Probable flexibacter on a Betta

[HClH2OFish]

Hi all,

One of our Bettas has had a white patch on his side for at least 6 months. Before we moved, the patch was about 1/4 the size of a dime, and thinking it was some type of fungus we dosed him with standard treatments which did nothing. As it wasn't spreading or affecting his behavior in any way, we assumed it was simply some type of fading to his color as he's 4 years old.

When we moved, I think the stress of the move affected him and this has really taken off. The white patch has spread to encompass both sides of his body, from his dorsal to his anal fin and he has developed a lesion on one side, about 3/4 the size of a dime. The scales are missing and you can see clearly where the skin is being eaten away.

I have been unsuccessful in finding a fish vet in the Phoenix area (all the ones I have found online are no longer treating aquatics)

We have found that this is likely flexibacter, and not a fungus from this site -
http://www.nippyfish.net/flexibacter.html

I am treating with Maracyn-2 per the recommended dosage in his 2.5gal tank, but he doesn't seem to be recovering. He appears to have stopped eating and spends the majority of his day lying on the bottom of the tank. I have added an airstone to ensure the water is oxygenated enough (his tank is unfiltered) and I am performing water changes every third day of approx. 1/4 to 1/3 of the water. I'm replacing with Purified water (not distilled) and ensuring the tank is clean as possible.

I'm totally at a loss here. He's been with us through a few moves and is one of our oldest fish. Does anyone have any ideas on what else can be done to help him fight this off? Or if anyone knows of any aquatic vets in the Phoneix area?

Any help would be most welcome. We really don't want to lose this little guy.

If you a member of any freshwater boards, feel free to post this there as well. I have created an email address for this and welcome all correspondence -- [email protected]

TYIA

 

[Anonymous]

how old is the betta ?

 

[HClH2OFish]

He's about 4. Finally found our old aquatic vet and showed him some pics
(you can see em at http://myweb.cableone.net/dcrowder NOT FOR DIALUP (very large pics)

He thinks is not flexi due to how fast the ulceration was growing. I have him on tetracycline right now and that seems to be at least holding him steady. Maracyn-2 didn't really do anything and he was very listless and stopped eating when he was on it.

Now he sits on the bottom of the tank, but will swim to the top for a gulp of air every once in a while. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but if he can survive this it's going to be a looong haul.

Oh, I'm also doing 25% water changes every other day during the tetracycline treatment. After the first round of tetra, I'll see how he's doing and continue accordingly. We're just really upset that it got this bad this fast

Oh, Vitz..PM me as I have an image for you to use

 

[Anonymous]

at 4 yrs old (this will sound 'cold') you're most likely prolonging the inevitable slightly, at best-given the age, the length of time with the disease (whatever it may be), and the fact that with e-mycin and t.c. you aren't getting a decently quick response-chances are that even if it's an antibiotic susceptible issue, the strength of the antibiotic needed would most likely whack your fish as much, or more as the disease.

from the pic, it looks like a very 'decent' amount of tissue has already been compromised (my guess is an initial infection of uronema, perhaps, leading to an ulcerated wound- but without a microscopy or culture swab, impossible to know exactly)

the best thing you could do, if the present treatment shows no actual improvement/growback of the muscle tissue, is to euthanize the fish, i'm sorry to say

4 yrs is excellent for a betta

 

[HClH2OFish]

Thanks Vitz.

Yeah, the vet didn't give him much of a chance either. He doesn't appear to be in any pain and still swims fine when he is swimming. I'll finish off this round of treatment and see if it is responding. If not I'll have to euthanize

That said, I know there are great debates over this topic...what are some of the options? I'm not going to flush/poison/freeze him so those are out. Any others you are aware of? Oh, and a hammer or knife is right out. My fiancee would kill me!

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

freezing or club soda is definitely humane (fish slows down and literally goes to sleep right quick)

having said that, i always place the fish in a net and give it a very sharp 'whack' against a wall or table-instantaneous knock out every time (but then i sometimes have to do tens of fish a week/day, and don't have the luxury of taking my time with other methods)