is my Betta OK? (picture link?)

Generally I would totally agree with the recommendation atomweaver made
but looking at the photo I don't think this is simply a case of water
being too cool. It really does look like your Betta is loosing large
patches of scales and it isn't anything I have ever seen. That long
straight line of white is strange too... unlike typical fear stripes
you sometimes see when bettas are frightened.

I'll do a little research and see if I can find any other examples. In
the mean time, are you using tap water? If so, what water conditioners
are you using? Also, do you know the pH? Even with the great photo,
it's hard for me to tell if the scales really ARE gone or if it's just
optically deceiving and actually color loss. Do you think the scales
are gone?



atomweaver wrote:
"Deborah Mundorff" wrote in
link.net:

We have a betta fish alone in a 2.5 gallon acrylic tank from All-Glass
(the Mini Bow 2.5). It is filtered. We have had him in this tank for
about 3 months.

I believe the water quality to be very good - Ammonia and Nitrite are
at zero according to our test kits.


...and Nitrates are low, too?

He seems active and healthy. He interacts with us when we approach his
tank, eats eagerly when offered - (we limit it to at most 3 Betta
Pellets a day - but mix in one or two freeze dried bloodworms
occasionally as a treat) and his routine has not changed by our
observation.

We have been regularly (once a week?) been performing 30-50% water
changes.

My concern for our betta is that his color seems to be fading in
certain areas- I'd almost say it looks like the blue fins have been
scraped off in places along his lower side. It doesn't look fuzzy or
like white dots, how I have seen ich described. Just a loss of color
with no noticeable change in behavior. Any help would be appreciated,
we are very attached and so eager not to loose him.


Color loss is usually due to 1) stress, followed by 2) temperature or
lighting changes. You mentioned that the tank is filtered, but is it
heated? Ideal Betta temperatures are in the range of 78-82 degF. They
aren't particularly fond of frequent swings in temperature, either.
Given that its winter-time in the areas that earthlink serves as an ISP,
my guess as to your problem is that its temperature related. Day to
night variations in room temperature (72 in the day, 65 at night?) will
affect your fish, as will any temperature below the warm ideal for the
species.

A teenie little 7.5W heater can help to stabilize your temperature in a
2.5 gallon tank. They run from $10 to $14 online;

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?
q=small+aquarium+heater&hl=en&btnG=Search+Froogle

Even better would be a 10 gallon community tank, with a trio of lady-
betta friends, (or a few zebra danios, or warm-water corydoras, if
you're shy about "courtship rituals" ;-) and maybe 6-8 cardinal tetras.
The bigger water mass will further reduce temperature variation. Bettas
are great addtions to a community tank, so long as you avoid fin nippers
(no barbs!, no chinese algae eaters!) and anything the betta might
mistake for another betta (no other anabantids; Gourami, Paradise FIsh,
etc are a no-no).

Color recovery is variable, depending upon the individual betta. Yours
might return to its full color, or it might stay the way it is...
Feeding a fresh premium food is a minimum requirement for color
recovery. I like Hikari's betta pellets. Hope he's happy and warm,
either way.

Regards
DaveZ
Atom Weaver