eek!

[geekrockgirl85]

i just got a new betta last night. he seems to have fairly large white spots (definitely not ick) on the top of his head. they are just on the surface of the skin.. not raised at all. i noticed one last night, but somehow another one has shown up!

i've read around the disease forum a bit and can't seem to find anything (i even checked this site from another thread to try and photo-ID it) about what it could be or where it came from. i've been watching my water conditions like a hawk for the last two weeks or so, and doing religious water changes. ammonia and nitrite zero, nitrate about 5ppm, and the tank is bio-wheeled and aerated, so i know it's not from the water condition.

i freaked out and thought it could be hole in the head, but i thought only cichlids get that? or might he have scratched himself on the lava rocks in the tank? or is it an infection?

i tried taking a picture of him earlier, but the photo-gods don't seem to be on my good side right now. i'll try again later.

i gave him some antibacterial food today, but there's little else i can do until i know what's wrong with him. thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Lotus]

Does it look like a couple of his scales might be missing? How big are the patches?

 

[geekrockgirl85]

it does look like there may be some missing scales. not exactly sure on the size... they look like bruises would on a person.

 

[Lotus]

If there are any sharp plastic plants or decorations in the tank, you will need to remove them.

If it is missing scales, then you don't need to do anything but make sure water quality remains good to avoid infection. You could add some Melafix, if you have some.

Have a look at the site you looked at earlier under the "external bacterial" infections, to make sure that's not what he has.

Can you look at the fish and see how big the patches are?

 

[geekrockgirl85]

it doesn't really look like an external infection.. the fish in those pictures all have either red/bleeding showing through or it looks three-dimensional. my boy's patches are flat, almost pure white, and about 1/16th- 1/8th inch (it's funny, because that size sounds so tiny in my mind, yet it seems pretty big on his tiny fishie body).

i think i just have bad luck with my lfs lately =(