Read About Diagnosing A Sick Betta Fish

Diagnosing A Sick Betta Fish can become less difficult once you learn to recognize the symptoms and indications. Here's everything you need to know about this problem.

Diagnosing A Sick Betta Fish - Facts

1. Problem Definition:

   Apart from the common diseases like White Spot, Velvet, Dropsy, fungal infections, bacterial infections and ammonia poisoning, your Betta Splendens may suffer from popeye, swim bladder trouble and fin rot/tail rot.

2. Symptoms:

   You know your Betta fish is in trouble if it:
   1. keeps scratching himself against objects inside the tank (White Spot, Velvet)
   2. stays constantly either at the bottom or at the top of the tank (Swim bladder, bacterial infection)
   3. refuses to eat (White Spot, Velvet)
   4. shows white spots all over its body (White Spot, Velvet in starting stage)
   5. has red streaks on its body (Bacterial infection, Inflamed gills)
   6. has white formations around its gills, mouth, etc. (Fungal Infection)
   7. shows visible cysts and white mucus-like substance all over its body (Velvet)
   8. has either one or both of eyes bulging out (Popeye, Dropsy -- early symptoms)
   9. has a swollen stomach and the scales are turned outward (Swim bladder, Dropsy -- only swollen stomach)
   10. has rotting fins and tail (fin rot, tail rot)

3. Duration of Problem:

   The problem duration depends on the disease, but usually one week of untreated disease is fatal and beyond cure, so prompt action is a must to save your Betta.

4. Exposure:

   Betta Splendens become infected with most diseases from improper filtering and water chemical imbalance. Sometimes stress will cause the fish to become weak and susceptible.

Diagnosing A Sick Betta Fish - Prevention & Treatment

1. The Treatment:

   Proper diagnosis is the key for the right treatment. Medications like ampicillin, penicillin and tetracycline are useful to treat fungal diseases, dropsy, bacterial infections, tail rot and fin rot. White Spot and Velvet respond to copper, formalin and other medicines. Ampicillin also treats popeye. Swim Bladder trouble is due to overfeeding and reducing the daily food should soon set things right. Follow the preventative routine below to avoid recurrence.

2. Prevention:

3. Remove the fish from the infected tank
4. Dry the tank and clean it
5. Keep the tank in the sun for a day, along with other rocks and ornaments
6. Do not re-use plants
7. Change the filter media
8. Use treated water to refill the tank and add medicines to prevent fungus and bacterial growth
9. Transfer the fish back into the tank

10. Precautions:

    Always change 10% of the water in the tank every week. Do not let clogged filters remain in the tank. Change the media regularly and test the water for phosphate, pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels.

11. Helpful Supplies:

    Keep a supply of medicines on hand at home for immediate treatment.

Diagnosing A Sick Betta Fish - Concerns

1. Level of Seriousness:

   Most of the diseases mentioned above are very serious and demand timely diagnosis and action. Neglect can only lead to eventual death or outbreak of disease and death of all the fish in the tank.

2. Lasting Consequences:

   Tail rot and fin rot leave discolorations as the tail and fins grow back.

3. Genetics:

   Betta Splendens are prone and susceptible for all the diseases mentioned here.

4. Lifestyle Accommodations:

   No important adjustments are required except for rationing food in the case of Swim Bladder disease.

5. Expense:

   All the medicines are inexpensive.