Sick betta fish can be cured, much of the time, if you can figure out what is ailing your betta. Tiny white speckles, like sugar granules are probably a sign of Ich parasites while swollen body with puffed out scales is likely a signal your betta has Dropsy. Fins melting away? Fin rot is probably to blame but what if these obvious symptoms of disease aren’t present? What if your betta is showing more general signs of illness? The following is a list of common symptoms displayed by sick betta fish.
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
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
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
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.
You should also read the complete guide to betta fish diseases and treatment.
The Golden Dragon, originally uploaded by pattpoom.
View Comments (273)
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
I need help with my betta fish. I used to have my little male hm betta in a 1 gallon unfiltered bowl.. But recently I got him a 3 gallon cycled filtered/heated/full of plants tank and put him in it. Immediately he seemed to mope around and sagged/clamped his fins (which usually is fanned out around him). I left him for a few days and he seemed to be getting worse. He used to come to me when I offered him food and is usually active, but in the tank he just hung out near the surface in the back of the tank. I took him out and now he seems to be able to get back to his normal self. I’m not sure what is wrong with the tank environment a the other fish seems to get along??
He’s still not back to his normal self yet, he still mopes around and is sagging but he doesn’t seem to look so uncomfortable now. He’s still not swimming up to me =(
Hey. What happens if my Betts is losing his color and just stay in the bottom of the tank and dosent want to eat or swim
I know my female Betta is doing that to
Bettas doesn't like filters. They cannot stand the current moving waters, it stresses them out.
my betta is in the top and in the back of my tank and not active he seems very bloated and has a lump in the back of his body. if you could help that would be great. thanks.
My beta has bladder issues. I noticed he was sluggish and wouldn't eat. I did not know that they can eat cucumber, zucchini, banana, kiwis, peas - read how to give peas. He was LAYING on the bottom of the tank and I thought he was dying. Turns out, not feeding him for 3 days and black worms just might do the trick I hope.
The filter can hurt your betta fish. Filters are for tropical fishes.
Actually filters are really good 4 ur betta and beta fish are tropical fish from Asia. I just want people getting the right information.
Manisha-
Actually, actually, many filters are often too strong for bettas. Their fins are swept up in the current created in the filters and cause them to get constantly stressed out and exhausted.
You are spreading misinformation.
But if the current is too strong he may not like it. It's like having 39mph winds in your house all day long
Bettas are not tropical they don’t even live in the wild. They were bread to be pets not brought from the wild. And although you can have a filter, its better not to and just clean the tank yourself.
No.. Betta fish will be absolutely fine with a filter. Mine actually prefers one. He will start showing signs of stress if he doesn’t have his water flow. He was in bad shape when i got him, and i put him in the tank and he instantly started responding to the decorations and bubbles. Plus, a filter greatly reduces toxins, making his water quality better than a bowl. betta fish need at least 5 gallons for optimum care due to the toxins and lack of space. Bettas are from Asia and ARE in the wild. They thrive in shallow but SPACIOUS areas.
You are wrong my friend dead wrong. dont give out information when you dont know what you are talking about. Bettas are wild and show up in random puddle in murky dark water, even in flooded basements or random puddles ina basement. They were not breed for pets.. They are completely wild in Asia.. Filters are good for Bettas but are not necessary unless they are housed with other fish. Bettas are accustomed to poor water conditions thats why they are easy to keep, with or with out a filter.. Please do your research before telling someone something
ou are right.I had a beta for over 5 yrs and it lived in a little round glass bowl without a heater or filter.It traveled with us in our RV all that time in cold and warm weather.It would let me pet her and she was always happy until the end.I just bought a male beta and am doing the same thing but with a gallon bowl,so far so good !!!!!
Bettas only ‘live’ (many die due to overcrowding and lack of resources) in mud puddles and dirty water when the dry season in their native habitats makes doing so necessary. They do live in dark water, colored by tannins which help prevent a whole host of potential diseases and parasites as well as helping to bind impurities and undesirable heavy metals and carry them out of the water column, but their usual habitat is very clean, quite shallow, and tends to have open areas confined by heavy plant growth with slow-moving currents. Despite the slow current, because their preferred habitats are shallow and open they’re generally quite well-oxygenated. They *can* live in the kind of environment you describe, but it’s cruel to make them do so when any other option is available.
I’m sorry Jaylynn, Bettas ARE considered tropical fish and they do live in the wild. They do not live/come from the warmer areas of the ocean (normally referred to as Marine Fish), they originate from the warm, shallow waters of the rice fields in Thailand. There are many breeds of fresh water tropical fish such as gourami’s, cichlids and tetras to name a few. You are correct about not using a filter in a Betta tank. Filters cause too much water movement and will stress out a Betta.
BettaBums fish are originally from Thailand found in rice puddles. They are bred also in captivity, like many fish, but must be accommodated for their instinctual needs. As tropical fish, bettas need heaters and filters, but it is best to use a sponge to lessen the flow.
Bettas ARE tropical. Look it up
Well... they’re tropical puddle fish and are bread frequently in captivity due to their “hardiness”. They live in miles and miles of shallow streams and the current is good for them as long as it isn’t too strong as they’re not tough swimmers.
Betta fish are tropical fish from Asia. They are fighting fish, but since they are full in color, they are bred to be brighter and less aggressive. These are the fish they sell in stores. So, yes, they are tropical, even if they are not from the wild.
That is incorrect. Bettas are in fact tropical and do live in the wild. Just not as many that look like we have as pets. Ours have been breezed to live in tanks and be pets. Wild Bettas live well together and live in warmer areas prominately in Asia
betta are tropical......
I have had my betta in a tank with a filter for 4 years and the only problems I've ever had has been a couple of issues with ick from trying to put other fish with him but he kills the other fish he doesn't want anything else in his tank but the filter is fine. Healthy and happy with his filter he even likes to play in it
I would try going to Pet Smart or where ever you got him and get him some fish buddies that way he has some company and is not very lonely and just me I had a betta for seven years and he was very happy with just a glass vase, like the ones you would use for flowers or carnations but make sure that it is very big and that you put some gravel down for him and you can also put a fake plant in there if you wanted to and you can get them at Joanne Fabrics or Walmart and he should be a very happy fish!
Hello, please do NOT give your betta a fish buddy! These guys are very territorial and someone (one of your fishes!) is going to get hurt. I've heard about large groups of females being okay, but I would need to do more research.
Bettas don't care about other fish-they are only territorial to other bettas or betta-looking fish.
All of my betta live with school fish and dwarf aquatic frogs and they all make giant bubble nests.
hi your teperature needs to be 80-75 dagrees.if it is test your water go to petco they got it all infact im having the same problem i searched the net and about to have lazy fixed in a jiff.also but honestly i think he was a lil scared he has to explore and get compfortable with the tan just wash it without soap.take halph of the water hes currently in and poor it in the new bowl then add spring water to the rest of the bowl and take out some plants he needs alot of room to swim but u really should have it in a five gallon or bigger.mine is in a ten.but the lil guy will be fine :)
eed him two for the day and mabe one at night you dont want to constipate him and old food in the tank he didnt eat or spit out can do harm to the water and then him.but my fish are allways hungry so start with one a day then night after three weeks then you can do like i told u at first
From what I have read in my Betta research, filtered or aerated water moves too fast for this fish breed. Bettas are gentle swimmers, they have to work to hard to swim against the “currant” that is created with tank filters or aerators, basically overworking them/ wearing them out. The constant battle against the current can also cause them to become depressed.
I bought this liquid stuff called Melafix. Walmart has it. My betta had ick and fin rot. Says to use it everyday for 7 days. I've used it for 5 days and now my Oliver seems too happy. Great stuff. Might try that.
Probably new tank syndrome. My betta got it when I gave him a new 1 gal tank. He mopped and hung at the top till I came around. That was 1 week ago. He went back to normal gradually, you aren’t over feeding. You might be under feeding a tad. I would also offer him blood worms if you want him very energetic.
You’re over feeding you’re beta, You should only be feeding you’re beta 1 pellets a day
I don’t know what the “redish brownish” stuff is, But stop feeding you’re fish so much!
ur suppose to feed the betta as much as he can consume within 1 minute. ur starving ur fish!
well actually that might kill it cause don’t forget bettas are small fish they eat very little ure not feeding jaws here cause hed eat ure whol hand yet it would take foty five years for a little fish to do that
but on the paper that came inside of the tanks box it said to feed your beta as much in 1 to 2 minutes so if you do not then you are starving your beta fish expenley if only give on pelete pour day and i am stephaniecooks doughter sorry for the missed spelled words.
You are only supposed to feed any betta six pellets a day and no more than that!
You feed ur fish a pinch of food once a day
you’re not supposed to feed it every day. It says to feed it three times a week, and for it to be able to consume the food within 2-3 minutes.
You are starving your betta they are to be fed every day even twice a day as much as they can consume with in a few minutes. Not only 3 times a week.. That is horrible in my opinion as well as others Im sure. Please feed your Betta
i was always told 3 or 4 pellets every 2 or 3 days i dont wait that many days but they have small tummy’s i think it also depends on the food i have some that says a few times a day and another tells me feed as much as they can eat in 7 minutes. you got to just figure out what works with your fish.
cus you dont ant to over feed it.
i have had a fish live for about 7 years.
i had to get smaller food for my newer betta the ones i had before was to big for him
Please do not feed it three times a week. You are starving and torturing your Betta. You should feed it about once a day, giving it around 3-5 pebbles
actually Ur supposed to feed his 4 pallets and if he doesn't eat it in 3mins then start giving less
As others have mentioned, betas are very small fish. Because they all vary in size, you cannot give a universal pellet amount and expect it to fit everyone. Betta's stomachs are about the size of their eye, so as long as you are feeding them about that much, you should be ok. Also, Bettas out in the wild can go a while without eating, and giving them a day to detox can be good for them. For this reason, it is suggested to feed Bettas once a day, 6 times a week. Make sure to provide other types of food as well!!! Bettas are actually quite carnivorous, so look into the type of shrimp and worms etc they can eat to make sure they're getting all of their nutrients! If you overfeed your fish you will see it growing a little belly. If this happens, make sure to cut down on feeding.
look up betta swim bladder disease
Just so you know your bettas stomach is the size of his/her eye. So feeding a few pellets 3 days a week is plenty. The owner is over feeding not “starving” their fish.
I need help I had my betta for two years and he can’t swim right and won’t eat much and at the bottom of his tank
Start by changing the water. Did that? He might just be old. Most betta fish sold in stores are between 6-12 months old, basically when their color is the brightest. So in reality, your fish is probably around 3 years old. If he is just old, he’s had a good run. I had a betta once that had a perfectly cycled tank, but he only lived a year. It’s all in their genes
The reddish/brownish stuff that is being discussed is a very serious fungus and should be treated right away or it can, and will, kill your little friend. I recommend visiting a web page called Betta Talk. There you will find very useful and knowledgeable information on all things Betta such as diseases, tank set up and conditioning, what kind of water is best, best types of food, etc.
Great question!!! Actually, Bettas only eat 2-3 Special BETTA pellets. Their stomachs r the size of their eye, so 3 pellets per day is quiet enough. I feed my gorgeous betta 2 pellets in the morning, & 1 @ night. By the way, u mentioned that I had him In a tank. Your tank should be at least 5 gallons or more. For more information on all of this, I have a very helpful video in YouTube that can answer most of your questions. It’s titled “Basic Betta Fish Care”. In terms of red things floating around, that is because you r probably feeding to many flaks. Again, Bettas eat special Betta pellets. I had this problem when I started my other 10 gal. Aquarium. I was feeding to many flaks, and they were dirtying the tank. I have that straitened out now now though. if u r overfeeding, that can raise the amonia levels Hope this helpful!!!
well first u should probably clean out he tank then if that dosent work take him to the stor and ask the employe or manager etc, whats wrong with him. that’s all I can say
you have to clean the tank every 4 days since you got it. A -lso try feeding it bloodworms or shrine shrimp..
I think you are feeding him to much because I was told your supposed to feed them 3-4 times a week
my better fish is turning from red to gray, he usually swims a lot but he is not moving. It has only lived for one year and half. what should I do
Your fish just used the bathroom it's normal
If it's a female, it could be the eggs,, if it's a male, I'm sorry I can't help..
Try and clean the tank a lil less I clean it about once every two weens bc he might get stressed if you do it every week
Your feeding him too much only 1-3 flakes or pellets every other day
That reddish-brownish thing is most likely a piece of toxic algae. Remove it at once.
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.
Your Betta doesn’t need to eat a pea, and do not starve him any day of the week, for shame, poor wee fishy, no wonder he just lays around inactive. He is not happy!! Please learn how to properly care for your Betta. He should be always active (except at night when he sleeps soundly), happy to see you, attentive, curious, and looking forward to his meal times of proper Betta flakes, pellets or better yet feed him Nutrafin basix-Betta Food-Fish food for all Bettas (which is freeze dried red grubs) A complete nutritionally balanced diet that provides all the nutrients your Betta needs. Good luck. Thanks for writing in your concern, you are a Betta parent trying to do the right thing.
this is really late but fasting a day is actually good for their digestions. Bettas live longer the less you feed. Bettas can live up to 7 – 10 years if you don’t feed them every day more like 3 times a week. I have many reputable breeder friends and they know much more about Bettas than any one here or from what you have read from google.
DO NOT feed your Betta peas or any other people/dog/cat or bird food. You must only feed food made especially for Bettas. In the wild Bettas eat mosquito larvae. In captivity you should feed Betta pellets, flakes once a day. If you want to give your Betta a treat every once in a while, try freeze dried brine shrimp.
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?
my betta fish is blue it is always laying around but at day it wont stop moving swimming fast at night is that normal and it is always swimming against the glass because i have a mirrow in the tank is it suppoesd to do that?
Take the mirror out!
My new betta does that to and he sits on that bottom of the bowl he is purple and red and hasent aten since i have gotten him it has been 5 days.
i have tried feeding him frezed dried blood worms, omega one flakes and wardley betta food but he still doesent eat what should i do
The same thing happened to me. I tried Tetra BettaMin and my betta fish loved it!
but do not feed him/her blood worms because i read that if you feed it blood worms then they will not live as long.You should feed it pelets and flakes.
Feed him “Nutrafin basix-Betta Food-Fish food for all Betta’s”. Buy it at your pet store. That’s all he needs to keep him healthy and active!!
first off how long did you get him and If I were you I would take him back to where you got him from and ask them, So you get better information on what could be wrong with him!
well first ill answer the ” up against the glass thing with the mirror” well bettas need to be kept in separate tanks so e probably thinks theres another betta. now as for the first thing u need a professional to tell u that cause I don get what ure trying to say
FOR HEAVENS SAKE REMOVE THE MIRROR IMMEDIATELY!! Your fish is extremely stressed out thinking there is another beta he must fight at all times, when it is only his own reflection in the mirror.
why do so many people think it bad for them to flare I have 2 males with a divider and they are very happy being at it most of the time I never see them just laying around and there fins are perfect seems they get depressed in a bowel with nothing to do and if you have a free swimming betta in a 10 gallon tank you can feed him a tad more mine love peas and worms they get 3 pellets a day a worm or to when I walk by the tanks because they really get mad if I don’t and a couple more pellets just before I turn out the lights haven’t lost one yet
I also use spring water as oppose to tap much better quality
My new betta does that to and he sits on that bottom of the bowl he is purple and red and hasent aten since i have gotten him it has been 5 days is that normal HELP
well I can only tell u what he has if he starts getting bloated if he does tell me and I will tell u everything u need to know
I think that he is ill if he is hanging around the bottom alot because mine just died in sunday, and she was only 9 months old and I noticed she was hanging around the bottom alot. And I didnt know what was wrong, so I went to my dads that weekend and I came back and my grandma said she died. I mean I dont know how but she was a very healthy fish and I took good care of her. So I have another one named spyro, and he is a male crown tail. And he sometimes has his fins closed and its normal, but I think yours might be sick. Even when he hangs out on the bottom alot. I cried for 2 hours when mine died. So I think yours is sick.
good question when your fish layes at the bottom of it’s tank it is slepping.For example there is a little hole in my fishes tank and I sometimes find him in it but when i give the tank a little tap he gets right up and if this didn’t help and you truly think he is ill bring your fish to a pet shop and ask.
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.
its probably just becoming old, or it is ill anyway give me more symptoms and I can indeed clarify whats wrong with ure betta cause I had a betta that I used to examine a lot and he got sick so im farmiliar with his illness cause my fish dd loose most of his color. when I got him he was dark blue but when he was ill his colors faded hope I helped u. xoxo
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?
i have the same problem and im really worried that he may die
i have had one do that before i dont know what was wrong with him but he seemed to get better he is a crown tail betta.
i could not find out what to do for him.
but mine would try to swim now and then and he could not swim that well i felt really bad for him.
MY BETTA IS BURPING(OR PUKING) UP BUBBLES AND YELLOW GREASY STUFF. WHAT IS IT?
mine is coming up to the top and like breathing air or something and he burps up the bubbles to i also dont know why but he is only eating his food at the bottom it is weird.
He probably can’t digest his food, depends on what you’re feeding him… and my betta Kurt will rarely eat his pellets when they are at the top. I don’t have time to soak them in water, but really I think it’s better when he eats them as they descend to the bottom of his bowl because then I know they won’t expand with any more water in them when he consumes them. Kurt is pretty happy, though his head and a little bit of his body have been consistently gray since I got him. It’s probably just age. I feed him a few bloodworms/daphnia/mysis in the morning, like 2 or 3 (I rotate off every morning) and a pellet or two in the evening. He is very active and blows a lot of bubbles.
well I am not sure but thats what my fish did when i first got it and its now been 1 year later and he still does it but also when i feed him the pellets he eats it than spits it back up but i find that if i crush the pellets he eats it so im thinking that the pellets are to big if you know the awnser please help me
He may be making a bubble nest. Males do this. Completely normal
It is a bubble nest...perfectly normal...youre fish will be sad when you do a weekly water change...but will.build another bubble nest!!
hes probably just puking cause its a symptom of some sort of illness.
if my last reason wasn’t helpful I think I found a new answer. my fish used to spit out his food 10 seconds after he ate it so hes probably spiting out the food and the burping thng is natural cause my fish did it too. they usualy do it after they eat
thank you for helping im glad to know my fish isn’t the only one
Male bettas are bubble nest builders. When they are happy they blow bubbles. Nothing to worry about. It means he is healthy and happy in his surroundings.
I have a betta hes a white solid betta im selling him
i really think u shouldnt sell him.he is a person too not just a thing.U r really messed up
fastinating :l
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!
I got a red and purple male betta. I have had him for about a month and the whole time I forgot to clean the tank. I did some research and changed out 20% of the water and added 20% of the chlorine stuff. (It is a 2.5 gallon tank by the way.) He seemed okay for awhile and then suddenly got extremely lazy. He normally stays near the top but now he lays on the bottom of the tank all day barely moving and the gills or whatever by his mouth fan out very rapidly. I need help soon since I am afraid he will die. Please help me by sending an email to huntingroxjhan@gmail.com. Please help!!!
yep i know mine id a total beggar XD its cute as heck.
i used to have one that would stop swimming and pose for photos.
he was funny a bright pink one to
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.
Does that work for goldfish???
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