Generally our betta fish are very hardy and do not get sick very easily, if properly cared for. However, if the Betta fish is neglected for a long time, there is a possibility of getting sick.
Not only that, the sick betta fish also gives us time to recover, but if we do not take care of it, the chances of the betta fish dying increases a lot.
But if our Betta fish is sick or Betta fish has any disease, then by adopting some proper methods we can make our Betta fish healthy.
Betta fish behavior before death:
We should observe our betta fish carefully for some time every day, because if we observe our betta fish carefully, we will understand that, does our betta fish have any physical problems or not.
Depending on some factors we can understand if our betta fish is sick like,
- Our betta fish will greatly reduce or stop consuming food.
- Betta fish will be less active and will stay in one part of the tank most of the time. Won’t even respond to us properly.
- Our betta fish will lose a lot of luster, and the skin color will fade day by day.
- Betta fish will float on top of the tank most of the time. Not even able to swim properly, which we call swimming disorder.
- Many times we have seen our betta fish lying at the bottom of the tank for long periods of time, which is a sign that our betta fish is seriously ill.
- Irregular breathing in Betta fish or breathing too slowly.
- Sudden swelling of our betta fish’s eyes or reddening in the eyes, causes our betta fish to be sick. Swelling of various parts of the body of the betta fish, especially the lower part of the abdomen.
- Many times we have seen the rotting fins of betta fish. This causes our betta fish to eat less food and become seriously ill. This disease is called fin rot disease.
- White small spots are often seen on the body of Betta fish. Sometimes a white cotton-like part appears on the body of the betta fish or a golden coating appears. All these diseases are very harmful to betta fish and if not treated at the right time, the chances of our betta fish dying increases.
- Our betta fish can get hurt from other aquarium mates, or even from various ornaments or small pebbles in the aquarium.
- It could also be that our betta fish are getting too old, and this aging can cause our betta fish to die.
Although the above mentioned diseases are mostly caused by bacteria and fungi. So if not treated at the right time, our betta fish can become seriously ill and later die.
What causes betta fish to get sick or die?
A betta fish can be sick for a number of reasons. But the most important thing is observation and timely treatment. So we should spend some time every day carefully observing the betta fish.
As a result, if there is any problem with our betta fish, then we will understand by looking at the betta fish.
Betta fish food intake:
One of the most important aspects of keeping betta fish is the diet of the betta fish. A diet rich in high quality protein, vitamins and minerals is essential for betta fish.
We should always feed our betta fish enough food, because if we feed our betta fish too much, the chances of our betta fish getting sick will increase.
However, many times after consuming live food or warm food, our betta fish do not eat anything the next day. Which is completely normal, because live food or worm food takes time to fully digest and during that time our betta fish do not consume any special food.
The most important thing is that if our betta fish reduces or stops feeding then we need to know that our betta fish is sick and if not treated at the right time, the fish may die. So we should have a proper idea about Betta fish diseases.
Betta fish tank environment:
If the betta fish tank environment is not right, the chances of our betta fish getting sick increases. The betta fish tank environment depends on many factors such as,
Water quality:
We usually use tap water for betta fish, but before using tap water we must keep some things in mind like, The potential of hydrogen or pH value of water should be between 6.5 and 7.5.
Another important factor is the value of TDS or Total Dissolved Solids in the water. If the TDS of the water is between 150 and 250 ppm then the water is ideal for betta fish. But too high or too low TDS value in water is harmful for our betta fish.
Bio filter:
A bio filter is essential in our betta fish tank. Leftover food and waste from our betta fish tend to accumulate at the bottom of the tank, which subsequently helps create ammonia.
This ammonia is very harmful to our betta fish. Normally our tank should have ammonia between 0 and 0.25 ppm.
If for some reason ammonia builds up in our tank then the tank environment starts to deteriorate completely and our fish get sick.
So we should use a bio filter in the betta fish tank. Some helpful bacteria are found within this bio filter. These bacteria help make our nitrogen cycle happen. This results in the conversion of ammonia first to nitrite and then to nitrate.
In other words, if we use a bio filter, the possibility of increasing ammonia in our tank is greatly reduced.
Aquatic Plants for Betta Fish Tanks:
We usually do not use any kind of air pump for betta fish tanks. But using aquatic plants is very important for fish tanks.
By using aquatic plants in the betta fish tank, the oxygen level in the tank water is controlled and there is no oxygen deficiency.
Plants indirectly help to organize the nitrogen cycle in our aquarium, thereby reducing the chances of ammonia build up in our aquarium.
Not only that, aquatic plants are ideal surfaces for our betta fish to rest on. So indirectly aquatic plants are ideal for reducing stress on our betta fish.
Regular aquarium cleaning:
If we clean our aquarium regularly, the chances of harmful substances like ammonia build up in our aquarium are greatly reduced.
Not only that, regular aquarium water changes keep the pH and TDS value in our aquariums under control, which keeps our fish healthy.
Regular cleaning of the aquarium greatly reduces the chances of various parasites such as bacterial and fungal growth. So it is very important to clean our aquarium regularly.
Twenty to twenty-five percent of the betta fish tank water should be changed at least once per week.
If we use a proper bio filter then the aquarium should be completely cleaned once every two to three months.
If we do not have a bio filter in our aquarium then we should clean our aquarium completely once every month.
If we don’t keep our betta fish aquarium clean or change the water on time, harmful ammonia will build up in our betta fish tank.
Also the pH and TDS levels of the tank water will not be controlled which will greatly increase the chances of harmful parasites growing in our tank. As a result, our fish will quickly become sick and may eventually die.
Water Temperature:
The ideal water temperature for betta fish is 75° to 80° F. So if the water temperature in our betta fish tank drops too much or rises too much then the chances of our betta fish getting sick increases a lot.
So it is very necessary to use a water heater in our betta fish tank.
Ideal tank for Betta fish:
We have seen many times that betta fish are kept in a small glass container, which is a completely wrong practice. If we keep the betta fish in that small glass container, our betta fish are likely to get sick very quickly.
So we should always use such a tank holding at least 5 gallons of water for betta fish. This allows us to use bio filters, water heaters in the tank, and our betta fish will have plenty of space to live properly.
A betta fish usually lives for four to five years. That is, whenever we buy a betta fish, it is very important to know the age of the fish.
That’s because if our betta fish is too old, then the chances of the fish getting sick increases a lot. Not only this, the fish may also die after a certain age.
So we should buy beta fish that are three to six months old. However, betta fish at that age are very active and bond with us much better.
Note: The above mentioned topics are written by us based on our many days of experience. But if you think your betta fish is seriously ill then definitely consult your veterinarian.
Welcome to our website Aquarium Fish Zone. My name is Sagar Ghosh and I live in Kolkata. I am a science graduate.
I have kept fish in aquariums since I was very young. I loved seeing the colorful fish in the aquarium.
I have always tried to maintain and care for the fish properly. So me and my team members have created this website.As a result, we can provide you with accurate information about how aquarium fish are kept.