1. Loss of color – General body color begins to dull or fade. Darker fish loose their vibrancy and turn a more muted version of their usual shade or begin to turn a muddy brown or gray color. This could signify any number of things from poor water quality to an internal bacterial or parasitic infection. If the body becomes splotchy or one confined area becomes dull or gray you may have a bacterial or external fungal infection. Keep in mind that it is normal for a betta’s color to change slowly as it ages and older bettas will often get a “beard” or an area under the mouth that becomes dull or gray in color. Again, this happens slowly as bettas mature. Rapid color loss may signal illness or a visual sign that the water is inadequate. Test your aquarium’s water.
2. Clamped fins – What are clamped fins anyway? Clamped fins are when a betta holds his dorsal and anal fins close to his body and keeps his caudal fin closed tight rather than displayed open like a fan. Bettas don’t typically swim around in full display all the time but will often spread their fins wide from time to time, especially when another betta is in sight or when they can see their reflection. Bettas who rarely open their fins up wide may be telling you that they are unhappy with the state of their water or are feeling unwell. Again this is one small piece of the puzzle. There is no medicine for clamped fins. If you find your betta is keeping his fins clamped, start by checking that your water is warm enough and is free from toxins like ammonia, nitrite and high nitrates. Rapid changes in pH may also cause this reaction. If you notice clamped fins over a long period of time (say, several days) watch closely for other signs of illness and keep testing that water!
3. Lethargy or Sluggishness – For me this is the tell-tale sign of a problem. It won’t take but a few days for you to get to know your betta and his normal activity level once you bring him home. If you notice a sudden loss in energy, don’t ignore it. Bettas typically explore all day and sleep soundly (hardly moving) at night. A betta that lies on a plant or at the bottom of the tank all day is not a healthy betta. Sluggishness can signal virtually any illness but it also signifies that the water may not be optimal for good health. (Test that water – are you seeing a pattern in my answers here?) Lethargy may even be a sign that he isn’t eating a balanced and nutritious diet. If your boisterous betta suddenly becomes a couch potato, you’ll need to review all aspects of your care regimen.
4. Loss of appetite – This is another worrisome symptom of illness. In my experience, loss of appetite signifies that an illness has gone unchecked. Bettas, whose instincts are to survive, will continue to eat even when sick until they can no longer and must conserve vital resources (like digestion) in order to heal. This is why a betta that won’t eat really concern me; not to mention some of the most effective antibiotics are administered orally. A betta that won’t eat may not be getting the best medicine. The causes of appetite loss can be many, from bacterial to viral to parasitic infections. Usually poor water quality alone does not cause loss of appetite unless severe.
None of these symptoms of betta illness points to any one specific sickness but instead should be a signal to you, the betta parent, that something is wrong. If you observe any of these, take a few minute to assess what the problem might be. Look for other signs of disease, check all your water parameters and review your betta care regimen. The answer may be as simple as a water change, a couple of ticks on the aquarium heater, or a new brand of betta pellets.
The Golden Dragon, originally uploaded by pattpoom.
Did you know you can support Nippyfish.net by shopping at Amazon? Clicking our referral button above means a portion of your purchase will go toward our site.
Rather than the usual serious Betta talk, I thought I would try something a little...
Q: B wrote,
I have a betta fish that I believe is sick. He is laying on the floor...
Do you think betta fish breeders should stop breeding veil tails? Up until a few short...
© Copyright 2012 Betta Fish Care |
All Rights Reserved | Photo Credits
Website Optimization by Emmeta
Hi,
I got a betta fish two weeks ago and i put it in its tank its a very active betta, but today I noticed that there was this redish brownish thing floating in its tank and was wondering if that means im feeding him 2 much or if his tank isnt the right conditions or what. I feed him 1-2 flakes in the morning and 2 pelets at night. i clean his tank once a week . please reply. thanks in advance.
from- stressed out
oh and also once a week I feed it 1/8 of a mashed pea and nothing else that day and one day a week it fasts. or am i underfeeding it or is that just normal. he likes laying under the coral reef plant 2 is that normal.
I have a question, My crowntail "SOMETIMES" doesnt open his fins. Like you said, not always open like a fan that made me not worried. But for past 2 days only his tail clamps up but his bottom fin seems to be open like a fan. Is this normal? Also he sometimes lay on the bottom of the aquarium. Does that mean hes sleeping, or is he ill?
I have a vibrant colored betta, but this morning I noticed the ends of his fins are grey. I feel awful for him what should I do? Is he in pain when this happens? I don't have much money, and Iam afraid to buy the wrong stuff for him. Sometimes at the pet store I think there just acting like they know all the answers to my ?'s, to make a sale! Someone please help-Littlelin98@yahoo.com
Sorry to tell you this but your betta has FIN ROT. Jungle Fungus Clear (or somthing to that effect) is a good brand of medicine, you can find it at PetSmart.
my betta is laying at the bottom all day, he wont eat at all, he's breathing realy hard, and im scared. what do i do?
MY BETTA IS BURPING(OR PUKING) UP BUBBLES AND YELLOW GREASY STUFF. WHAT IS IT?
I have a betta hes a white solid betta im selling him
robbi my fish does that its just that their small fish they don't do a lot. Betas usually just hang around the bottom or if the is a sudden light they will move.
My fish swins very fast shaking his body left to right
is he happy? or what because he doesnt seem sick
Sometimes bettas swim and wiggle their tales when they are healthy and content. Often they show this behavior when their human approaches as they beg for food. On the other hand, they can also show jerking and spasmodic movements which are different. This can be a sign of stress. If they are bouncing all over the tank it can be because they are frightened of movement outside the aquarium or even from their reflection. Scratching his body against the tank or darting around can also be caused by Velvet Disease, Ich Parasites or Cotton Wool Disease.
i just treated my betta for “ich”.. he is a red male, he has long flowing fins but the ends are a little curled, is that normal and what can i do if its not. he is in a 10 gallon tank with 3 other mollys and one of those sucker fish. he doesnt seem to mind them but i notice that he has been more aggressive lately(no harm has been done or anything) please email me and tell me what you think!
he is displaying, and challenging something he sees. i use the end of a bic lighter to immitate another male intruder to get the same response and then feed him a little as a reward. its kind of a trick and works on other peoples fish as well. it is fun to do this trick for people that are long time beta lovers.
my male betta i love him so much and i want to help him his tail and his fins have deteriorated, he is not eating, he has a white spot on his right eye but the spot is very small, his scales well body still has his colors but is becoming pale,he stays in his log most of the time, when he swims around his tank he will have a burst of energy and go fast but then stay put and swim slowly, i think his gills are a little red but i can be wrong, he also swims and bumps into the walls of the tank, this has been going on for a few days and i dont know what is wrong with him i want to know what to do i dont know if he is sick or dying please help me with a solution for him
I,v had a number of Bettas and I adore them!!! One of my three rite now is continuously seeming sick. I noticed color fading and lethargy,but just today he’s got the fluffy white stuff on his dorsel. I feed him twice daily,change his water weekly,use water conditioning,and even started using the natural tea tree liqued in his weekly water changes when I first saw whte stringy slimey stuff a couple months ago wich did disminish!! I hate to see his health diminish and I,m running out of ideas.I almost wonder if he’s a bit older than the petshop first thought because he seems much larger than my other two. If you could give me any other suggestions I would appreciate it.SC
Hi i have a male betta and he started making a bubble nest. I got him a female and he keeps making this freaky bear what does that mean?
never put two betta fish together. They will fight. A bubble nest is normal. That means that they are happy and healthy
Hi, I’ve had my fish for almost a year now and he’s lost most of the color in the bottom fin now I’m not sure what to do or get him!
Hi I have a beta in my 80 ltr tank I recently added a African rope fish two days later my beta started lieing on the bottom of the tank barely moving, upon further inspection I realized that my beta had been bitten just behind his gill right down to the flesh, what can I do to assist my beta other than isolate the tank,will this continue to be a problem in the future?? Thanks:)
I just got a new betta on Sunday. He’s in a heated, filtered tank. It’s only Tuesday but he seems to spend a good amount of time laying on the bottom of the tank behind a plant. Also, maybe my mind is playing tricks on me but i think he’s looking more silver in his face area. Do you think he may just be getting used to the tank? Or do you think somethings wrong with him?
If you have a small tank,I would take the plant out, so that your betta has room to move around.
I got a betta fish Monday, so I don’t quite how it acts on regular basis. It sits around doing nothing but breathing- litteraly! My brother and sister got one too and their is moving around when someone comes up to the tank and it actually swims!!!!! My poor fishy will just sit there. It is not eccepting food- the store told us to feed it 2 pellets every other day. Is that correct?? I think the body shrunk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a little creeped out and very concerned. It floats all day. The mirror thing doesn’t even work…
Check your betta’s water. See if it is okay. It might be sick too. Is it’s color fading? Any unusual marks? I also think your brother and sister are feeding too little. Try feeding 2 pellets twice a day. If your poor little guy just sits there, try getting better food, like freeze-dried bloodworms. My little guy goes crazy over those. Now the mirror thing, its called flaring, and dont worry, my betta didnt flare when I first got him. All you need is a heated, filtered tank, and clean water. Soon, it might get better. Hope this helped! Sorry I couldnt get you the max amount of info I would have!
Good luck!!!!
the betta fish might be sick research about sicknesses of bettas. theres might be warmer than yours.The pet store owners say the warmer they are the more they move.
my betta doesnt like the pellets..
My betta is starting to get lethargic,and he just sits at the top of the water like a floating statue!!Only once an hour does he ever move!
my betta fish has been laying around it’s tank at the bottom and won’t move or eat. She had swimbladder before and so I didn’t feed her,as the website said not to. But then she got better after a day, and then I fed her again and she got terribly sick. She also has a really small white lump on her stomach. Her eyes are big,and they have red in them. She’s pale,and her fins are clumped together. She’s a female veiltail.
hi im 11 and i have had my fish for about 1 year and two days ago he started to not move and now he has lost his color i have looked at alot of other websites and yours looks the best i really love him and i hope you can help lucky
Hi, I’m eleven and I just got my Betta. The first day,he was swimming but after that it stopped and just sat at the bottom. It’s refusing to eat and is only swmming to get air. I change the water fully twice a week and have all the necessary food and even water-neutralizers. I had my betta for five days and it hasn’t eaten. Is he sick? I’m really worried! Also the tempertaure in my house is about 67 degrees. I try to feed it every day.
bettas get stressed out where your contently changing the water its better to get a tank with a filter
I have a blue and white delta tail betta that I got a little over a week ago. He acts normally, seeks out food with a great appetite, and appears to be completely healthy….except for one thing….
I noticed that when I purchased him, the water was too full in the cup, and to eat, his head would rub on the plastic that reaches down in the center. This caused a red sore. After placing him in my “vase tank” this red sore disappeared slowly …think this but with a lot less plant in the top for a better air space; also plant is okay betta: (http://www.bettatalk.com/images/betta_in_a_vase.jpg)
In turn, as the red sore spot healed, I noticed that the scales around it started to turn whitish. I first believed that the white was merely the scales healing from the rub wound. However, now the whiteness has slowly spread over the majority of this face in a fashion that would lead me to believe something is wrong. It is Not fuzzy, or flaky, merely, whitish, as if the color is leaving. My sister says that betta do not replace their scales, but it really appears that the scales are forming new ones.
Overall, I am confused.
Is it a fungus that needs treatment immediately?
Is it a problem with the water, or his stress level?
Is he performing some sort of “molting” to repair the scales that were damaged before?
Or, is here merely loosing color?
Sorry for this being so long. I love my pets, but I haven’t had a betta before, so this fish thing is a little new. As I said, besides the coloring on his head, he is completely healthy as goes for betta.
Thanks,
-Dani H
I am a new betta owner of about 3 weeks and have really been enjoying “Gonzo”. He had no problem adapting to his new home (5g, filtered, and heated tank). He would swim all around his tank, inside his little “cave” home and through his plastic bush, and has always had a healthy appetite. This past week he has been swimming around very spastic and jerky and stays at the front of the tank. He doesn’t swim in his house or bush anymore. He is moving non-stop to the point where it’s exhausting just watching him. Is this “crazy” non-stop swimming normal, or should I be worried? Everything I have read on signs of sickness only mention them being lethargic, not hyper. Plus I miss him exploring his tank. Any suggestions?
I am just wondering can bettas eat ticks? I have a dog and he always has ticks. Can I feed it to my betta instead of flushing it into my toilet?
to large a bite for his tiny mouth. stick with pellets.
hi, i have 2 crowntail betta and when I woke up today, they are very dull and just floats in the tank. they swim weirdly and doesn’t move often. although they still eats, it seems they’re sick and i don’t know what to do. I just changed their water, clean their aquarium and hoping them to cheer up. one of the crowntail betta’s color also fades from red to almost peach. help! :c
I just bough a gorgeous crowntail betta a few days ago. He is very active. He lives in a 10 gal tank with some live plants and large scarce pebbles on the floor. ( I don’t like gravel) He has been acting very energetic and puffing up at every little rock and his reflexion. Lately he has been burrowing into the potted leafy plant at the bottom of the tank or wedging himself between a large pebble and the tank. Then he pops up for air swims around for a bit and goes right back to complete stillness. Freaked me out when I saw him laying on the plant I thought he was dead. The temp is set at 78. He ate real good the first day I brought him home now three days later I haven’t seen him eat. I know they can go up to a week or two without eating, I have grown up with bettas most my life and have never seen one act energetic and then go limp, kinda lime he taking a nap or resting. He has no signs of ick/ puffy wyes or swollen belly. He looks absolutely wonderful even the pH is good…. Does any body know what’s wrong or is this normal behavior?
Thanks Heather
Hi when I got my beta (second one veil tailed male) he wasn’t in the best conditions. So my mom got him hoping that he can have a better life. I had him for a few months and on Thursday he layed on flat on his gravel and I thought he died. I asked my mom to change the water but now I think he discovered his reflection:( what do I do
i have a red vibrent betta. He is a boy and right now he has these air buubles all around his body and i dont know what to do all he is doing is breathing and staying near the top of the tank and my females skin is fading it was a hot pink and now its turning white i clean there tanks at least twice a week and my female is pregaunt i put her with the male for one day and all the eggs were at the bottom of the tank stuck between gravel so i cleaned the tank i dont know what to do my male still has bubbles around him can somebody please help me
I think your betta fish is making a bubble nest. If they are tiny air bubbles at the top, it is to be a bubble nest. Hope I helped
Then again I’m only 11…
I have a red betta I had him for 3 days and I am sooo scared that he Is going to get sick but he seems happy he been eating swimming and I can even get him to flare but I notice today he looks out side the tank and he robs his body on it he doesn’t do it a lot but I don’t know if that good or not do u think I am just worrying to much about my betta named rose please help me I want him to live as long as he can
I got a new Betta fish, two days ago. He has ga a previous owner but he doesn’t seem to like the pellets much.. and when he puts the pellet in his mouth and goes to the bottom the pellet fall out of his mouth and he doesn’t go after it again to eat.
Should I change his food to flakes?
they only eat what is in front or above. if the pellets are collecting on the bottom then you are over feeding!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yooo
I just notice that the scales on the gill covers of my betta has fallen off, revealing red parts, when i shine a light on him. This is very strange, as my betta is happily eating all the pellets given to him, and I have a 100% water change of his small tank (about 1gallon) every two days. Is my betta sick? He still seems active as below and I would not notice it had I not shine a light on him. Pls help, what can I do, will his scales grow back?
my betta is new to the hous i got him yesterday and all he does is sleep at the bottom of his one gallon tank and he wont eat AT ALL i tried flake food and he just ignores it and that idiot never sees his food even when hes hungry pleease respond
temperature is important. 65-70 they are less active than 70-80.