Betta Fish Diseases Sick Betta Fish Please note this page contains affiliate links. If you have a sick betta fish, youre probably feeling a little scared, confused, and anxious about how this happened. S_fsAbuP.jpeg' alt='The Fish Company Atlantic Beach' title='The Fish Company Atlantic Beach' />Agency with mission of conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The worlds largest producer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables. Company profile, job opportunities, recipes, FAQ, and related links. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Tasting Room is located in Milton, DE. Dogfish Head Brewings Eats and Chesapeake Maine located in Rehoboth, DE and the Dogfish Inn. While relatively hardy fish, betta fish can suffer from parasitic, bacterial, and fungal diseases just like any other freshwater fish. Quick identification and treatment will minimize potential damage and get your colorful friend swimming happily again. Rockland, Massachusetts. Home of Anita Maries. Where the Bite Me Bait Co starts off each fishing adventureThe best way to keep your betta fish from getting sick is to keep them happy and healthy by following proper betta fish care. Its always better to be proactive than reactive. Just like you wouldnt want to be freezing or living in a dirty and cramped home, your betta fish doesnt either That would eventually get you sick too. Sick Betta Fish Behavior. Lethargic Inactive, lazy, lacks aggression, hiding. Refusal to eat for extended periods of time e. Faded colors, mainly in male bettas. Labored breathing. Damaged fins. Clamped fins. Certain behaviors are linked to a stressed or sick betta fish and not necessarily a full blown disease yet. Identifying these behaviors listed above is the easiest way to tell if your betta fish is sick. Noticing these behaviors and correcting the problems early is very important. Failure to do so could exacerbate the problem and lead to more severe complications. The Fish Company Santa MonicaThe Fish Company Denver CoBetta Fish Diseases. The most prevalent betta diseases are listed belowDisease. SymptomsCausesTreatmentsColumnaris. Cottony white growths along the body andor gills. Stress, poor water quality. Clean water andor Anti fungal medication. Dropsy. Extreme body swelling and pineconing of scales. Virus, bacterial infection, or parasites. Kanamycin Sulfate or Maracyn IIHole in Head. Visible holes above the eyes. Poor nutrition and water quality. Clean water and proper betta fish food. IchIck. Small white dots on body and fins, rubbing on decor. Poor water quality, stress, or contagious companions. Clean water and. Rid Ich Plus or. Mardel Copper Safe. Fin Tail Rot. BlackRed tattered and receding fin edges. Poor water quality. Clean water and aquarium salt administration. Severe cases require Maracyn II antibiotics. Popeye. Bulging eye. Prolonged exposure to bad water quality, or Tuberculosis. Clean water and Maracyn II antibiotic. Swim Bladder Disorder. Floating on side, difficulty swimming or regulating depth. Genetics, overfeeding, or bacterial infection. Fasting 2 3 days. Maracyn II antibiotic. Tumor. Lump or bump. Varies. Outlook is usually fatal. Velvet. Goldish yellow rust like dusting. Rubbing on decor. Stress, cold and poor water quality. Clean water, 7. 6 8. Fahrenheit. Mardel Copper Safe. After diagnosis, youll need to follow the treatment options right away and always strictly adhere to medication directions. Never stop treatment early as this could increase a parasites immunity. If your betta fish lives in solitude you may opt to treat them in their existing tank. If they live in a community tank, have carbon filters, or sensitive plants, you should quarantine them for disease treatment in a separate hospital tank. Betta Disease Pictures and Synopsis. Some betta diseases can be treated easily, while others may have gloomier prognoses. Check your betta daily for anything abnormal. During feedings and tank cleanings is a great time to look for common symptoms of an ill betta. Learn your fishs personality too Doing so allows you to quickly identify when theyre acting strangely. Columnaris Cotton Wool or Mouth FungusBoth beneficial and harmful Columnaris bacteria is present in your bettas water. Under stressful habitat conditions e. Visible, sometimes stringy cottony patches on the mouth, gills, or fins along the body will be present in Columnaris. Accelerated symptoms may also include visible lesions and gill damage. Dropsy can be caused by numerous issues including viral disease, parasites, poor nutrition, and bacteria. Its also common amongst keepers who feed their bettas live food. Dropsy is actually not a disease, but rather the symptom of whats going on inside the betta fishs body from other ailments. These ailments include fluid build up and the swelling of failing organs liver and kidney. Dropsy is severe and visible from above. Youll notice extreme swelling in the abdominal area and outward flaring scales that resemble a pine cone. This is shown in the photo above and in the full video here. The bacteria that triggered internal issues is contagious and can harm other community tank members. Another symptom of dropsy is the tendency for betta fish to stay close to the surface to easily get oxygen. Their appetite will also be virtually non existent. Fin rot or tail rot melt is probably the most common betta fish disease. Its often confused with tail biting, resulting from boredom, and tears on sharp tank decor. Upon inspection, the tail caudal or other fins will show visible signs of the disease. These signs include red or black tattered, sometimes bloody, edges along the affected areas and can lead to body rot if not treated. Typical behavior and personality does not usually change unless the betta is suffering from other ailments too. And to answer your next question, yes their fins can grow backHole in the Head. Usually caused by improper nutrition or habitat cleanliness, early signs of hole in the head disease include small sores, dents, or pin holes on the surface of the bettas head and above its eyes. Over time these holes become increasingly larger lesions. These cavities are easily visible and tend to travel along the lateral line of the betta. If diagnosed early, it can be cured like most betta fish diseases, but in later stages, it becomes increasingly deadly. Another one of the most common betta fish diseases is Ich, and its caused by parasites. Ich is characterized by small white dots that are similar in size to a granule of sugar. These spots are visible to the naked eye and appear along the body and fins of a betta fish. Its a very preventable and treatable disease that is, however, uncomfortable for your betta. You may notice them rubbing against objects in the tank in an attempt to get the parasites off their body. Popeye. This disease affects a betta fishs eye and will cause one or both to bulge outwards. It can be very startling seeing these symptoms, but it is treatable. The most common cause of popeye is prolonged exposure to poor water quality. If you monitor the quality of your bettas water and dont feed him or her live food, you should never experience it. Popeye on its own can be cured without long term damage or loss of sight, but sometimes its a sign of tuberculosis. Computer Software Shops In Bur Dubai Hotel. Tuberculosis is a more serious and always fatal betta disease. Septicemia Red StreaksThis rare disease affects betta fish who are stressed e. Septicemia is a bacterial infection that can be caused by adding new community fish without quarantining them, or feeding infected food. Its not contagious and can be diagnosed by visible red streaks or bloody marks along the body. High levels of nitrites, causing nitrite poisoning, can also lead to red stripes. Rule this out first by conducting a water test. Septicemia may also develop alongside popeye. If left untreated, this disease could lead to organ failure and dropsy. Also note that septicemia is virtually impossible to detect on red colored betta fish. Swim Bladder Disorder SBDThe swim bladder is located between the stomach and the fishs tail. Overfeeding can lead to bloating, constipation, and swim bladder disorder from the digestive tract pressing towards the swim bladder. This is very common among bettas in captivity because of misinformation or lack of knowledge around how much to feed a betta fish. The instructions on the back of food containers can be misleading and usually represent an over estimation. SBD is not contagious and usually clears up on its own unless its a birth defect. This disorder is more prevalent in young fry and select breeds like the double tail betta.