Beta Fish Sick -- Causes, symptoms, treatment and follow up. Here's everything you need to know about this problem.

Beta Fish and Sick - Facts

1. Problem Definition:

   A Betta Splendens Fish can become sick because it is inflicted with various diseases or is highly stressed.

2. Symptoms:

   The only way you can diagnose what is wrong is by observing the symptoms. Here are a few for reference:
   1. stays constantly either at the bottom or at the top of the tank. (Swim bladder, bacterial infection)
   2. refuses to eat (White Spot, Velvet)
   3. shows white spots all over its body (White Spot, Velvet in starting stage)
   4. has red streaks on its body (Bacterial infection, Inflamed gills)
   5. has white formations around its gills, mouth, etc (Fungal Infection)
   6. shows visible cysts and white mucus-like substance all over its body (Velvet)
   7. either or both of its eyes are bulging out (Popeye)
   8. has rotting fins and tails (fin rot, tail rot)

   9. Duration of Problem:

      Every problem has its own time period, but as a rule of thumb, most diseases are beyond cure and the fish is likely to die after one week of untreated infection.

   10. Exposure:

       Fungus, bacteria and other parasites often thrive in untreated and poorly-maintained tanks. Here are usual causes of the diseases mentioned above:
   11. White Spot and Velvet are the result of parasitic infections
   12. Swim Bladder is caused by over feeding
   13. Ammonia poisoning occurs from excess of ammonia in water
   14. Popeye is a bacterial infection
   15. Fin rot and tail rot are caused by bacteria

Beta Fish and Sick - Prevention & Treatment

1. The Treatment:

   Here are the treatment methods for the diseases mentioned above:
2. Medications like ampicillin, penicillin, and tetracycline are useful to treat fungal diseases, dropsy, bacterial infections, tail rot and fin rot.
3. White Spot and Velvet respond to copper in the starting stages. Formalin, malachite green and other medicines need to administered along with a freshwater bath/dip.
4. For other parasitic infections, remove all visible parasites from the water. Using commercially-available medicine helps, but may not entirely eradicate the parasites. Follow up any treatment with the prevention methods outlined below.
5. Ampicillin also treats popeye
6. Swim Bladder trouble is due to overfeeding, so reducing the amount of daily food should soon set things right
7. There is no cure for Ammonia poisoning.

8. Prevention:

9. Remove the fish from the infected tank
10. Dry the tank and clean it
11. Keep the tank in the sun for a day along with other rocks and ornaments
12. Do not use re-use plants from an infected tank
13. Change the filter media
14. Use treated water to to refill the tank and add medicines to prevent fungus and bacterial growth
15. Transfer the fish back into the tank

16. Precautions:

    Carefully monitoring your tank for signs of disease is the best way to prevent disease outbreak or death.

17. Helpful Supplies:

    Many medicines work for the most common diseases so it's good to have a supply handy.

Beta Fish and Sick - Concerns

1. Level of Seriousness:

   Every disease stated above is quite serious when neglected.

2. Lasting Consequences:

   After being treated for rot disease, the tail and fins of the fish may grow with slight discolorations.

3. Genetics:

   Popeye and Swim Bladder seem to primarily effect Beta Fish.

4. Lifestyle Accommodations:

   No major changes. Ration food after Swim Bladder treatment.

5. Expense:

   All the medicines are relatively inexpensive.