betta with curved spine...

[Crissyloach]

My female betta has had a curved spine for a couple days now. I have been watching her, and she now has lighter coloring, and dropsy like symptoms. Her scales are standing out as of this morning, and the curved spine. From the top, she looks like this: ~. She has whitish patches on her, but not fungus or ick. I have her in the quarantine tank, because she showed ick like symptoms, all of which are gone. She is in clean water with aquarium salt, and a temperature of about 80. I am wondering if this is early fishTB?

[Crissyloach]

I need help. I do not know what do /how to treat her. If one of your own fish had symptoms like this, tell me how you treated them, and about how long it took (she is supposed to be breeding but now, of course she can't. I have it all set up, and she just needs to be added to the breeding tank) I dont want her giving it to the other fish if she still has it, and I also don't want to stop treatment too early.

[Lambi]

I'm sorry to hear that and I wish I could help, hopefully someone who can will get back to you asap. Best wishes to you and your poorly fish.

[starsplitter7]

I am so sorry, I wish I could help you. I don't know what to do with this.

[Diana]

It could well be Mycobacteriosis. Part of the problem with diagnosing it is that it might not show any direct symptoms, simply weaken the fish. Then the fish can get all sorts of other diseases which you see some obvious sign of.

Swollen/Dropsy like abdomen can be from MB, or from other issues. I would add Epsom salt to the water with the sodium chloride and see if this helps.

Bent spine is common with MB, but can also be from other causes, most of which show up in younger fish. Genetic problems, and vitamin deficiency are common. These do not often show up suddenly in a mature fish, though. MB can show up at any time.

Unfortunately if this fish actually has MB there are only a few suggested treatments, and some say it is untreatable.
Treat the tank and fish as if it were contaminated with a human disease that you do not want to catch. MB enters open wounds. Do not cross contaminate this tank with anything else. Have all its own tools.

Do your own research to see if any of these are viable options, or consider the risk to yourself and family and think about euthaizing this fish. Then get a qualified person to examine the fish to see if she really did have MB. If so, other fish have been exposed by sharing nets, gravel vacs and other things.

Kanamycin, for a long treatment time is one cure I have heard about.
Ultra Violet, again, for a long time.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm055
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/foru ... -fish.html
http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/00388mycoarticle.pdf

[Crissyloach]

I would prefer not to take the risk, and put her out her out of her misery.

[Diana]

It is not a happy decision, but probably best.
Is there any way you can have her checked to see it MB was part of the reason she is sick?
Make calls to local vets, see if any are interested in fish. If there is a university nearby with any sort of biology department there might be someone there who could help.