# help sick betta



## Dustinv420 (Nov 10, 2010)

Hello everyone my beta fish has been showing signs of having an external parasite I believe it's either ich or velvet. Symptoms are flashing against the substrate and he has lost a few scales because of it, He clamps his front fins and just recently there appears to be afew shimmering spots on the front fins not gold more of a white/silver. He has also showed signs of labored breathing while resting on bottom of tank with fins clamped. These are his only symptoms, he is eating good. Since 1/24/11 I put him in darkness, added Indian almond leafs and increased temp from 80 to 82. He shares a 10g with one nerite snail, 3 assasin snails and sum pondsnail. I want to add salt. I need help diagnosing ick or velvet, also need information on adding salt to freshwater aquarium with snail's mentioned and heat/salt treatment. Please help me I will big extremely grateful so will mrpinky.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Add salt and increase the temp to 86.Its good you added the IAL,that will help him destress.Keep an eye on him.


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## Dustinv420 (Nov 10, 2010)

How much should should I add, does this sound like ich or velvet?


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

I wouldn't recommend putting the salt in that tank. Salt can be toxic to snails and I have noticed that bettas don't fare well with salt either. Split the betta up from the snails, turn up the temperature and treat it with an ich cure.


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## Dustinv420 (Nov 10, 2010)

eaglesfan3711 said:


> I wouldn't recommend putting the salt in that tank. Salt can be toxic to snails and I have noticed that bettas don't fare well with salt either. Split the betta up from the snails, turn up the temperature and treat it with an ich cure.


I know the assassin and nerite can live in some salt but don't know about the pond snails, and what about my main tank wont it still be infected with ick after treatments?


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

You want to isolate the sick fish from all other fish. This should lower the possibility of the other fish getting sick.


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## Dustinv420 (Nov 10, 2010)

He is the only fish in the 10g besides inverts. how much salt should I add? I'm on standby waiting further instruction


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

I believe it is about a tablespoon per ten gallons. It should say on the carton of aquarium salt. I just cannot be sure about the results it will have. Salt is utilized to treat ich, but I'm not sure how it will affect your tank inhabitants. Also, turn the temperature up to about 80F. This will speed up the life cycle of the parasite.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Many bettas nowadays are a cross between splendens and wilds,including a brackish species,Mahachai.This is one way you get the nice blue solid coloration.They can handle salt just fine.Many breeders place the females in a medicinal dose after spawning,and its far safer to treat this way than with meds,especially in young or very sick fish.The medicinal dose is on the carton,follow it.


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