Table of Contents
Just as with all freshwater aquarium fish, bettas can potentially contract various ailments and diseases that may affect their health. Knowing how to identify these diseases and what to do about them is important for any betta fish keeper.
In this article, we will look at some of the more common betta fish diseases and what to do if you think your betta fish is sick.
Preventing betta fish diseases
Most betta fish diseases are highly contagious and can easily be introduced to and spread around the various fish within the tank. Obviously, it is important to do everything you can to prevent your fish from contracting diseases in the first place, and while this is not always possible, there are some steps that you can take to minimize the risk.
Always quarantine new fish before introducing them into your existing tank, do not overcrowd your tank, and ensure that the water quality is as high as possible and that the tank is cleaned regularly.
What Is Fin Rot and How Do I Treat It
Fin rot is certainly one of the most common betta fish diseases, and as many bettas have long, flowing fins, it is also one of the easiest conditions to identify.
Fin rot causes the fins and the tails of the fish to look torn and raggedy, and the edges of the fins may appear to have a black or white film on them.
The most common cause of fin rot is dirty water or poor water quality. Fin rot can be treated by correcting this problem and adding aquarium salt to the tank in the correct quantity over a period of treatment.
How to Treat Velvet Disease
Velvet is caused by a parasitic infection, and is highly contagious and will soon affect all fish within the tank. Velvet is both painful and annoying to your fish, and they may begin to act unusually when affected by the condition, appearing hunched up with their fins clamped closely to their bodies and scratching themselves on the tank furniture in an attempt to relieve the associated itching.
The velvet parasite requires light to thrive and reproduce. So velvet is best treated by a combination of keeping the tank in the dark, raising the water temperature slightly, and possibly adding aquarium salt to sterilize the water too.
How to Cure Swim Bladder Disease
The swim bladder is one of the few fish illnesses that are non-contagious and can be caused by injuries or poor feeding habits.
The swim bladder is an air-filled chamber within the fish’s body, which helps to provide buoyancy in the water. Damage to the swim bladder that affects this buoyancy will cause the fish to have swimming and maintain their position in the water.
There is no specific medication for swim bladder problems, and the situation will often correct itself over time. You can try fasting your fish for 48 hours, then feed a minimal amount of boiled peas with the shells removed to help expedite the process.
Betta Dropsy Treatment
Dropsy is probably the most severe of all the betta fish diseases and a killer among aquarium fish of all types. The betta is no exception.
Dropsy is essentially kidney failure of the fish, causing a fluid build-up within the body and the fish scales to take on an erect/protruding appearance.
While dropsy itself isn’t contagious, the bacteria that causes it is, and so affected fish should be isolated promptly to prevent the condition from spreading. Affected fish will usually die within 5-15 days, and the condition cannot be cured.
Now that you know about some of the main betta fish diseases to look out for, why not find out more about how to care for betta fish?