(part 2)

Also when I look really closely, he has, especially on his dorsal fin, little tiny black dots. But perhaps they are for him something like freckles for us people?

Wow on Riceball's change--that is pretty crazy. It's a great change too, it looks so natural with the way only the tips are reddened. He looks elegant. :] I can only hope the same is happening to my own betta fish.

Yes, when I read that about BettaFix I was sort of shocked. The companies sell this stuff and market it directly toward betta fish--they wouldn't risk killing betta fish would they!? D: Though I did discontinue it before finishing my 2nd week of medicating my betta.

and ACTUALLY -- before, when he was in the 1.5 gall for several months, YES. He would get random fin tears at times. But they weren't anything that looked to be 'rots'. More like, he bit a random chunk off when I wasn't looking. It was always one tear at a time, never more. At other times his fin (especially his caudal fin) would be slit across as if he cut himself. When first owning him I made the mistake of putting those beginner artificial plants inside his tank. They injured his tail because he was always zooming around in that tiny area with them. Nowadays he hardly gets tail injuries; maybe he sometimes did that to himself out of stress (/accidents in small spaces)?

Here's an example of my boy Riceball marbling.
When I got him:

And now:

Except for a bout with camallanus worms, he's been healthy as can be and would eat nonstop if I let him.

(Part 2!)
Since he's not showing any other symptoms aside from the red patches, I hesitate to medicate him with anything stronger, since sometimes too much medication is just as bad as not medicating. One thing we can try is putting him in 1 tsp of AQ salt per gallon. For this, you might want to move him back to his smaller tank, as it makes it easier for water changes. AQ salt will help him produce extra slime coat which may "lift" any bacteria from his body and fins. I'd keep him in this for about a week and see if there is any change with the patches on his fins.

Hmmm. The patches look normal to me, actually. Many bettas of that color develop red as they go along. Bettas are infamous for changing color on us. I would be very concerned if he had been darting or rubbing but since he isn't, I'm beginning to suspect that he's undergoing a natural change of color.

To clarify, he hasn't been losing any fin at all during this time? No unusual tears or rips?

Actually, I usually don't recommend Bettafix because it contains an ingredient, tea tree oil, that can potentially damage a betta's labyrinth organ. They use this organ to breathe air from the surface. Since it's all natural, I'm not sure how effective it is at treating bacterial infections.

To add onto my last message on his behavior:

Last night I moved him into a new 10gall tank (unfiltered for now) with the water 60% full. He's become even more active and seems excited--for lack of a better word. Definitely happier. Doesn't act like a fish that may possibly be in pain. xD

Thank you for the kindness, along with your prompt reply. :] The red patches look... unnatural. I could only hope that they are something from my betta's genetics.

I also think it can't be Septicemia because of that. I do think it is/was a bacterial infection. A worker I spoke to at my LPS said if the Bettafix takes care of it, it may be a bacterial infection. (On the side, though, I'm confused; I've been researching Betta fix and have found people saying that it is no good for infections because it is only an antiseptic?)

I have taken 6 different shots for you to look at! Direct links:

i43.tinypic.com/24nehd1.jpg
i40.tinypic.com/sgk4g0.jpg
i39.tinypic.com/rkddvr.jpg
i44.tinypic.com/23mx0jt.jpg
i39.tinypic.com/zk0mcx.jpg
i41.tinypic.com/5afb82.jpg

Throughout my 5-6 months of having him, I've never seen him dart or try to scratch against anything. If anything he's always had a monstrous appetite and seems to have grown tremendously from when I first got him in August.

Thank you!

Hi, I'm more than happy to help. :) About the red patches. Do they look red like inflamed or red like it could possibly be his natural coloring? If he is a blue betta, blue bettas often have red ventrals and a red tint to their fins.

I would agree with you that if it was septicemia, his behavior would have at least changed some over the past several months but perhaps the bettafix helped? Also, if septicemia went on for that long, I would imagine it would have developed into sores on his body as well.

Is it possible for you to take a pic of his fins and post it?

Have you seen him darting or rubbing on anything?

Hello! Sorry to disturb you with this if I am, but do you think you could help me out with your opinion here really quick? I would really appreciate... >_<

Over the past 2-3 months my betta had developed red patches on his lower and upper fin(s). He never acted lethargic nor lost his appetite or any of that other stuff, though. He was beginning to develop some red tint on his ventral fins, too. I had him on bettafix for a week or so and the red tint on his ventral fins has vanished. The bloody patches on his lower and upper fin are still there, and I hope that they may just be scars?

It wouldn't be septicemia, would it? Because if it was so he probably wouldn't be as active and maybe even dead after 2-3 months? (Oh and also, there's a reddish hue on his head as well; he's a bluee betta)

I just always see your name often when I research disease threads and you seem to know a lot, and that's why I'm asking you. xD Thank youuu ~