Firefly, originally uploaded by BettaBerries. Q: CBN wrote, ,/b> Hey Chistie, I need your urgent advice again. After a great recovery, Titan made a bubble nest and all (his 1st one) I was really happy. 4 days after that, he suddenly stopped eating and became a bit lethargic, less active. He now seems to have a particular way of swimming around, and kinda curves his body. … [Read more...] about Betta with a Curved Body
Illness & Disease
New Fin Regrowth
MaxEffect.jpg, originally uploaded by Pteropus. Q: MC wrote, Hey Christie, I’ve looked all around for an answer to my question and can’t seem to find it. I hope you can help. I have two beautiful betta fish. One came from an oriental themed store that I couldn’t help taking home because he was close to death. My other is a strikingly beautiful orange veiltail from my … [Read more...] about New Fin Regrowth
Velvet Disease [Piscinoödinium] in Bettas
Photo of Titan provided by CBNQ: CBN wrote, Hi again. This time im really concerned and sad. I think my betta is sick and I need URGENT advice. I think he might be infected with what I have read is called: velvet. He seems to have tiny “dust” spots, kinda brownish or yellowish in some of his body. I’ve also noticed that his fins are not opened like the first time I brought him … [Read more...] about Velvet Disease [Piscinoödinium] in Bettas
A Betta in Sheep’s Clothing: Cotton Wool Disease
Sexta poser…, originally uploaded by Fabiz Rabbit©. Q: KG wrote, I was wondering if you could help me again. I wrote a few months back. I had a betta who appeared to have Columnaris. You suggested that I use a combination of Maracyn and Maracyn II which worked really well on the first try. Unfortunately, my betta seems to have come down with the same disease. I have had him … [Read more...] about A Betta in Sheep’s Clothing: Cotton Wool Disease
When Fish Attack: Treating Betta Wounds
Angry Titan, originally uploaded by Calin. Q: M wrote, I put a betta in with my angelfish and he got trashed. I was gonna put him down because he looked terrible, but then i used the “will to live” rule… and I figured I should at least try to bring him back, so i moved him (temporarily) to a smaller tank with some bamboo to hide in. I’m going to clean out an old tank … [Read more...] about When Fish Attack: Treating Betta Wounds
The Many Faces of Dropsy
Walter, originally uploaded by Mean and Pinchy. Q: Anon wrote, Hello. I enjoy this site and am wondering about a strange condition. I have a male betta that has bloating on only one side. He has not pine-coned and has been this way for weeks, so I don’t believe it is dropsy. I have him in a bare 2.5 gallon tank at 82F. Over the past almost two months I have done courses of … [Read more...] about The Many Faces of Dropsy
Spring Cleaning: The Feng Shui Aquarium
Black Velvet in motion, originally uploaded by RyanThomas. HG wrote, I have a black betta fish that is living in a feng shui glass container with bamboo and rocks. How would I go about cleaning the glass container? A: I’m not really well versed in feng shui but I can tell you that spring is good time for cleaning house and bringing in positive energy and it’s a great … [Read more...] about Spring Cleaning: The Feng Shui Aquarium
Rod Bacterium & Secondary Infections
Q: LP wrote, [I] just discovered your site and blog. So well done and informative. Thank you for your interest and time in sharing with others. I understand you probably have tons of ??? sent your way so I understand if you cannot answer here or on your blog. My 5 yr old son has a Betta for a year in an unfiltered 2.5 gallon tank with a live plant, snail and weekly water … [Read more...] about Rod Bacterium & Secondary Infections
Dangers of Over Salting a Freshwater Aquarium
Betta…, originally uploaded by Fabiz Rabbit©. Q: CLP wrote, I got my male betta – Will on November 5th, so he’s still young. He is in a 2 1/2 gallon tank, heated to 76 degrees. I do weekly water changes of 25% and the pH is at 7.0. My betta has started having fin rot. I went to a fish store, which said the aquarium salt would help him. I’ve been using the aquarium salt for … [Read more...] about Dangers of Over Salting a Freshwater Aquarium
Two Parts to Treating Fin Rot
betta close-up, originally uploaded by Stephie189. Q: SU wrote: I am a college student at Radford University. My poor betta has developed fin rot. I have had my betta for almost a year now. He has had ich before and has cleared up fine. But now he has fin rot. I first thought the light red was the color at the ends of his fins due to his mixture of color but I was wrong:( … [Read more...] about Two Parts to Treating Fin Rot