Home

>

Fish

>

Health & Wellbeing

>

My Betta fish has a bump on his head. The bump is the same color as his skin. It showed up rather quickly, within 10 hours or so. He's had it for twp days. I've had the Betta fish for 1 1/2 years. Whats' the bump and how do I get rid of it. Thank you Becky

My Betta fish has a bump on his head. The bump is the same color as his skin. It showed up rather quickly, within 10 hours or so. He's had it for twp days. I've had the Betta fish for 1 1/2 years. Whats' the bump and how do I get rid of it. Thank you Becky

Updated On July 12th, 2018

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

Image profile

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

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

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

Without an image or exam, it is difficult to say with any certainty what the lump may be. Infection or injury would be likely culprits. If he has anything sharp in his bowl, remove it. Check the water quality and chemistry as poor water quality can predispose him to infection. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with a nitrate level of 20 ppm or less. Partial water changes can be done to stabilize chemistry and improve water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. Change no more than 30% total volume at one time. You can try using plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) as a general tonic. It can treat minor infection and helps aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess his condition. Perform water changes afterwards to reduce salinity. Do not use salt for more than 14 days in a row. If there is no change, a broad spectrum antibiotic can be found in the Aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

Vote icon

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

See More Answers

Related Questions

My dog has a lump like in the photo on both sides. Not hard. Seems like swollen. Her regular vet thought it had to do with her hips and seemed confident they aren’t tumors. I think it has grown some though.

Hello. If Scarlett has 2 lumps pretty much over each hip, & with Scarlett being a slightly older dog, then my guess is she has "love handles". If Scarlett is also a little overweight, the hips are a common place for some fat to accumulate. Rest assured that tumors rarely happen in the same area on both sides of the body, & since your vet is rather unconcerned, then it sounds like Scarlett is fine. If you are really concerned, you can ask your veterinarian to do a fine needle aspirate in which a very small needle is used to remove a drop or 2 of sample from under the lumps. A quick look will tell if there are any concerns. I hope this helps & thanks for contacting Boop by Petco.

Read More

My dog has this on her skin what is it?

The picture makes it difficult to see. It's possible it may be a scab trying to heal, a minorly infected area of skin, or a wart/growth forming. It would be best to keep the area clean and dry and keep Belle from licking or chewing at the spot. If the area continues to change in appearance, is bothersome to Belle is hot to the touch, painful, or oozing debris, or doesn't seem to be healing, it is best to seek veterinary care in person. Your vet can take a look at and sample of the spot as needed and provide more tailored treatments depending on the cause.

Read More

Hi my cat has had this little lump. No signs of discomfort. He plays a little rough with our other cat so we don’t know if it’s a little scar or it’s something to be concerned about. Thank you.

Hi there! It's hard to tell what's going on exactly from the photo, however, if you've noticed a lump it's a good idea to monitor it for a few days for any signs of an issue or changes to it such as increased swelling, pain, oozing debris, or failing to heal. Lumps can be due to a number of things including scabs/abscesses from other cat scratches, cysts, blisters, allergic reactions, etc. Keeping the spot clean and dry and placing an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Squish as needed may also help it to heal. If the spot worsens, becomes very bothersome, or doesn't seem to be improving, a vet visit in person is best to figure out what exactly the bump is and so that treatment can be provided depending on its cause.

Read More

5.5 week old foster kitten has a flaky spot on chin. The hair fell right off when lightly rubbed. She’s in good spirits and I’ve found no spots on her siblings of mom. I’m taking her to the vet in the morning. I’m just wondering if she needs to be seen in the ER tonight.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Key and for providing a picture, it's helpful. No, I don't think she needs to see the ER vet tonight, tomorrow will be fine as long as she is eating, drinking, behaving normally, and it's excessively rubbing at the area. I do wonder if she may have ringworm; that's highly contagious and if she does have it, her siblings and mom will also have to be treated. You would need to check out for spots of it on yourself, as it's contagious to humans too. Take her into the vet in the morning. 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

Hello I was wondering what would be the cause to this happening to my Dog she has had this over a little more than a month now, also what can I do to help her coat get better and help her.

Ouch! That looks like a severe allergy, infection, or even parasite infection that is causing the large patches of redness and baldness. It's best to bring your pup into your vet for treatment and care since it's gotten to a serious enough point that treatments at home likely won't do too much. Your vet can take a sample of the affected area to test for issues such as mites/fleas, bacteria, yeast, etc, or start you on some allergy medications or a food trial to see if that helps. In the meantime, it's best to keep an Elizabethan (cone) collar or T-shirt on your pup to keep her from licking or scratching the area as licking can lead to worsening of infection. Checking for any parasites such as fleas and ticks and treating your pup and her environment may also help. It's also a good idea to keep the area clean and dry. Since there are so many causes of this, it's best to see your vet to help narrow down what's happening and get your pup on the right path.

Read More

image

Have A Vet Question?

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

Book Now

Filed Under

Sponsored