Lump on betta

Question
QUESTION: Hello there.  I have a male betta that has lived in a 10 gallon tank with 4 harlequins and a couple of ghost shrimp currently for the past year.  I have noticed a lump growing on one side of him over the past month or so.  It is just on one side behind the fin and in front of the tail.  It doesn't appear to have any color to it, the scales just look a little lighter in that area because they are stretched a bit.  At first I just thought he was getting fat but then noticed it was only on one side.  I feed him about 3-4 pellets twice a day, occasionally skip a feeding, and substitute with blood worms once a week.  I do a partial water change every 7-10 days.

I don't know if this is related or not, but right before I noticed the bump, about 2 months ago I had just bought a couple of new plants for the tank.  I rinsed them off good, but must have missed some snails on them because there are snails in there now.  I pull them out as I see them climbing up the sides, but I am sure there are a lot in there I don't see.  I usually pull 3 or 4 off the sides of the glass every other day or so as I see them.  Also, during the first couple weeks of the new plants, a bunch of algae started growing on the plants and rock and glass.  I just did more frequent changes and it hasn't come back again.  I don't know if this is just coincidence or not, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

I did some search for lumps on bettas and found where it may be a bacterial infection or something, so I bought some tablets at the store called Lifeguard by Jungle, because that is the only thing I found and it says it treats different external diseases: bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic.  I just started it last night and there is a 5 day supply.  Is this the right form of treatment?  Just wanted to check with you to hopefully keep this from getting larger.  He doesn't seem to be acting different than he used to.  He still swims around alot and chases the other fish around sometimes.  

I actually sent this question to another expert and she asked a couple questions and recommended Maracyn Two, but I can not respond because she is maxed out, so I will provide you with that info in case it is useful.  The nitrate levels are between 0 and .10 and ammonia is 0 or .25 when I do the water changes.  Should I treat it with this Lifeguard for the 5 days and see what happens first before I use Maracyn Two or something else?  Thanks in advance.

ANSWER: Hi Dan,
A lump on a Betta is very hard to say what it could be.  It could be a tumor, and it could be cancerous, if it isn't he may live quite a long time with the lump.  I have a betta who is alone in a tank, and he has a bump exactly where yours is.  The bump grew bigger, and bigger, he now has one on the other side.  He has trouble swimming, but comes to greet me, and eats alot.  This was 6 months ago, and he is still alive, and seems happy.  I have tried everything in the book, but unfortunately nothing good came of this.  I have seen other bettas with bumps, and there is no cure...unless it is a parasite.  It could be internal, and you would have to treat with special medication...but I don't recommend it.  I will tell you what you can do, but follow my directions carefully because the Betta is sensitive to this medication.  Buy Melafix and a eye dropper, and put 3 drops per gallon in your tank, that would be 30 drops in your 10 gallon tank.  Everyday add 10 drops, and on the 4th day, change half the water, and do the treatment again.  Change half the water again.  If you see that your betta is not corresponding well to this treatment stop it immediately, and do a water change.  If this does not work, treat him with kindness, that is all you can do.  A betta will pick at snails, the important thing you have to watch is that no snails die in your aquarium.  If snails die, it could kill your entire tank.  Watch this carefully.
Hope this helps, and Good Luck
Lynda

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QUESTION: Thank you for the advice Lynda.  I tried to write back sooner but you were full.  Anyways, I finished treating with that Lifeguard that I mentioned, and I don't know if it helped any.  It didn't get any bigger though.  Maybe I will try Melafix next.  Anyways, I didn't know what you meant by if snails die, it could kill the tank.  I have been picking out the ones as the crawl up the side of the tank that are big enough to grab, and then I see some really really small ones that are maybe the size of a pinhead, and I have just been scrubbing the sides with a magenetic scrubber.  They don't seem to be getting out of control.  But as far as the betta, he still is swimming around fine.  Thanks again for your help.

Answer
Hi Dan,
Like I have written you before, a lump is very hard to diagnose.  I would first clean out the whole tank.  Clean the rocks, everything to get those snails out of there.  When snails die, it poisons the tank, it's like a dead fish that you would leave in your water.  The lump could be anything, but you may try Maracyn2, and if that doesn't help, there is nothing more you can do.  It may be a tumor, and it will grow slowly...He can live quite a long time with the tumor.  Seeing as it is not changing colour, it isn't cancerous, and the fact that the betta is eating is a good sign.  After trying Maracyn 2 or Malafix, I would just let him be.  Treat him with kindness, keep your water free from ammonia, put 2 teaspoons of aquarium salt in your water.
Hope this helps
Lynda