Bettas can exhibit a variety of disease symptoms, such as lethargy or white patches on their scales. If you suspect your betta is sick, remove it from other fish immediately so they don't get infected. Also, you may find it difficult to find suitable medicines to treat your betta in a pet (or fish) shop; in these cases, consider buying the aforementioned items online.
Steps
Part 1 of 6: Identifying the Signs of Disease
Step 1. Notice if the scales are discolored
When bettas get sick, the color may seem faded; The fish may even discolour completely.
Step 2. Look at the fins
The fins of a healthy betta are perfectly intact, while those of a sick specimen can tear or puncture.
Due to the disease, the fins may also retract, not fanning out as they should
Step 3. Look for signs of lethargy
When a betta is sick, they may become less active and their movements may seem slower than normal.
- If the fish is sick, it may be hiding at the bottom of the aquarium more often.
- Lethargy can also be caused by too low or too high a temperature, so make sure the water temperature level is good.
Step 4. Check your betta's eating habits
Due to the disease, your betta may stop eating. If he is not interested in food, he may have a health problem.
Step 5. Check for any stains on the scales
See if the fish has white spots on the body, especially near the eyes and mouth: it could have white spot disease (a condition caused by a parasite called Ichthyophthirius multifiliis).
Step 6. Check if the fish has any breathing problems
Controlling a fish's breathing may seem odd, but if your betta spends most of its time near the surface of the water looking for oxygen, it may be suffering from respiratory problems.
Bettas naturally go to the top of the water surface sometimes to breathe, but it's not okay if they do this too frequently
Step 7. Check if your betta rubs itself anywhere
If it rubs against the walls of the aquarium, or against the plants and objects inside it, it could have health problems.
Step 8. Pay attention to other physical problems
Bulging eyes could be a sign of illness, so check your betta's eyes often.
- If the scales remain raised from the body, the fish may be sick.
- Look at the gills. If the gills don't close as they should, they may be swollen (another sign of disease).
Part 2 of 6: Treating Constipation
Step 1. Pay attention to any swelling
If your betta appears bloated, he may be suffering from constipation; it is a serious problem that must be treated immediately.
Step 2. Stop feeding him for a few days
The first thing to do in these cases is to stop feeding the animal for a few days, so that it can digest what it has previously eaten.
Step 3. Feed him live food
After a couple of days, start feeding him again and feed him live animals for some time.
Give him some pickled fish or mealworms. To regulate the quantity, give him a portion of food that he can ingest in a couple of minutes; do it twice a day
Step 4. Avoid overfeeding him
If your betta is constipated, you probably feed him too much; when the fish resumes feeding normally, give smaller quantities of food than you did previously.
Part 3 of 6: Diagnosing Fungal Infections and Corrosion of Fins and Tail
Step 1. Check if the tail and fins are in shreds
This condition affects only the tail or fins, making them appear worn out.
- Keep in mind that some longer-tailed varieties, such as Halfmoon Bettas, try to bite their tail because they are too heavy. In this case, among the symptoms, check that their tail is not ruined.
- Also check if the tip of the tail is dark in color.
Step 2. Check the scales for spots due to a fungal infection
This disease is manifested by white spots; makes the fish slower and causes the fins to close. Although fungal infections and fin corrosion are two different things, they must be treated in the same way.
Step 3. Change the water
The first thing to do in these cases is to change the water inside the tank (obviously you will have to put the fish in another container before doing this). The disease often spreads in dirty water, so it's important to offer your fish a clean environment to live in. Remember to wash the tub before refilling it with water.
- To clean the tub optimally, use a solution of bleach and water (in a ratio of 1 to 20). Leave the solution in the tub for about an hour for it to take effect. You can leave the fake plants and shovel inside the tub, but not the rocks or gravel, which can absorb the bleach.
- Make sure you rinse the tub several times after cleaning.
- As for the rocks, put them in the oven for about an hour at a temperature of 230 ° C before placing them back in the tank.
Step 4. Use medicine
You can add tetracycline or ampicillin to the water. The amount of the drug depends on the size of the tub (read the instructions on the product packaging and adjust accordingly).
- You will also need an antifungal medication to stop the fungus from growing in the water.
- If your betta has a fungal infection, she won't need tetracillin or ampicillin; he'll just need a fungus medication.
Step 5. Repeat the process
Change the water every 3 days and every time you do add the drug; when the fins start to grow again (it can take up to a month) stop the treatment.
As for fungal infections, check that the white spots disappear along with the other symptoms, then clean the tank with Bettazing or Bettamax to eradicate the fungus
Part 4 of 6: Treating Velvet Disease
Step 1. Light up the fish with a flashlight
A useful way to understand if your betta has contracted velvet disease is to point a light at it, which will help you identify the golden or coppery reflections that the disease gives to the scales. The fish may also suffer from lethargy and loss of appetite or rub against aquarium walls and objects; in addition, it may have closed fins.
This disease is caused by a parasite and can be prevented by regularly adding salt and a little water conditioner to the water. Add a teaspoon of aquarium salt for every 9.4 liters of water and a drop of bioconditioner for every 3.5 liters of water (however, read the instructions on the product packaging)
Step 2. Use Bettazing
This drug is the most effective against velvet disease, because it contains two agents that fight it; add 12 drops of Bettazing for every 3.7 liters of water.
- You can also use a drug called Maracide.
- Continue to treat the fish until the symptoms go away.
Step 3. Treat the entire tub
The disease is highly contagious, so it is necessary to clean the tank where the problem arose after isolating the diseased fish.
To isolate the fish, move it to another tank filled with clean water. Apply the treatment to both tanks
Part 5 of 6: Treating White Spot Disease
Step 1. Examine the fish's body for white spots
The white spot disease produces spots on the body, makes the fish inappetent and brings it into a state of lethargy; moreover, it causes the closing of the fins.
Just like velvet disease, this condition can be prevented if water is treated. Add a teaspoon of aquarium salt for every 9.4 liters of water; as for the water conditioner, pour one drop for every 3.7 liters of water (however, read the instructions on the product packaging)
Step 2. Try raising the water temperature to get rid of the white spot disease
If you have a large aquarium, raise the water temperature up to 29.5 ° C, in order to kill the parasites; if the aquarium is small, do not do this, as the water may get too hot and kill the fish.
Step 3. Change the water and clean the tub
If your betta suffers from white spot disease, you should empty and clean the container it lives in (as outlined in the steps regarding fin and tail corrosion and fungal infections). For smaller tanks, you can pick up the fish and then heat the water to 29.5 ° C before putting the animal back in its place.
Step 4. Treat the water
Before putting the fish back in the tank, add aquarium salt and water conditioner to the water; this way, you won't run the risk of the parasite attacking your betta again.
Step 5. Add Aquarisol
Pour one drop of medication for every 3.7 liters of water; keep doing this every day to kill parasites, until the fish's health improves.
In the absence of Aquarisol, you can use Bettazing
Part 6 of 6: Treating Bulging Eyes
Step 1. Check if the fish has bulging eyes
The main symptom of this disease is swelling of the eyes, which protrude from the head; however, sometimes the phenomenon can be caused by other diseases.
For example, it could be a symptom of tuberculosis. If so, there is little chance that the fish will survive
Step 2. Change and clean the tub
To cure the disease, you will need to put the fish in a clean tank (as described in the previous steps); in addition, the water must be changed.
Step 3. Add ampicillin
If the problem isn't caused by something more serious, ampicillin should fix it. Add the medication every three days, every time you change the water and clean the tub. When the fish seems cured, continue the treatment for another week.
