My betta had a white spot on her back that eventually spread to the mouth and the eye. It seems like its eating her flesh. I've been using maracyn plus because I'm sure that it is caused by a bacterial infection but still it wont die. I recently noticed on my jardini that the mouth looked like it was scraped so out of precaution I treated the tank with melafix however now there is a white spot on his eye. I'm pretty sure the two are related, but how do you get rid of it? My last water change was this weekend so i know the water is fine. There is no bleeding just white flesh.
Disease won't die
- Thread starter AKlass
- Start date
It sounds like columnaris, also called saddleback disease. If that's the case, you're in for a tough time. My favorite crowntail betta went from healthy to dead in less than eight hours from columnaris.
IIRC, Kanamycin is a good choice for treatment. Just be aware that acute cases can cause death in hours and you may be fighting a losing battle.
IIRC, Kanamycin is a good choice for treatment. Just be aware that acute cases can cause death in hours and you may be fighting a losing battle.
Mine never have wool when they get it. It just looks like they're fading from color to black and white. My husband calls it Pleasantville disease.
But if you're thinking it's something else...hmm...could it be fungal? Maybe that's why the Maracyn isn't helping.
But if you're thinking it's something else...hmm...could it be fungal? Maybe that's why the Maracyn isn't helping.
There are a few different ways columnaris can look. It took the lips off of some guppies who survived the ordeal and lived their lipless lives out. But it seems to cover bettas so fast. I, too, have lost bettas in the course of sunrise to sundown to this grayish white killer. It does look like the fish is changing color, and sometimes it is raised or even recessed. Rounded edges as it spreads like an oil slick over the victim. I would try any extreme antibiotic like the Kanamycin mentioned or even clout or Erythromycin.
I wouldnt advice putting bleach on any fish, it could do more harm than good and even kill ur fish. Try looking here http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168667 thats if u havnt already, it might answer a few more questions for u, also try posting this sort of stuff http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210102 It will help alot of other members and mods to diagnose quicker and more accuratly instead of stabbing in the dark on what the problem may be. It helped me lots i know it could help u dude, the worst thing to do is panic and start taking drastic measures like applying bleach 
Here are some photos of the crowntail I lost to columnaris. Even if that's not what yours has, it might help someone searching in the future.
Note the edges of the gray spots--they went yellowish first, then gray. It does look like an oil slick, as knifegill said. This is about an hour into Spike's visible symptoms. His body was 3/4 gray and his dorsal fin was nearly gone seven hours later when he died.
Note the edges of the gray spots--they went yellowish first, then gray. It does look like an oil slick, as knifegill said. This is about an hour into Spike's visible symptoms. His body was 3/4 gray and his dorsal fin was nearly gone seven hours later when he died.