| Betta fish make fun and beautiful pets, but more than | | | | is very sensitive to temperature, so you should raise |
| likely your betta fish is going to get sick at some point | | | | the temperature in your tank to about 85 degrees F. |
| in time. It is important that you are prepared to treat | | | | For every gallon in your tank, add one drop of |
| your betta when he is sick and this includes being | | | | Aquarisol every single day until your fish are better. |
| aware of various diseases that affect betta fish, their | | | | Usually it will only take a few days to get rid of this |
| symptoms, and how you can treat them. Once you | | | | disease. |
| know the basics of betta fish diseases you will be | | | | Dropsy |
| better prepared to recognize and treat your betta to | | | | Dropsy is actually the most common disease among |
| prevent the disease becoming too serious or even | | | | bettas and it is also the most likely to be fatal to your |
| fatal. The following are five of the most common | | | | fish as well. While not a great deal is known about this |
| diseases that affect betta fish. | | | | disease many feel that it is linked to live foods, and it |
| Tail or Fin Rot | | | | especially seems linked to feeding them the black |
| Tail rot and fin rot are common betta diseases that | | | | worms. Many people have found that they can |
| are caused by water that becomes too dirty. You can | | | | prevent dropsy all together by not allowing their fish to |
| actually prevent this disease from ever affecting your | | | | eat black worms. |
| fish if you are careful to always keep their water | | | | The symptoms of dropsy are quite easy to recognize |
| clean. As a general rule this is an easy condition to | | | | and they include a bloated belly and scales that appear |
| treat and it does not seem to be contagious either. If | | | | as if they are raised. The raised scales may actually |
| you treat your fish as soon as possible you will be able | | | | appear very similar to a pine cone. |
| to stop the progression of the disease and their tails | | | | Unfortunately there is not a known cure for this betta |
| and fins will grow back. | | | | fish disease. It is, however, very important that you |
| Some of the symptoms to look for include the betta's | | | | isolate the betta that appears to have dropsy as soon |
| tail and fins getting shorter and shorter. Their fins may | | | | as possible so the other fish will not contract the |
| also start to have a darker color and they may | | | | disease. |
| appear as if they are dissolving or actually falling apart. | | | | Swim Bladder Disorder |
| While some betta's may not even act sick, others may | | | | Another very common disease that betta's may get is |
| stop eating, get clumped fins, and start looking pale. | | | | swim bladder disorder. This actually comes as a result |
| Thankfully treating tail and fin rot is fairly easy and will | | | | from feeding them too much. This disease is not |
| provide results in a few weeks. For treatment you will | | | | contagious, and as a general rule it affects the |
| need to do a full jar water change and use Fungus | | | | younger bettas if they have eaten to much or have |
| Eliminator, as well as either tetracycline or Triple Sulfa. | | | | become very stressed. |
| After the initial change you will need to be sure to | | | | If you see a betta that is having a hard time swimming, |
| change the water every three days and when you do | | | | seems off balance, or prefers to just lay near the |
| you should add more medication to the water as well. | | | | bottom, there is a good chance they are suffering |
| It is important that you continue the treatment until you | | | | from swim bladder disorder. Many times you will see |
| fish improves and you seen new fin and tail growth | | | | them just sliding along on the bottom of the tank as |
| occurring. This may take a few weeks, so continue | | | | well. |
| the treatment until your fish improve. | | | | Many times you will find that your betta will recover by |
| Ick | | | | himself, but it is probably a good idea to not feed them |
| Another very common disease in betta fish is ick. Ick is | | | | as much for a few days. It is also helpful to eliminate |
| actually a type of parasite and many times it is present | | | | brine shrimp from their diet as well, as this can actually |
| in frozen food that is live. Although ick is one of the | | | | cause part of the problem. In the future, try to be sure |
| most contagious betta diseases, it can be treated. You | | | | that you feed your fish a balanced diet to prevent this |
| can prevent your fish from getting ick by adding | | | | from happening again. |
| Aquarisol and salt to your fish's water. | | | | These are just a few of the common betta fish |
| If you start to see white dots appearing on your | | | | diseases that you my deal with in your bettas. Other |
| betta's body, including the head and even his eyes, this | | | | diseases that bettas may have to deal with include |
| is a sign that your fish has ick. More than likely your | | | | external parasites, bacterial infection, fungal infection, |
| beta will also become much less active than before | | | | depression, and velvet. Having medications on hand |
| and may appear sick and have clumped fins as well. | | | | such as tetracyclin, Ampicillin, jungle fungus eliminator, |
| They may feel itchy, so you may see them darting | | | | and maracin 1 and 2. Just taking some simple |
| and rubbing against rocks in their tanks. | | | | preventive measures can help keep your fish from |
| Since ick is such a contagious disease it is best to go | | | | developing many of these diseases, but it important to |
| ahead and treat the entire tank of fish for disease. Ick | | | | know what to do if these diseases occur in your fish. |