Girlfriend's Betta Is Turning White/Bleeding

My Girlfriend has had her betta for about a year now and for the past month or so it has been slowly turning white in the face. I thought it was just from aging. However today when we walked in and saw him, it was much worse and their looks to be a small patch or blood or rawness. I just did a water change and dosed betta fix. anyone have any ideas as to what is going on and how to fix it? the picture included is pretty low quality but it shows the progression of the whiteness over his face. it almost looks like the scales are just melting away...?

 

sounds like hole in the head.
Freshwater Hole in the Head Disease Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

i wasnt sure how common it is in freshwater, but apparently it is. It appears to be more common in older fish. Make sure the water params are good.

i think this article has some good tips. Good luck to you

 

i figured that it could be hole in head, but the scale damage does not seem localized enough. instead of a few very bad spots its just raw all over.

 

it might not be........but i have seen it in saltwater where it is just all over as the disease becomes more advanced. Is it still eating.

There is another illness in saltwater where it causes just bleeding sores all over the body but i cant for the life of me remember the name of it. I will try to remember it

 

he ate this morning but not tonight. he looks healthy everywhere else and is still swimming normally. i will do an ammonia and nitrite test in the morning when i get back over there. thx for the help!

 

it might be Mycobacterium marinum. This is what i was thinking of. This is a form of TB that fish can get.......but i will still bet it is hole in the head

Fish Tuberculosis

i just saw that this is actually more common in bettas so not sure!

DO NOT PUT HANDS IN TANK IF HAVE SORES/CUTS! Do not mouth siphon ( I am very guilty at that!)

 

Is this Betta in a bowl or fish tank?

 

wow thats a bit scary. i never knew this

 

it isnt that common that it affects humans.......there are 2 types of mycobacteriam.......the marinum and the tuberculine. Unfortunately if you google images on human infection of aquariust acquired mycobacterium it is very scary and very serious. However, they say the number of actual infections is fairly low.

But as this is only in the head......i still say it is hole in the head versus this. But as I sit sick from palytoxins I think it is worth being careful!

 

in a bowl with heater, changed every 5 days at the most. he is still eating and swimming normally. the water params checked out normal. i plan on dosing betta fix for the next week with ample water changes.