Betta needs help

[Bronwyn]

I know this is in the wrong thread but I didn't think anyone would see this otherwise. Do move it, I just wanted it out there...

What in heck is that white thing? My betta (had him for a year now) is not eating and is slowly moving around like this. I'm sure there's nothing I can do but...is that white thing alive? o.0 I ask because a few of you seem to know fish and thought you might have an idea. : )

 

[Jherek]

Everything suggests it's probably fungus or bacterial infection. Take a look here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 731AA2OvQF and http://en.allexperts.com/q/Fish-1472/betta-ick.htm

Mine had that years ago, I had no idea it was a problem. I didn't really think anything of it..

 

[Bronwyn]

"that's a Lernea A.K.A Anchor Worm, the sack at the end it's where it keeps the eggs, once the eggs hatch they find their way into the fish's gills and there they develop until they can reproduce, once there they go into the wild and find another prey to anchor into, the treatment is simple

with some very pointy tweezers you grab the worm and pull it out, and since the betta is gonna get hurt in the process its recommended you apply some anti-bacterial medicine, just so the wound doesn't get infected. Oh and do a full change of water or use "SERA cyprinopur" if available to kill of the larvae in their different phases

What this worm does is constantly suck the fish's blood, hence it's very harmful. so just yank him out of your betta and treat the water or change it as I already said" - from a fish forum

Oh god guys, how long can they last out of water??

 

[Cityratt]

well....norm jumped out of his cup and fell into the drain (yea i know, please dont ever ask me to fishsit) from there (he landed on the little crossbar thingy in the drain) and I kept him moist until he jumped back out (ok. until i poked him with a toothbrush and he jumped out...NOT THE POINT) maybe put him in a shallow dish with some water?? ... i mean we know they breathe air per-se but....i dont know

 

[Jherek]

Aww the poor little guy. They can stay out for quite a long time. I was going to suggest the shallow water as well. You have more than enough time though to take care of it, so don't worry too much and just focus on removing it.

 

[Cityratt]

How the heck did your domestic fish, that youve had for the last year get this Bron?

 

[Bronwyn]

I was wondering the same thing!! Though you know that tank you saw him in? That's new. :S Actually not new, but hasn't been used in about ten years. But I cleaned it thoroughly after finding it in my closet, and I've never seen this on a previous fish of mine. It's so freaking weird.

I'm so hesitant to pull it out because I don't know the anatomy of this worm, websites indicate a forked tail and I don't see it so maybe it's...IN him? 0.0

 

[lilspaz68]

Just like a rat forum...unless you get a lot of people agreeing that this is the problem, and this is how you treat it, keep asking and researching. That is a horribly radical treatment and if its not right...

 

[Jherek]

Did you get anything new for that tank recently?

Apparently the egg sacks are on the exposed end. What about removing at least the exposed part of the thing (ughh o_o) and put him in a new tank so it can't release the eggs and become even more of a problem? Despite saying that they can burrow even into internal organs, all these sites still say to tweeze- I totally understand why you'd be hesitant so I'm just throwing out ideas until you get more info and decide what to do...

 

[Bronwyn]

I agree, I don't want to pull unless I KNOW but I've posted at all the fish forums I can find and either people THINK it's anchor worm (with full egg sac) or there are no responses at all. There are no alternatives that I can find listed as parasites. And tweezing is indeed the recommended method as extreme as it is. Trust me I don't want to do this to him, but it seems like she's been there for a while as he's very weak and barely swimming so he's dead almost either way.

I guess it comes down to trying to the best of my knowledge, by trying to remove it before he loses more blood, or letting the worm kill him. :/ In either case I'd feel awful about his death because a more knowledgeable owner would have known what to do.

The tank is different, that's all I can think of. But there hasn't been a fish in there for at least a decade so perhaps the eggs can lie dormant...even though I've never seen this before...

 

[jorats]

I did a search on anchor worm and it doesn't look the same. There would be red swelling at the site. The white worm also looks like a stick type thing.
Images here:
http://images.google.ca/images?gbv=2&hl ... =N&ndsp=18

Is that his anus? If so, he's got something bacterial going on. He would benefit with antibiotics.

 

[Bronwyn]

*nods* the red is the infection, unfortunately he himself is red so it's difficult to tell. The theory is the egg sac is covering the forks, the worm is all the way inside. :/ It's not his anus though.

Oh, and small detail, if those eggs hatch they'll eat him from the outside while the mother eats from the inside. x.x

 

[jorats]

OMG... that's terrible. Did you get any response from the fish forums?

 

[Bronwyn]

Only for anchor worms and some random parasite. I'll go into a pet store tomorrow and hope to god the person on fish duty knows what they're talking about because I sure don't. I'm sure there's a general anti-parasite formula I can put in his water.

Oh, and the sac is totally gone now. x.x I was completely prepped when my housemate asked, "So...where did it go?" His colour is worsening though.

 

[jorats]

How's the little guy doing?

 

[Bronwyn]

Thanks for asking, Jo!

It's weird, I was just about to post here. Lisa called about a minute ago letting me know that he died (I left for the farm last night). I medicated his water as he had fin rot and we're thinking the internal parasite aspect got him as the fin rot hadn't progressed very far. He was an awesome little fish! I'll be burying him on the hill at the farm with Brie and Elphie this weekend.

 

[jorats]

Aww... :cry3: Bettas don't live long to begin... he had a great life with you.

 

[Bronwyn]

:cuddle:

 

[Cityratt]

RIP little betta man.... him and norm are partying it up i just know it (they wouldnt fight because they looked so much alike...)

 

[mamarat]

Poor little betta.