Betta disease

Question
QUESTION: Hi Lynda-
I have had a betta for a little over a month.    He has always seemed energetic, but about 2 weeks ago he started showing signs of fin rot.  I moved him into a small hospital tank and have been treating him with antibiotics.  Now it looks as though he may have ulcers on his gills and something that looks like dirt(?) on his gills.  He seems to be moving around OK and he does eat.  I was treating with Maracyn & Maracyn II for 7 days because I thought it would help the fin rot, then realized it might be parasites so I am now treating with Jungle Lifesaver since it claims to cover all the bases.  I have spent countless hours on the Internet trying to determine what is wrong with him.   None of the parasitic descriptions sound like what he has.  I am getting really stressed out because I really want to help him but don't know what is wrong and I don't want to just keep medicating him all the time and cause further problems.
Thanks so much,
Jennifer

ANSWER: Hi Jen,
It's hard for me to tell what this could be, but it sounds to me like parasites. Are his gills red too, or are you seeing only something that looks like dirt?  How big is your hospital tank?  For the time being, I would change his water completely, depending on the size of his hospital tank, I would put 1 teaspoon salt to one gallon of water.  Too much medication can kill your betta.  The fact that he is eating is a good sign.  Put one drop per gallon of aquarisol in his new water, and wait a few days...it will either get worse, or go away on it's own.  Let me know in a few days how he is doing, but if it gets worse overnight get back to me.  Betta's like clean water, and when he gets better, always put a little salt, one drop of aquarisol per gallon, and keep his home clean, and you will find that your betta will never get parasites again.
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Lynda-
I really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly.  He is in a 1 gallon tank with an undergravel filter.  I took out the airstone as it was causing foam on the top of his water.  I do put salt in there as well.  I will change the water completely but should I wait until I finish his cycle of antibiotics (tomorrow evening)?  If I change the water won't it take out the medicine?  On each of his gills he has a depression that is discolored.  The scales around it and under his mouth have a shiny metallic look.  On the scales above and just in back of the gills he has some type of dark matter that looks like dirt rubbed into his scales.  They do not appear to be moving (as most parasites have been described).  He does swim around the tank and also likes to sit in his lava rock tunnel.  He eats and acts fairly normal.  I did notice some red streaks in the tail fins as well. I will get some aquarisol and clean the entire tank.  I was kind of worried about fish TB and it being transmitted to myself or someone in my family.  I am being very careful.
Thanks for your help!
Jennifer

Answer
Hi Jen,
What you have described sounds like he has velvet...Velvet can easily be cured if caught in time.  What makes me think he has velvet is that you see a shiny metallic look.  Okay for now forget the aquarisol...you can do that when he is all better in a month or so.   Slowly raise the temperature to 80-82...you must do this slowly, depending on the temperature he has now you should raise the temperature 2 degrees every 24 hours.  You don't want to stress you betta now.  You will have to change his water as you must get rid of the other medication...okay, now buy Jungle Velvet Guard, or Mardel's Coppersafe, and follow the directions on the package.  Also it is a good idea to turn off the light if you have one on his bowl and even cover the bowl so that he has less light.  It is very very important that you give the betta the full treatment even if he looks like he's all better.  You can read about velvet on the internet, just google it. Since you have had him for only one month he must have been a carrier...Velvet comes from dirty water..so once you have him all better, do a water change every week..if you keep him in a one gallon, you could change 3/4 of his water...I don't know the size you usually keep him in.  If he was in an aquarium with other fish, watch them closely has Velvet is catching.
If you have any other questions, just ask...
Good Luck, and hope this helps you
Lynda