How to Treat Illnesses in Betta Fish

If you've ever visited a pet store, you've likely seen vibrant betta fish swimming in separate plastic cups. These fascinating fish, scientifically known as Betta splendens or Siamese fighting fish, are very popular in the aquarium trade. Unfortunately, these fish are often transported under unsanitary conditions from their native countries in Asia. With the added stress of transportation, bettas are particularly prone to a variety of harmful diseases. However, most of these conditions can be successfully treated with prompt care and attention.

Be on the lookout if the fish's fins seem rough or the fish is less active than usual. The betta's color may appear paler than normal, and it may develop white patches or a cotton-like appearance on its body. These are indications of a fungal infection. Fungi tend to grow in tanks that haven't been treated with salt and Aquarisol during water changes.

• This type of fungus can spread rapidly from an infected fish to others in the tank, so it’s crucial to treat the sick fish immediately.

Check if one or both of the betta fish's eyes are bulging out. This is a symptom of a bacterial infection called exophthalmia. Fish may develop bulging eyes due to dirty water or a more serious illness, such as tuberculosis. Sadly, fish tuberculosis is incurable and will cause the betta to die. The disease can cause the fish's spine to curve (not to be confused with the natural 'lumps' that typically develop in older bettas).

Check if the fish's scales are raised or swollen. These are signs of dropsy, a bacterial infection affecting the fish's kidneys. This disease leads to kidney failure, fluid retention, or bloating. This condition often occurs in fish that are weakened due to poor water conditions or eating contaminated food.

• Once the kidney failure from fluid buildup occurs, your fish is at risk of dying. You can prevent dropsy by avoiding feeding live worms or contaminated food. Salt baths for the fish can help expel the excess fluid, and medications may be helpful. Since it's difficult to know which medication is appropriate and because dropsy can worsen rapidly, it might be best to let the fish pass peacefully.

Look for white spots or patches on the fish's body that resemble grains of salt or sand. These are signs of white spot disease, or Ich, a common parasitic infection. The spots may feel slightly raised, and the fish will often rub itself against objects in the tank due to irritation and itching. The fish may also experience respiratory issues and frequently come up for air at the water's surface. White spot disease targets fish under stress from fluctuating water temperatures or pH levels.

Observe whether the betta's tail or fins are frayed or faded. These are signs of a bacterial infection causing the fins, tail, and mouth to rot. Fin rot often occurs in fish that have been bullied or injured by other fish in the tank. Poor environmental conditions also contribute to fin rot. However, if your betta is a type with naturally frayed fins, these are not a concern.

• Fortunately, most bettas can regenerate their fins and tails with prompt treatment. However, once regenerated, the fins and tails may not be as vibrant as before.
• Some bettas may suffer from advanced fin and body rot if the initial fin rot is left untreated for too long. The fish could lose fins and muscle tissue as the disease progresses. Once the fish's tissue has decayed, treating the advanced fin rot becomes very difficult, and the fish may ultimately be consumed alive by its own tissue degeneration.

Shine a flashlight on the betta fish to see if it shows a yellowish or rust-colored tint. This is a symptom of velvet disease, a highly contagious parasite. When infected with velvet disease, the fish may keep its fins tightly pressed against its body, begin to fade in color, lose appetite, and may start rubbing itself against the tank walls or gravel.

• Since velvet disease is a highly contagious parasite, you should treat all the fish in the tank if one shows signs of infection.

Check if the fish is swimming sideways or lying motionless at the bottom of the tank. These are signs of swim bladder disorder, a common condition in betta fish. Swim bladder disorder typically results from overfeeding, causing the bladder to swell, which makes the fish float sideways on the water's surface or lie at the bottom of the tank unable to swim.

• Remember, swim bladder disorder is relatively easy to treat and is not fatal, so you don't need to worry about your fish dying from this condition.

Look for greenish-white strands on the fish's body. This is a symptom of anchor worm disease, a tiny crustacean that burrows into the fish’s skin and penetrates its muscles. The parasites then lay eggs in the fish before dying, leaving damage that can lead to infections. Betta fish can contract anchor worms through exposure at pet stores, from contaminated food, or by coming into contact with infected fish introduced to the tank.

• The fish may rub itself against objects in the tank in an attempt to remove the anchor worms, and the areas where the worms are attached may swell up.

Isolate the infected fish. If the sick fish is sharing the tank with others, use a clean net to remove it and place it in a smaller quarantine tank with a proper filtration system. This will allow you to treat the water and the tank without harming the other fish.

• You should also check the quarantine tank to ensure the temperature is suitable for bettas, around 25-27°C.

Use Ich Guard medication to treat white spot disease. This medication can be purchased at pet stores. Alternatively, you can treat white spot disease by raising the water temperature if the tank is larger than 20 liters. If the tank is smaller than 20 liters, avoid raising the temperature as it could harm the fish.

• Gradually raise the water temperature in larger tanks to avoid shocking the fish, until it reaches 29.5°C. This will kill the ich parasites causing white spot disease.
• If you have a smaller tank, thoroughly clean the tank, replace all the water, and treat the water with Aquarisol and aquarium salt. You may also transfer the fish to a temporary tank and raise the water temperature to 29.5°C to eliminate any remaining ich parasites before returning the fish to the main tank.
• You can prevent the spread of white spot disease by maintaining stable water temperatures and performing weekly tank cleanings.

Treat fungal infections with ampicillin or tetracycline. These medications can eliminate fungi and prevent your betta fish from contracting fungal infections that lead to fin and tail rot. You should also thoroughly clean the tank and replace all the water. Treat the new water with ampicillin or tetracycline and antifungal medications.

• You will need to clean the tank and replace all the water every 3 days, adding the medication after each water change to eradicate the fungus permanently. Once you notice that the betta no longer has tissue loss in its tail or fins, you can return to your regular tank cleaning schedule.
• You can also use ampicillin to treat the bulging eyes of your betta. Clean and replace all the water in the tank every 3 days, adding ampicillin after each change. The bulging eye symptoms in your betta will resolve within a week.

Add BettaZing to the tank to kill all external parasites. If your betta shows any signs of external parasites like anchor worms or velvet, you should replace at least 70% of the tank water, then treat the remaining water with BettaZing to kill any lingering parasites and their eggs.

• You can purchase BettaZing at pet stores.

Avoid overfeeding your betta to prevent swim bladder disorder. Betta fish are not gluttonous, so you should feed them only one small meal a day to prevent overfeeding. The fish should consume all the food in the tank within 2 minutes. Leftover food can degrade water quality, making your fish more susceptible to illness.

• Feed your betta a varied, protein-rich diet. Purchase betta food from pet stores that has been certified and look for frozen or processed foods designed for tropical fish.

Prepare a first aid kit for your betta fish. Betta fish can become sick or infected at any point in their lives, so it's important to have medications ready for quick and effective treatment. Medications can stress your betta, so only use them when you are sure the fish is infected or suffering from a specific illness that requires medication. You can find fish medications at pet stores. Your first aid kit should include the following:

• BettaZing or Bettamax: These medications have antiparasitic, antifungal, and antiprotozoal properties. They are effective against issues like fungal infections and velvet disease. You can also use them as preventive treatments when introducing your betta to a new environment or adding new fish to the tank.
• Kanamycin: This antibiotic is available at many pet stores and is used to treat serious bacterial infections.
• Tetracycline: This antibiotic is used to treat milder bacterial infections, such as fungal infections.
• Ampicillin: This powerful antibiotic treats conditions like bulging eyes and other bacterial infections. It can be purchased at specialty fish stores and online.
• Jungle Fungus Eliminator: This antifungal medication treats a variety of fungal infections and is especially useful for betta fish owners.
• Maracin 1 and Maracin 2: These tablet medications treat mild infections like fin and tail rot. However, they are less effective than other medications for treating more severe infections.

Change 10-15% of the water in your aquarium weekly or bi-weekly, depending on the type and effectiveness of your aquarium filter. This will help remove accumulated waste and decaying organic matter from food and dead plant leaves in the tank. Regular water changes also help remove toxins and maintain water clarity.

• Do not remove aquatic plants or decorations when changing the water. If these are removed or cleaned, beneficial bacteria that help filter the water might die, degrading the quality of the filtration system. Also, you don’t need to move the fish to another tank during partial water changes, as this can stress the fish and expose them to harmful bacteria.
• You can use a siphon tube to remove debris from the gravel and decorations. Use an algae scraper to remove algae from the tank walls or decorations before lowering the water level.
• If the tank does not have a filter, begin by cleaning the water and checking ammonia levels daily. When your test kit detects ammonia, it’s time to change the water. You can use a tank cover or filter to reduce the frequency of water changes and protect your fish from infections or diseases.
• Check the water daily to ensure it’s clear, free of bubbles, or strange odors. These can be signs of bacterial growth, and a full water change will be necessary. This helps prevent your betta from getting sick or infected.

Use aquarium salt to treat bacterial infections. Fish diseases like fin and tail rot can be prevented by using salt specially formulated for aquarium use. Unlike table salt, aquarium salt does not contain additives like iodine or calcium silicate. (Do not use table salt!)

• Do not use aquarium salt or copper-containing medications if you have snails or small fish, like dwarf fish, in the tank, as they may not tolerate these substances and could die. Nerite snails can tolerate salt but not copper, so handle with care.
• Always follow the instructions on the packaging for dosage. Typically, manufacturers recommend 1 tablespoon of salt for every 20 liters of water in the tank.