# hemorrhagic septicemia?



## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

I have a betta who has had blood streaks in his dorsal and anal fin for about a month now. At first I thought it was fin rot but he's got no blackened edges to his fins and no real tissue loss. He's just got these red blood streaks. He's white so it's very noticeable.

He's in a filtered, cycled, heated 5 gallon tank. The tank has been up for about 2 months now and I seeded it with filter media and gravel from my established 16 gallon. His params have almost always been 0,0,5. There were a couple of instances where I got a .25 or .5 ammonia reading and I changed the water until it was gone. Since then I've seen no ammonia or nitrite and very low nitrates. I normally do weekly water changes of 25% or so.

I treated him with 2 runs of Maracyn Plus when I thought it was fin rot. It had no effect. I'm wondering what I should do next? I'm willing to quarantine him and try another treatment. I've been keeping his water super clean. I change out 30% three times a week now. Still no change in the bloody streaks. He's otherwise active and eats just fine.
I have a pic if that would help. Any advice would be so appreciated.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

You say you'd QT him. Does he share this tank with anyone?
Are you sure this is blood and not his coloring? It almost looks like fin coloring to me. 
How long have you had him??


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## wh1989 (Feb 25, 2010)

This looks like "red pest". It's caused by internal bacteria. Furan-2 is an effective medication for this malady.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

It's definitely not coloring. He doesn't have red on him anywhere else. He lost some of the spots on his anal fin and then they came back the last couple of days. I've had him almost 2 months now. The streaks appeared in the second month I had him.

I didn't mean quarantine, I really meant a hospital tank. He is alone in his hex. I've never heard of red pest but I just did a quick search. That sounds just like what I've seen with him. So I'd have to treat the tank he's in if it's a parasite anyway? I was hoping to save the bacteria but I guess I can always re-seed his tank when I'm done the meds. 

Thanks so much for an answer. He's had it so long I thought it was hopeless. This gives me hope.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

Oh, I see now that it's not a parasite. Sorry. Pest to me means bug. Lol.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

I'm finishing the last dose of Furan 2 tonight. I'm wondering how long it will take until the red streaks disappear? I don't see a difference in them and I'm wondering if I should give him one more run of the meds? This poor betta is such a trooper through all this.


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## wh1989 (Feb 25, 2010)

Red pest is an internal malady, so general treatment of the water is sometimes not effective. Consider using medicated food. There are a variety of foods out there treated with antibiotics that should work. You may need to starve him for a few days to get him to take the food.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

I had read that online, so I ordered Tetracycline last night and I'll pick up some flaked food when it gets here. He eats really well so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm also tearing down his tank and putting him in a new one, rather then disinfecting it. Thanks.


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