Home

>

Fish

>

Health & Wellbeing

>

My female betta fish contracted Ich last week, and I noticed it from a single white spot on her head. For the last 7 days I've been using Imagitarium's Parasite Remedy treatment in her tank, and when I bought it I was told it should only take a week, yet the little guy is still on her head. What else can I do?

My female betta fish contracted Ich last week, and I noticed it from a single white spot on her head. For the last 7 days I've been using Imagitarium's Parasite Remedy treatment in her tank, and when I bought it I was told it should only take a week, yet the little guy is still on her head. What else can I do?

Updated On June 24th, 2018

Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish | Female

Image profile

Answered By Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM

Veterinarian

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

Unfortunately, there are many organisms that can be white on a fish, not just Ich. Also, if it is Ich, it may not be cleared in one week. Since Ich is a parasite, it has a life cycle that it has to go through, which means there are many different life stages (eggs, juveniles, adults, etc.) in your tank. Only one of these stages is susceptible to medications, so the other stages will not be killed. Also, the life cycle is temperature dependent - this means that depending on the temperature your tank is, that the time that it takes for the parasites to mature from eggs to adults can take a long time. I would recommend having your fish seen by a veterinarian who is familiar with fish - they can take a small sample off of the skin of your fish to see if there is Ich, or something else, present. They can also perform a thorough exam of Freddie. I hope that gives you a place to start!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

See More Answers

Related Questions

left image

My dogs are experiencing a bad flea outbreak. We used a generic for Frontline (fipronil) two weeks ago, with no results. I have purchased a generic for Advantix II (Imidacloprid, Permethrin, and Pyriproxyfen) and am wondering if I need to wait the full 4 weeks to use this, or if I can treat with the second medication now.

In severe outbreaks, 2 weeks between different drugs is ok. You will also need to use a household flea treatment in order to break the cycle, only 5% of the flea population are adults and actually present on pets, tge remaining 95% are eggs/large and will continue to hatch, develop and reinvest your pets. All in contact animals should be treated together and also given a tapeworm treatment because tapeworms are also transmitted by fleas

Read More

There seems to be two wounds underneath my cat’s ear. There is not one on the other side. Does it look like ringworm or caused by fleas? What can I use to help her? It was smaller a week ago.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Tor and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, I see the two wounds, and they could be caused by her scratching at her ear. While that could be due to fleas, it may be she has an ear infection causing her to scratch at her ears. Continually scratching at them would cause the wounds to get bigger. This does need to be checked out by a vet, as if she does have an ear infection, it could be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. In addition, the ear drum needs to be visualized through an otoscope to make sure it's still intact before any medication is given. Ear problems can be considered an emergency as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. Given that these wounds are getting bigger, I'd see if you can get her into her vet asap. I hope this helps!

Read More

My Mini Schnauzer Cooper has started scratchong excessively a few weeks ago. Hes always scratched a bit but never like this. Hos neck is raw. Ive tried some moisterizing lotion for dogs thinking it was dry skin. He doesnt have fleas. His diet is stable so i dont think its an allergy. Ive tried to redirect him but tonight he snuck off and ended up doing this. Ill be calling the vet tomorrow but it can take a week to get in there. What can i do in the interim?

Poor Cooper! It sounds like you're already on the right track for ruling out issues, however, environmental allergens can also flare up this time of year which may be causing the excessive itchiness. Since that area is very badly irritated and inflamed, I definitely agree with getting into your vet ASAP. Since it's right on his neck, you can try inverting an Elizabethan (cone) collar so that the cone part covers the irritation and the neck park sits up closer around his ears, so that it doesn't rub against the irritated spot and protects it from further scratching. Keeping the area clean and dry can also help reduce any secondary infections that may take hold in the irritated skin. An over the counter allergy medication such as Benadryl can also help by reducing any irritation/itchiness, and may also have the added benefit of making him a little drowsy so he's less likely to scratch. However, getting into the vet like you planned is the best course of action. If there is a big wound opening up, it gets worse, it oozes debris, or Cooper seems in major distress, getting into your vet sooner or reaching out to an urgent care vet may be a good idea.

Read More

we may be adopting a two-year-old labrador from the shelter. He has a birth defect having been born with one eye we believe it may be called Microphthalmia. Is this doggy in any pain he doesn’t seem to even be aware of it, but we would like to know if he is suffering from this at all and long term treatment He’s the best boy. Thanks

Oh my goodness, he is the cutest boy! I can see why you say he's the best boy. It could be that he does have microphthalmia, that one eye is much smaller than the other. The condition itself isn't painful, but it can lead to things such as glaucoma, which is painful. Cataracts can also be another complication of this genetic condition. I would recommend having him seen by a vet yearly to make sure there aren't any complications developing such as cataracts or glaucoma, but that shouldn't stop you from adopting him. He would be very lucky to have you! I hope this helps!

Read More

My puppy is on nextgard but I it looks like there are 2 imbedded ticks on his stomach. Since nextgard works after the tick draws blood, am I just supposed to just wait for them to die?

The photo is a bit blurry so it's hard to tell if that is a tick or just may be a nipple or small mole on the belly. If it is a tick, it should kill any ticks that hop onto the body within 48 hours, however, it should be preventing/killing ticks faster than that if you gave it more than two days ago. If you notice the medication is not helping with severe tick infestations, speaking with your vet about switching to a different product may be beneficial.

Read More

Hello, my 22 lbs Boston Terrier recently defecated an odd black color. He eats a mixture of fresh and baked dog food and no supplements other than Ocu-Glow for his cataracts. He is 10 years old. He occasionally eats food off the floor but I have not noticed anything recent and he has NO change in behavior. Here is an attached picture. If you could please share your expert opinion on what the cause may be and if he needs immediate treatment, I would appreciate that.

Darker stools like this can be due to a number of things. If Milo recently ate something off the floor or had some minor digestive upset, it may cause a darkened stool. Eating a lot of leafy greens like spinach can also darken the stool. In some cases, dark or tarry stools can indicate issues such as GI bleeds in the stomach or intestines, or more severe intestinal irritation. If this has happened only once, I would continue to monitor Milo at home for any other signs of a problem such as a painful tummy, vomiting, not wanting to eat, etc. If you see those symptoms, the dark stools continue or worsen, or you notice anything else ongoing, then it's time to see your vet.

Read More

right image
image

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored