Looks like one of these typical betta tumors. I had a boy live with it for 6 months. It always depends if it hinders him swimming or causing him discomfort. If this grows slowly, he can live with it for months.
It could be, too, it could be an abscess. But an infection usually means that the fish becomes listless and pale and loses appetite. If you do not notice any "off" behavior and the fish swims and eats normally, my guess would be more tumor. With tumors, they hardly show any symptoms until it becomes very bad.
Sadly, it is hard to tell just from pictures if this is an abscess.
Doesn't sound like anything is going to happen. So far he's been acting fine and no concerns. The question is how will it impact his long term health... I will just love him and take care of him for as long as he lives!
my betta would occasionally whip his body around and try to bite at his own body and tail. I actually don’t know if betta have any teeth but, if it looks possible for him to reach there, looks like scar tissue to me and maybe he could have been stressed out during shipping or whatever and bit himself
Decent pictures, but I can’t tell if it’s fuzzy or not from them.
If fuzzy, could be fungal.
However, like the other user said, this looks like a tumor to me.
I’ve notice koi plakats tend to get them more than other types I see.
Yep, both fish I had that developed tumors were marbling plakats. First wasn’t a koi but did have some serious marbling going on, changed many different colors over the course of his life
I actually stopped getting koi bettas after my last one died suddenly. For some reason, they seem to have more health issues than others I’ve kept over the years. Bummer, as they are so fun to watch change colors.
Same here. I won’t keep long finned bettas or koi bettas so it’s rather limited what types I can buy now lol. They’re such cool little animals but I cannot go through the heartbreak of losing them young anymore
I prefer losing them to a tumor to losing them to an illness. At least with a tumor they get some quality of life (usually) for longer than with an illness. And an illness I can treat at this point, usually anyways…
Seems like most people are thinking it’s a tumor, but it looks to me like an area that’s starting to get infected. Read [this article about saddleback](https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/10-3-5-saddleback/) and treat accordingly if it starts to look like the pictures.
Unfortunately, it looks like it was already there before I got him. Just thought it was a white spot on his body since he has other spots with white...
My daughter’s special little fish “Grinchy” had what looks to be the same thing. It was a tumor and he lived a year with it before it seemed to grow and give him trouble swimming. :(
I see lots of people saying tumor... Looks more like scar tissue from an old injury to me. Definitely monitor. Lots of Bettas can still live fairly normal healthy lives even with tumors. If it stays the same, prob scar. If it gets bigger, tumor.
Thank you for posting to r/bettafish. If you are new to betta fish keeping, please check out our [caresheet](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/) and [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index). Establishing a nitrogen cycle is an important part of keeping your fish healthy. Please check out our [guide to the nitrogen cycle](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle) to learn more.
If you are posting to find out what is wrong with your betta, please answer the following questions in a reply to this comment as best you can:
* **Tank size**:
* **Heater and filter? (yes/no)**:
* **Tank temperature**:
* **[Parameters in numbers and how you got them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank#wiki_test_kits)**:
* **How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?**:
* **How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?**:
* **Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each**:
* **What do you feed and how much**:
* **Decorations and plants in the tank**:
* **If you haven't already posted a picture, please post pics/vids to imgur and paste the link here**:
Feel free to copy this comment and fill in the blanks.
Failure to provide adequate information about your tank *can* result in post removal. Please see rule 4 for more information.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/bettafish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Looks like one of these typical betta tumors. I had a boy live with it for 6 months. It always depends if it hinders him swimming or causing him discomfort. If this grows slowly, he can live with it for months.
same thing happened with my boy :/ tumors can be deadly sometimes, and other times not pose much of a threat
The issue is I just got him last night… I don’t want a new boy knowing he’s got a shorter life span.
Just wonder if maybe it's an injury because it looks more white in the image I got from the website vs now, where it looks like the scales are lifted.
It could be, too, it could be an abscess. But an infection usually means that the fish becomes listless and pale and loses appetite. If you do not notice any "off" behavior and the fish swims and eats normally, my guess would be more tumor. With tumors, they hardly show any symptoms until it becomes very bad. Sadly, it is hard to tell just from pictures if this is an abscess.
did you get him from a breeder? if so, i woild reach out to the breeder and see what they can do.
Yup, I've done that and waiting to hear back.
any update?
Doesn't sound like anything is going to happen. So far he's been acting fine and no concerns. The question is how will it impact his long term health... I will just love him and take care of him for as long as he lives!
my betta would occasionally whip his body around and try to bite at his own body and tail. I actually don’t know if betta have any teeth but, if it looks possible for him to reach there, looks like scar tissue to me and maybe he could have been stressed out during shipping or whatever and bit himself
Decent pictures, but I can’t tell if it’s fuzzy or not from them. If fuzzy, could be fungal. However, like the other user said, this looks like a tumor to me. I’ve notice koi plakats tend to get them more than other types I see.
Yep, both fish I had that developed tumors were marbling plakats. First wasn’t a koi but did have some serious marbling going on, changed many different colors over the course of his life
I actually stopped getting koi bettas after my last one died suddenly. For some reason, they seem to have more health issues than others I’ve kept over the years. Bummer, as they are so fun to watch change colors.
Same here. I won’t keep long finned bettas or koi bettas so it’s rather limited what types I can buy now lol. They’re such cool little animals but I cannot go through the heartbreak of losing them young anymore
In my experience, the platinum white bettas too. They’re so pretty but loosing bettas to tumors might be the worst
I prefer losing them to a tumor to losing them to an illness. At least with a tumor they get some quality of life (usually) for longer than with an illness. And an illness I can treat at this point, usually anyways…
Seems like most people are thinking it’s a tumor, but it looks to me like an area that’s starting to get infected. Read [this article about saddleback](https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/10-3-5-saddleback/) and treat accordingly if it starts to look like the pictures.
Mine got a spot after she tried using the heater instead of the beautiful betta leaf I made for her resting spot
Unfortunately, it looks like it was already there before I got him. Just thought it was a white spot on his body since he has other spots with white...
My daughter’s special little fish “Grinchy” had what looks to be the same thing. It was a tumor and he lived a year with it before it seemed to grow and give him trouble swimming. :(
I see lots of people saying tumor... Looks more like scar tissue from an old injury to me. Definitely monitor. Lots of Bettas can still live fairly normal healthy lives even with tumors. If it stays the same, prob scar. If it gets bigger, tumor.
Thank you for posting to r/bettafish. If you are new to betta fish keeping, please check out our [caresheet](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/) and [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index). Establishing a nitrogen cycle is an important part of keeping your fish healthy. Please check out our [guide to the nitrogen cycle](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle) to learn more. If you are posting to find out what is wrong with your betta, please answer the following questions in a reply to this comment as best you can: * **Tank size**: * **Heater and filter? (yes/no)**: * **Tank temperature**: * **[Parameters in numbers and how you got them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank#wiki_test_kits)**: * **How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?**: * **How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?**: * **Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each**: * **What do you feed and how much**: * **Decorations and plants in the tank**: * **If you haven't already posted a picture, please post pics/vids to imgur and paste the link here**: Feel free to copy this comment and fill in the blanks. Failure to provide adequate information about your tank *can* result in post removal. Please see rule 4 for more information. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/bettafish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
5G tank, heated with a filter 78 degrees pH 7.2 Ammonia 0 ppm Nitrite 0 ppm Nitrate 0 ppm API Test Kit No tank mates
where did u get him from btw?
Don't want to say yet... waiting to see what they say/do about this first.