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White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 7:18 pm
by wavekeeper
Noticed tiny white spots on my betta's fins and body yesterday. They're scattered but not fuzzy. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Tank is 5 gallons, heated to 78F, sponge filter. Could this be ich?
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 8:52 pm
by fluxive
Sounds like classic ich to me. The spots are usually uniform and spread fast. Raise the temp to 82F slowly over a day, add aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon), and treat with ich meds. Keep an eye on your filter bacteria, some meds can mess with it.
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 10:50 pm
by Lynx
fluxive wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 8:52 pm
Sounds like classic ich to me. The spots are usually uniform and spread fast. Raise the temp to 82F slowly over a day, add aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon), and treat with ich meds. Keep an eye on your filter bacteria, some meds can mess with it.
Agreed. Also, dim the lights if possible, stress makes it worse. How often do you do water changes?
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 11:49 pm
by SeaWavz
Yo, def ich. Had the same prob last month. Upped the temp, dumped in salt, and used Kordon Rid Ich. Cleared up in like 4 days. Just don't go overboard with the meds, bettas are sensitive af.
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 1:10 am
by mounta7
Before jumping to meds, confirm it's ich. Are the spots raised like grains of salt? Any flashing or rubbing against decor? Sometimes fungal infections can look similar but need different treatment.
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 1:52 am
by journy
mounta7 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 20, 2025 1:10 am
Before jumping to meds, confirm it's ich. Are the spots raised like grains of salt? Any flashing or rubbing against decor? Sometimes fungal infections can look similar but need different treatment.
True that. My dude had white patches once, turned out to be columnaris. Pics would help if you can upload.
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 2:06 am
by rhythms
Ich usually starts on the fins first. If it's spreading to the body fast, that's a red flag. What's your water change routine? Consistency is key to prevent this stuff.
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 3:16 am
by wavekeeper
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try raising the temp and salt first. Water changes are weekly, 25%. I'll grab some meds tomorrow if it doesn't improve.
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:21 am
by Flarex
Make sure the salt is pure aquarium salt, not table salt. And dissolve it in tank water before adding. Sudden changes can shock them.
Re: White spots on Betta - is it Ich
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 5:04 am
by lunas
Good call on the salt. Also, keep the tank clean, ich thrives in dirty water. Maybe bump the changes to 30% for a bit.