How long until my sick Betta is better?

[Suzie-Q]

I'm fairly certain that my male Betta has "fungus." At least
he looks very much like the picture on the box of "medicine"
that I got to treat him. He has the white fuzzy-looking stuff
on his "chin" and his fins have split into strips instead of
a solid, single fin. He hasn't been eating, and he seems to
sort of float at the top of the tank, as if he can't maneuver
any deeper without a lot of effort. He "wiggles" a lot. I
don't know what that means. Any ideas? I'm trying to keep the
tank comfortably warm for him.

I don't think it's ick/ich because he doesn't have white spots
on his body.

I've been treating him for a few days but he still isn't eating
and still has the white on his chin. Should I try something else,
or does it just take some time for him to get better? I'm worried.

Thanks in advance.
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

[Elaine T]

Suzie-Q wrote:
> I'm fairly certain that my male Betta has "fungus." At least
> he looks very much like the picture on the box of "medicine"
> that I got to treat him. He has the white fuzzy-looking stuff
> on his "chin" and his fins have split into strips instead of
> a solid, single fin. He hasn't been eating, and he seems to
> sort of float at the top of the tank, as if he can't maneuver
> any deeper without a lot of effort. He "wiggles" a lot. I
> don't know what that means. Any ideas? I'm trying to keep the
> tank comfortably warm for him.
>
> I don't think it's ick/ich because he doesn't have white spots
> on his body.
>
> I've been treating him for a few days but he still isn't eating
> and still has the white on his chin. Should I try something else,
> or does it just take some time for him to get better? I'm worried.
>
> Thanks in advance.

He may have a fuzzy bacterial infection called "columnaris" or "mouth
fungus" caused by Flavobacterium columnare. Some fungus medicines
include antibiotics treat for it and some don't. We need to know a
couple of things to help. First, was he injured in any way before the
disease set in? Second, what is the medicine you are using, and what
ingredients does it have?

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Suzie-Q]

In article >,
Elaine T > wrote:

-> Suzie-Q wrote:
-> > I'm fairly certain that my male Betta has "fungus." At least
-> > he looks very much like the picture on the box of "medicine"
-> > that I got to treat him. He has the white fuzzy-looking stuff
-> > on his "chin" and his fins have split into strips instead of
-> > a solid, single fin. He hasn't been eating, and he seems to
-> > sort of float at the top of the tank, as if he can't maneuver
-> > any deeper without a lot of effort. He "wiggles" a lot. I
-> > don't know what that means. Any ideas? I'm trying to keep the
-> > tank comfortably warm for him.
-> >
-> > I don't think it's ick/ich because he doesn't have white spots
-> > on his body.
-> >
-> > I've been treating him for a few days but he still isn't eating
-> > and still has the white on his chin. Should I try something else,
-> > or does it just take some time for him to get better? I'm worried.
-> >
-> > Thanks in advance.
->
-> He may have a fuzzy bacterial infection called "columnaris" or "mouth
-> fungus" caused by Flavobacterium columnare. Some fungus medicines
-> include antibiotics treat for it and some don't. We need to know a
-> couple of things to help. First, was he injured in any way before the
-> disease set in? Second, what is the medicine you are using, and what
-> ingredients does it have?

No, he wasn't injured.

I'm using the only thing I can get locally: Jungle brand "Fungus Clear."
Active ingredients: nitrofurazone, furazolidone, potassium dichromate
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

[Elaine T]

Suzie-Q wrote:
> In article >,
> Elaine T > wrote:
>
> -> Suzie-Q wrote:
> -> > I'm fairly certain that my male Betta has "fungus." At least
> -> > he looks very much like the picture on the box of "medicine"
> -> > that I got to treat him. He has the white fuzzy-looking stuff
> -> > on his "chin" and his fins have split into strips instead of
> -> > a solid, single fin. He hasn't been eating, and he seems to
> -> > sort of float at the top of the tank, as if he can't maneuver
> -> > any deeper without a lot of effort. He "wiggles" a lot. I
> -> > don't know what that means. Any ideas? I'm trying to keep the
> -> > tank comfortably warm for him.
> -> >
> -> > I don't think it's ick/ich because he doesn't have white spots
> -> > on his body.
> -> >
> -> > I've been treating him for a few days but he still isn't eating
> -> > and still has the white on his chin. Should I try something else,
> -> > or does it just take some time for him to get better? I'm worried.
> -> >
> -> > Thanks in advance.
> ->
> -> He may have a fuzzy bacterial infection called "columnaris" or "mouth
> -> fungus" caused by Flavobacterium columnare. Some fungus medicines
> -> include antibiotics treat for it and some don't. We need to know a
> -> couple of things to help. First, was he injured in any way before the
> -> disease set in? Second, what is the medicine you are using, and what
> -> ingredients does it have?
>
> No, he wasn't injured.
>
> I'm using the only thing I can get locally: Jungle brand "Fungus Clear."
> Active ingredients: nitrofurazone, furazolidone, potassium dichromate

With no injury, it is more likely your fish has the bacterial infection
from F. columnare. It often sets in under conditions of poor water
quality. That's not good news because columnaris is hard to treat.
Many aquarium strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics. The
nitrofurazone and furazolidone in fungus cure are pretty good
antibiotics, but they don't always work. He should be looking a bit
better after a few days if the antibiotic is effective. If you can find
it, swith to oxytetracycline or add kanamycin to the Fungus Clear.

Some non-antibiotic treatments can slow the external part of the
infection to give the medicine more time to work. Unfortunately, they
aren't absorbed by the fish and can't treat the internal part of the
infection. F. columnare usually eventually infects internal organs and
then causes death by sepsis (blood infection). Add 1 tsp/gallon salt to
his water - use any salt that doesn't have anti-caking ingredients like
sea salt, aquarium salt, or pickling salt. It will slow the bacteria
growing on his skin and fins. If you switch antibiotics so the
dichromate isn't in the tank, add acriflavine.

I hope you can find an antibiotic that works. Columnaris is a rotten
disease.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com