some guppies), but I didn't treat it for anything. The quarantine tank did have a sharp rock, or it could have been damaged during the move; I didn't notice it prior to the move, but the lighting was different in the quarantine tank.

It doesn't look like ich. Maybe velvet? Hopefully just temporary damage? I welcome any help, thanks!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5a4HaXQcBe6JNZDC9

[Zenzo]

The photo that you added is a link rather than the actual photo. Are you able to share a photos so that people may view and assist? Without being able to see it, I could guess that it may be a bacterial infection, which you could treat with maracyn or salt. 

[Socqua]

On 10/7/2021 at 3:09 PM, Zenzo said:

Are you able to share a photos so that people may view and assist?

Does the link not work? And it's a video.

Edited October 7, 2021 by Socqua

[Zenzo]

On 10/7/2021 at 12:11 PM, Socqua said:

Does the link not work? And it's a video.

Oh. I didn't go that far because Google started asking for passwords, etc. Most people aren't going to take that extra step to view your vid. 

[Socqua]

Oh I just assumed everyone is always already signed in 😁. Just uploaded the video below, I think YouTube works here? 

 

 

[Colu]

It looks like an injury  to me i would just monitor for now it will probably heal on its own

[Socqua]

Thanks for the response @Colu. I don't have any experience with Betta's, but how long would you wait before you'd be concerned that it could be something else?

[Colu]

I would monitor for a week if after a week it's gotten worse I would do a course of maracyn 

[Torrey]

On 10/7/2021 at 1:24 PM, Socqua said:

Oh I just assumed everyone is always already signed in 😁. Just uploaded the video below, I think YouTube works here? 

 

 

Watching him interact with the other fish, he looks stressed. I agree it's a wound of some kind, can't tell if it's ulcerated or just really recent. The white edging of fins says he's healing his fins, as well. 

Being in the community tank may be too stressful for him, which will open him up to opportunistic infections. 

He may need the quarantine tank, with plenty of plants, and I would add Indian almond leaves to the water and get the tannins up. There's a whole peer-reviewed research study that was published on the practical benefits of IAL tannins and bettas, that proved IAL positively benefits the immune system in bettas.

Some bettas will get sick any time they are not in high tannin water.

[Socqua]

He was just moved to the main tank so I agree he was certainly stressed. There are plenty of hiding spots and dark corners for him to rest, and he's seemed to have settled in really nicely. I just wanted to mention that the video was taken the same day he was moved in there, so that issue was already present just not as visible or noticeable to me until I moved him.

I just want to reiterate, he seems much happier in the main tank now that he has settled in more; more plants to rest on near the surface, driftwood and shade from the lights to help, etc. And much happier/normal than the quarantine tank (even though that also has driftwood, good filtration, and live plants).

I also agree on the tannins; I know all the fish would benefit! My plan is to add leaf litter in the near future. I used to have more driftwood and tannins in there, but that was moving to a 50 gallon (until I sprung a leak that I haven't repaired yet). Once I get the 50gal setup he will be even happier yet, I believe!

[Torrey]

On 10/8/2021 at 9:09 AM, Socqua said:

He was just moved to the main tank so I agree he was certainly stressed. There are plenty of hiding spots and dark corners for him to rest, and he's seemed to have settled in really nicely. I just wanted to mention that the video was taken the same day he was moved in there, so that issue was already present just not as visible or noticeable to me until I moved him.

I just want to reiterate, he seems much happier in the main tank now that he has settled in more; more plants to rest on near the surface, driftwood and shade from the lights to help, etc. And much happier/normal than the quarantine tank (even though that also has driftwood, good filtration, and live plants).

I also agree on the tannins; I know all the fish would benefit! My plan is to add leaf litter in the near future. I used to have more driftwood and tannins in there, but that was moving to a 50 gallon (until I sprung a leak that I haven't repaired yet). Once I get the 50gal setup he will be even happier yet, I believe!

I had a betta that would get sick everytime I would move him to a larger tank🙄

 

He was a bit of a butthead, and would literally swim *into* the substrate, at his top speed. He knocked himself out, at least once that I saw. I could never get him to stay healthy: either his fins would be healing, or he would develop bloat, or he would have a concussion. 

What I learned ( I have bred bettas in the past, they used to be a special interest... yet there is always something new to learn!) from Gianne during the members only Betta Presentation, is bettas have been impacted by our human fascination with finnage and coloration, and not always in a good way. I also learned that I probably never maintained enough humidity for my bettas' labyrinth organs, except for the bettas who loved living in the Back2theRoots system. 

The tannins should get your betta in good health. 

If your betta came from an overseas breeder (specifically Malaysia, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, etc) the betta may be used to having a low level of salt in the water. Be prepared to use 1 TBS salt per 5 gallons of water, and *slowly* acclimating the betta to 100% fresh water over the course of several months, if the ulcer/lesion/wound doesn't heal just with tannins.

Once betta is healthy and happy, maintaining a steady amount of tannins in the water should keep the betta healthy, as long as the tank is lidded and the humidity of the air inside the tank stays in the high 90's.

Welcome to life with bettas😅

[Socqua]

On 10/8/2021 at 6:19 PM, Torrey said:

He was a bit of a butthead

Ha ha ha!

Thanks for the info, I've used salt with my other fish I guess no harm in adding a bit before I add the tannins. He seems good today and the white hanging thing seems a little better. I'm so tempted to try to wipe it off, but I'll leave it be for now.

Unfortunately I'm not sure where he came from.

And regarding the humidity, interestingly his smaller tank was mostly open (lower humidity) but now it's almost fully closed all the time so close to 100%. Fish can be weird sometimes. And I obviously don't have any experience with betta so I'm still trying to figure out what's normal. His fins are so large it looks like he's always struggling, but I don't expect him to win any races against the tetras anytime soon!