peeling betta

Question
QUESTION: I am new to having fish and we now have 7 bettas. My little girl is very inactive and often just sits on the bottom of the tank and just doesn't want to eat.  I had her with 2 other females in a 10 gallon tank and they all seemed to be fine until yesterday. She was laying on the bottom of the tank and not swimming too much.  I removed her from the tank and put her by herself but noticed today when I got home that her skin up by her gills was peeling. I have a small heater in the tank to keep the water at the right temp. and I feed them the way they are supposed to eat, I just want to know if it may be stress because for the past few days one of the other females were chasing her around. Is there hope?

ANSWER: Hi Brenda,
A stressed Betta will get sick.  I think your little girl as fungus.  Keep her water very clean, changing it every two days with a good water conditioner such as stress coat.  Buy furan 2 or Tetracycline, and treat her with this medication following the directions on the package.  Be careful not to overdose.  Female bettas are just as dominate as the males, and should be kept with lots of hiding places.  Once the dominate one has taken over, sometimes the other bettas are frightened, and will get sick.  I have kept females in big tanks, still now, and then, one little female, or two will stop eating, and show signs of stress or will get sick.  Seeing as she is not eating, her imune system is weak,  Try to tempt her with frozen blood worms.
Unfortunately, she will never be able to return to the tank.  If she does, the other betta will continue to pick on her.
I hope the little lady pulls through.
Lynda

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QUESTION: Thank you so much for your advise.  I have noticed that her fin by her left gill is missing.  I tried to feed her blood worms but she didn't want them.  It looks like she could have a fungus.  I will pick up some tetracycline and treat her.  Hopefully she will pull through.  The missing fin will be a problem.  I will keep her in her own tank.  My 2 girls that are together have plenty of cover and I try to keep a close eye on them.  They seem very happy and healthy...love to eat!!!!! I have had to separate one of my other females from the others because she was picking on the others. Of course all my males are in separate areas.

Thank you so much
Brenda

ANSWER: Your are very welcome.
Her little fin will grow back in time.  She was probably bitten by one of the other bettas.  We do not always notice this in time, and then fungus sets in.  Away from the dominant Betta, she will slowly regain confidence, and the medication should help her.  Put a little aquarium salt in her water.  This will help her with stress, and parasites.  Put in about 1/4 teaspoon of diluted aquarium salt.  When fish are stressed, and sick they do not eat.  Hopefully after you have put her in medication, and she begins to feel better, she will start eating again.  This will be a sign that she is on her way to recovery.
I will keep my fingers crossed for her, and say a little prayer.
Lynda

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QUESTION: Lynda,

I woke up today and my little brandy was gone.  It was late last night and I couldn't get to the store until today but it was too late.  I feel so bad! she was cool, I could actually pet her, she would swim around my finger and I could rub her back.

thanks again for your advise...hopefully my others will be okay.

Brenda

Answer
Hi Brenda,
I am so sorry that you lost you little friend.  I wanted to answer you yesterday, but just as I was going to press "send" I lost the Internet connection due to a very bad storm we had.  I know how you feel, and how attached we are to our bettas.  Often, when a fish is bitten, it goes unnoticed for a little while, and when it happens to Bettas, we must be quick to remove, and cure them.  Fungus set it quickly, and when a fish is weakened parasites may add to the condition.  It is always good to have medication on hand, as it seems to happen late at night, or on Sundays when everything is closed!   
I wouldn't add any other betta with the ones you have now.  Some female bettas are very aggressive, just like the males.  I never advise people to keep females unless they have big tanks, and lots of hiding places, although I often read that keeping females is fine.  It is my experience that it isn't!!
All Bettas have their personalities, and we learn to love them very quickly.  So small, yet so intelligent!
It saddens me that you lost Brandy, I's so sorry.
Lynda