When I got home from work today I notice my betta was turning grey – I only got him on Saturday, my sister in law was keeping him in a one gallon and said she didn’t want him anymore, and I had finished cycling and setting up my 29 gal so I said I’d take him. He wasn’t this color yesterday. Anything I can do for him?
https://i.redd.it/ja5a7mud9ufg1.jpeg
Posted by fishyperson100
3 Comments
29 gallon / 78 F / 7.8 pH (I know our water is hard, a did a large water change so hopefully the driftwood should bring it down) / 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites, 10 ppm nitrates / Tank finished cycling 2 weeks ago, added betta and 6 neon tetras on Saturday – I should add he’s been acting pretty lethargic and hanging out near the bottom
He looks like there’s bloating and possible early onset dropsy.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news…Unfortunately, a rapid onset and spreading of dark metallic grayish patch(es) on a solid blue (or similarly blue-green/teal/turquoise, solid white and even solid black) bettas points to “graphite disease”… bettas of those solid colors lacking any red, orange, or yellow pigments in them are very susceptible/predisposed to this disease and there’s no known cure – once you see the dark metallic grey patch(es) spreading, your betta is already doomed and likely won’t live more than a few days after onset.
Oddly this condition is much less likely to occur, if at all, in bettas that have some red, orange or yellow pigments in them.
https://aquariumscience.org/10-16-graphite-disease-in-bettas/