Common Betta Fish Diseases

Betta fish on the whole are easy fish to keep. The information below is based on over 20 years of fish keeping experience and research. Everyone has a different remedy when it comes to fish illnesses. I haven't dealt with all these diseases listed below personally, but over the years, I have done plenty of research into fish diseases, and many of these remedies have worked very well for me. The most important aspects of fish keeping to prevent disease altogether are:

1. Maintaining good water quality in order to keep  healthy fish . Regular water changes need to be part of your routine care.
2. Keeping the water temperature at a constant level of 78-82*F for Bettas, as they are tropical fish and require warm water.
3. Providing a good quality varied diet.
4. Quarantining new fish.

Items to keep on hand.

1. ​Quarantine tank. A 2.5 to 5 Gallon is more than sufficient. In some cases, the smaller the tank, the easier it is to administer treatment.
2. Spare nets so that infections are not spread from tank to tank.
3. Aquarium Salt.
4. Medications.

 Whilst we can do everything right for our fish and take very good care of them, illness can still strike. Early detection can make all the difference in saving your Betta's life. Use the symptom checker to diagnose your sick fish.  You may find your Bettas symptoms are in several categories. If this is the case, keep their water as clean as possible, add aquarium salt and monitor your Betta closely. Many times poor water quality is the problem and many illness can be cured by improving their conditions.

​Fin Rot
General Symptoms:

• ​Ragged fins and tail fins.​
• Black or red streaking along the edge of the fins.
• Note that the behavior of your fish will not change noticeably unless it's a severe case.

Causes
​The number one cause of fin rot is poor water quality. Ammonia  in the water builds up in the tank and causes burning damage to the fins, causing them to bleed. The fins are then open to bacterial infection, which continues to feed on the damaged fins. Due to the poor water quality, the Betta is likely to have a poor immune system to fight off the infection. Stress is also a factor.  Other causes include fin damage on rough or sharp decorations, and aggression from other fish. Any damage to the fins opens them up to bacterial infection.

Treatment
​For mild cases,  do 80% daily water changes adding 1 tsp. of aquarium salt per gallon. You must do water changes before adding more salt. If you keep adding salt without doing the water changes, the salt content will skyrocket and rise to harmful levels for your fish. Add Stress coat water conditioner to aid tissue repair. Continue this for 5-7 days. If you don't see improvement after this time, you can increase the salt dose to 2tsp per gallon and daily 100% water changes. You can also use medication such as Maracyn 2. Follow the treatment schedule on the packages. When using chemical treatments always remember to remove active carbon from your filter. Once your fish starts to heal its not uncommon for the fins to grow back with a slight curl to them. It in no way harms the fish or hinders their swimming.

​Ich/White Spot
​General Symptoms:

• ​White spots that resemble grains or salt or sand.
• Darting and scratching against gravel or decorations.
• Clamped Fins.

Cause
Ick is  a single cell called a Trophont. It is usually introduced into your aquarium by another infected fish. Fish usually come from large fish farms where parasite control can be difficult. They usually build up a good immunity to these Trophonts but some are more susceptible. A fish that is stressed is more likely to have an outbreak of ick. It is extremely contagious and needs treatment quickly. It causes great distress to the fish, and if left untreated, the fish will eventually  die. It is an easy diseases to treat if caught early.

​Ick Life Cycle

• ​The Trophont feeds on the outer tissue of the fish.
• Once the Trophont has matured, it will drop off the fish and attach to the substrate.
• Within a few hours it will release 100's of free swimming Tomites. This is the point at which your fish are infected.
• Tomites attach to your fish and the cycle begins again.

Treatment
There are several ways to treat ick. Do a 50% water change thoroughly cleaning the gravel. Slowly increase the temperature to 86F most fish can handle this temperature for a period of time. The Ick can't survive at this temperature once they fall off their host.  Keep your lights turned off in your tank, as  it makes it more difficult for the Ick to find its host. The typical cycle for ick is 12-14 days. During this time, try not to do a water change since this will cause the water temperature to drop.  Once the 12-14 day period is over and there is no sign of Ick on your fish, do a 25-30% water change throughly vacuuming the gravel and resume your normal routine fish care. We have used this treatment several times and it has not failed. However if you have live plants in the aquarium they may not be able to tolerate the heat and you will need to use medications.

We try not to use chemicals in our tanks unless absolutely necessary. There are several medications on the market that treat Ich. We have found Rid Ich Plus to be a good one and it didn't have too much affect on our plants. If you use medication be sure  to follow the instructions on the packages. Always remember to remove active carbon from your filter when using medications and add it back in to your filter one the treatment is over.

 Columnaris
​General Symptoms:

• ​White-cotton like growth around the mouth, and a steady progression to the body and along the edge of the fins.
• Saddleback-like appearance near the dorsal fin.
• Rapid gill movement.

Cause
​Columnaris is  bacteria that can enter through the gills, or mouth.  It's most likely to affect fish that have been stressed by poor shipping methods, along with poor water quality and diet. It is highly contagious and can be spread through contaminated nets, and gravel siphons.

Treatment
Do a 50% water change and then vacuum the gravel really well. Place any fish that are obviously infected into a separate quarantine tank. Treat this tank with aquarium salt and fungus medication such as Tetra fungus guard and API Pimafix. Also, treat the whole tank to be on the safe side, even if the other fish are showing no signs of the disease. Typically, it can take 5-7 days for Columnaris to clear. This disease can be a difficult one to treat since it can linger in your tank for a while even after treatment. Be thorough with cleaning your tank and follow the medication instructions carefully. Remember to remove active carbon from your filter.

Velvet
General Symptoms:

• Gold dust like spots.
• Rubbing against substrate or decorations.
• Clamped fins.
• Rapid gill movement.

​Cause
​Velvet is a single-cell parasite that is highly contagious. It lives and feeds on its host until fully mature. When it reaches maturity, it detaches from its host and begins to multiply. The new parasites must find a host within 24 hours, or they will die. The point at which the parasite detaches is when they are most vulnerable to treatment.

Treatment
​A water change before using any medication is always helpful as most medication requires no water changes during treatment. Catching this disease early gives your fish a good chance of survival. Medication is the best form of treatment. Follow the recommendations and remove active carbon from your filter.

​Dropsy
General Symptoms:

• ​Raised scales.
• Bloating.
• Lethargy.

​Cause
Dropsy is caused by a  fluid build up,  making the abdomen swell (hence the bloated appearance). Once the buildup is severe, the scales begin to raise up. This illness usually only affects fish with a weak immune system. Poor water quality can bring this on if your fish is already in a weakened state.

Treatment
Sadly, Dropsy is usually fatal if not detected very quickly. Good water quality and the addition of aquarium salt will help with overall stress. If it is spotted early enough, some medications for internal parasites may be helpful. As usual, follow the recommendations on the packaging.

​Fin Biting
General Symptoms:

• ​Losing part of the fin overnight.
• ​Swimming in circles.
• Biting its own fins.
• Having unusually clean fin tips.

Cause
Fin biting is usually caused from misplaced aggression, stress or boredom.

Treatment
Moving your Betta to a larger tank can often help. With more room to swim and places to explore, the boredom will be changed to interest. Change the tank decorations when you clean the tank to change up the environment. Interestingly enough, one effective method to help with aggression is to place a mirror in front of your Betta. He can have fun flaring at himself, releasing pent-up aggression. Only do this for a few minutes otherwise it will go from being beneficial to stressful. It is important to keep good water quality so that the injured fins do not become infected. Bettas who fin-bite usually do it for life, but it is possible to minimize the behavior with the treatments recommended above.

Here are some of our favorite medications to have on hand.