15 Common Betta Fish Diseases (With Photos): Prevention and Treatment

Updated on August 27, 2019

Januaris is a supplier of pet food and care products, and he’s a true animal lover. He loves to write about dogs, bettas, bees, and pigeons.

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Betta fish suffer from a number of health conditions, but the good news for keepers of this fish is that these health problems can be prevented and also treated. If the infections occur in the aquarium, they can be easily identified and treated effectively.

This article covers all the common diseases and illnesses of betta fish, as well as their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. If you keep Siamese fighting fish at home, read on to learn how you can keep your aquatic pet healthy.

Betta fish diseases and illnesses can be categorized as fungal, parasitic, or bacterial. Most fungal infections result from previous health conditions. Parasitic ailments are the most contagious, and can be introduced into the aquarium by new fish. The most common causes of bacterial sicknesses include poor quality water and inappropriate fish handling methods.

The Common Diseases of Betta Fish, in Brief

Fin and Tail Rot
Columnaris
Hemorrhagic
Dropsy
Pop Eye
Eyecloud
Mouth Fungus
Furunculosis
Fish Fungus
Velvet
Ich
Anchor Worms
Hole in the Head
Swim Bladder Disorder
Betta Tumors

1. Fin and Tail Rot

As the name suggests, this disease affects the fins and tails of betta fish. It can be caused by bacteria or fungi. The fins and tail appear to melt away as a result of rotting.

It can be prevented by keeping the aquarium or living conditions of the fish clean.

Fin and tail rot can be treated by medications containing antibiotics, such as trimethoprim, erythromycin and sulfadimidine.

If it is effectively treated, the fatality is medium.

If you have had fin and tail rot affecting your fish, you may have tried medications such as Tetracycline, Jungle Fungus Eliminator (JFE), Maracyn or Melafix. But the truth of the matter is that these medications are not quite effective in treating this infection, and some even kill your fish.

I have had little success with JFE and the other medications showed no success - they even worsened the condition. According to my own experience, the most effective medication for fin and tail rot is Waterlife-Myxazin manufactured by a reputable company.

The medication is itself a 5-day treatment, and it comes with clear instructions on how to use it. The most amazing thing about this treatment is that it starts to give positive results from day one! According to the manufacturer, it can also deal with pop eye, body rot, raised veins, ulcers, 'redness', cloudy eyes and other health conditions.

If you have the fin and tail rot disease or the related infections in your aquarium, I would encourage you to go for this medication. I have been using it since I discovered it in 2010 and I have had no disappointments with it.

2. Columnaris

This is a bacterial disease that causes the fins to rag and fray. It also causes skin ulcers or lesions, white spots on the mouth, cottony growth on the mouth, scales and fins, and gills discoloration. The fish can have breathing difficulties as a result of the gill infection.

The sickness can be prevented by treating open wounds and fungal infections. It can also be prevented by avoiding factors, such as limited oxygen, water hardness and overcrowding in the aquarium.

Columnaris can be treated by Oxytetracycline and antibiotics containing Sulfa 4 TMP, TMP Sulfa and triple sulfa.

If the infected fish is not treated, it can die in less than 72 hours.

3. Hemorrhagic

Commonly known as redmouth, hemorrhagic causes serious bleeding inside the mouth and eyes of the fish.

The disease can be prevented by disinfecting the aquarium to kill Yersinia ruckeri, which is the bacteria causing the illness.

The treatment of hemorrhagic is possible with antibiotics such as ampicillin.

The infection is treatable, which means that the fatality is low.

4. Dropsy

This is a deadly ailment that affects the kidneys. The infected fish can have swollen abdomen as a result of accumulation of internal fluid.

Some more symptoms include; outward-sticking scales and sunken eyes.

The bacterial infection can be prevented by keeping the aquarium clean. It can also be prevented by feeding fish with vitamins-rich foods.

There is no known cure for dropsy but medications, such as Betta Revive, can help with the condition.

Most fish that suffer from Dropsy do not survive.

5. Pop Eye

This disorder causes swelling on one or both eyes. The swelling can be a tumor or viral infection.

Pop eye is usually a symptom of a disease and can be avoided by preventing infections in the aquarium.

Antibiotics such as Tetracycline can cure the ailment.

Most fish that suffer from pop eye survive at the end.

6. Eyecloud

Commonly known as cloudy cornea, this disease causes white films on the eyes.

It can be prevented by improving the quality of water. A water conditioner is needed to make the water safer for the aquatic animal.

Eyecloud can be treated by antibiotics such as Metafix and Fungus Clear.

The bacterial sickness is not fatal but can impair vision.

7. Mouth Fungus

This is actually a bacterial disease, and it causes white lines or clumps around the lips and mouth of the fish.

It can be avoided by keeping the water clean, i.e., changing and conditioning it regularly.

Amoxicillin as an antibiotic can cure mouth fungus. Other medications that cure general fish fungus (described below) can also help with the infection.

The infected fish cannot survive if the illness is not treated early enough.

8. Furunculosis

The symptoms of furunculosis include skin ulcers and open red sores that can also appear on the fins and tail.

Improving water quality can effectively prevent the disease.

Fungus Clear as an antibiotic can treat this bacterial ailment.

Furunculosis can kill fish that doesn’t receive treatment in time.

9. Fish Fungus

This is a fungal disease that originates from previous infections. The affected betta usually has cotton-like growths, white fuzz films, slime (mucus), or white lumps and bumps on the skin.

It can be prevented by avoiding primary infections and injuries and keeping the aquarium clean, i.e., changing and conditioning the water regularly.

Antibiotics such as Methylene Blue and Fungus Clear can cure fish fungus. It can also be treated effectively by the Bettafix Remedy mentioned below.

The sickness can become fatal if it is not treated early enough.

10. Velvet

Betta fish infected with velvet appear to have a rusty skin and scaly head including the gills, and can have black spots allover the skin.

The parasitic disease can be prevented by improving the quality of water and ensuring the living conditions are stress-free. Water conditioners are some of the best substances to improve the living conditions.

It is highly contagious but it can be treated fully by Bettafix Remedy. Manufactured by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, this medication consists of curing components such as sodium chloride, copper sulfate, acriflavin, formalin, sulfa 4 TMP, methylene blue and malachite green.

With all these healing components, this remedy can also be used to treat all the other diseases, illnesses, sickness and disorders listed on this article. I have been keeping bettas for almost 15 years, and I have seen this medication heal my aquatic pets. I recommend that you use it to prevent, control and treat many ill-health conditions.

If velvet is not treated early enough, the infected fish dies in a matter of days.

11. Ich

Also known as white spot, ich or ick is a parasitic disease that causes white dots, rings, or spots on the belly, fins, tail, gills, and other parts of the skin of betta.

It can be prevented by changing and conditioning the water regularly, and also optimizing parameters like ammonia, pH, nitrites, and dissolved solids.

The sickness can be treated by Fish-zole, Malachite Green, salt baths, or the Bettafix Remedy mentioned above.

It is very easy to deal with the illness if treatment starts early.

12. Anchor Worms

This is a parasitic disease that attacks the tail or fins. The affected parts appear red and swollen and have protruding worms and threads of slime.

It can be prevented by treating any newly infected fish and keeping the water clean.

Some antibiotics such as Methylene Blue and Parasite Clear can cure the disease.

The ailment can become fatal if it is not treated early enough.

13. Hole in the Head

Betta infected with hole in the head have an abrasion on the head that looks like a pinhole or white fuzz.

The parasitic infection can be prevented by cleaning water off carbon.

Parasite Clear is an antibiotic that can cure the disease.

The infected fish usually dies after a few days if it is not treated early enough.

14. Swim Bladder Disorder

Also known as flipover, this disorder forces the fish to float at the surface of the water. The affected fish swims sideways or upside-down and can also lie at the bottom of tank. It is caused by constipation, poor water conditions, parasite or bacterial infections and enlarged organs.

It can be controlled by maintaining a high quality water, avoiding overstocking and feeding the fish with the right amount of fresh and fiber-rich foods.

When it comes to the treatment, the swim bladder disorder can be stopped by raising the water temperature, letting the fish fast for some days and then feeding them with cooked peas.

Fish with swim bladder disorder | Source

15. Betta Tumors

Betta tumors are usually cancer lumps, growths, or minor bumps/cysts under the skin of the fish. They mainly affect the reproductive organs, gills, tail, and abdomen, and are caused by genetic mutations and viral infections.

The tumors can be controlled by feeding the fish with healthy foods, maintaining a clean tank, treating other infections, and keeping carcinogenic substances away from the tank.

As far as treatment is concerned, the malignant tumors can be hard to cure, but some simple surgical operations can help. The benign tumors and cysts can be treated in a number of ways depending on the cause the lump or bump.

Summary

Disease	Type	Prevention	Treatment
Fin and Tail Rot	Bacterial/Fungal	Clean living conditions	Tetracycline/Waterlife-Myxazin
Columnaris	Bacterial	Treat open woulds	Oxytetracycline
Hemorrhagic disease	Bacterial	Disinfect aquarium	Ampicillin
Dropsy	Bacterial	Keep aquarium clean	Betta Revive
Pop Eye	Bacterial	Control other diseases	Tetracycline
Eyecloud	Bacterial	Improve water quality	Metafix/Fungus Clear
Mouth Fungus	Bacterial	Improve water conditions	Amoxicillin
Furunculosis	Bacterial	Keep water clean	Fungus Clear
Fish Fungus	Fungal	Avoid primary infections	Methylene Blue/Fungus Clear
Velvet	Parasitic	Clean living conditions	Bettafix Remedy/Fish-zole
Ich	Parasitic	Change water regularly	Fish-zole/Malachite Green
Anchor Worms	Parasitic	Treat new fish	Methylene Blue/Parasite Clear
Hole in the Head	Parasitic	Avoid carbon in water	Parasite Clear
Swim Bladder Disorder	Disorder	Avoid overfeeding	Fasting/raise water temperature
Betta Tumors	Malignant/Benign	Give healthy foods	Surgery/viral medication

Conclusion

Now you have it. With this information, you can keep betta without any worries. Some fish can develop behavioral conditions, such as stress, lethargy, and poor appetite, but you shouldn’t be worried about these short-lived conditions, especially if your fish is new in the aquarium.

Moreover, betta fish can suffer from fading color or abnormal color change, and can develop things like bubbles and solid particles on their bodies. These conditions can be controlled by changing and conditioning the water regularly, and also optimizing parameters like ammonia, pH, nitrites, nitrates, air, water hardness, water temperature, and organic matter and dissolved solids.

Important: If you haven't found a solution for your fish yet, do not fail to check the comments, questions, and answers below.

Have you ever dealt with any of the above Betta fish infections and diseases?

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Questions & Answers

Question:
My betta has been hanging out at the bottom of the tank, she doesn’t really eat. Sometimes she’ll zip around the tank and then right back to the bottom. I tried betta fix. What else can I do ?
Answer:
Well, you need to check other signs of sickness in her. If she lacks these signs, then she might not be sick. It is actually normal for fish to stay at the bottom or eat less/not to eat for a certain period.
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Question:
My new Betta fish, that I got from Walmart (so you know it was in horrible conditions before I got it) is now gasping at the top of the water; he flares up anytime that anyone comes around him, he's not swimming like a normal Betta fish does either. He's my baby brother's fish, and he would be devastated if it were to die. What can I do to treat him?
Answer:
It looks like you have fed him a lot, and as a result, has developed the swim bladder condition. See how to deal with the condition from the article. He could also be under stress because of the new conditions, so you can also wait to see if he'll get better.
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Question:
My betta fish is pale and is alive but at the bottom of its tank. What does it mean when a betta fish remains at the bottom of its tank?
Answer:
Highly likely that you are overfeeding him and has developed the swim bladder condition. See how to deal with the condition from the article.
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Question:
My betta fish is not moving much and is lazing around on one side of the tank. Its fins appear to have become stiff. What is the cause and cure for such a condition?
Answer:
It looks like he's being overwhelmed by the conditions of the water. Try changing and conditioning the water, and maintain the right levels of water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc. See all parameters in the comment section of this article.
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Question:
My fighting fish has a lump on the side of its head by its gills, it is not eating, blowing bubbles, and only swims by the filter. I have done a few water changes and I've made sure there are not too many fish in the tank. What could be the problem with my betta fish?
Answer:
If it's a hard lump, it could be cancerous which is difficult to cure. Otherwise, it is a fungal or bacterial infection which can be cured with medications such as Maxyazin and Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful

Question:
My betta lost half of his mouth (the whole left upper lip) for no reason at all. What should I do?
Answer:
This is a fungal attack! You can get the Bettafix Remedy to help your betta. You can also change the water frequently to keep it clean.
Helpful
Question:
Our Betta is about two-years-old. He is like a pet dog. For the last few days, he just lays on the bottom. I check every morning to see if he is even alive. Sometimes after I check on him, he will zip around, then tire again. His colors are fading. He is our third Betta. Could it be his age? He has a great tank, with live plants, filter, snails. I replaced his water with bottled spring water in a 6.5 g tank two weeks ago.
Answer:
You need to check water parameters such as ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, etc. and ensure they are optimum. See all parameters in the comment section of this article. You also need to check the amount of food you are giving him as high amounts can cause Swim Bladder which forces the fish to lie at the bottom.
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Question:
My male betta has a red blister coming out behind and above the eye. What is this?
Answer:
That could be an injury from sharp objects in the tank or fungal infection.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta has discharged some yellowish white substance and hasn’t been eating, what may be wrong with it?
Answer:
Could be some digestive problems. You can try changing the food.
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Question:
My male fish has a discolored head, and my other fish has red around the gills, while her body is a very pale pink. What could this mean?
Answer:
If they are not showing any signs of sickness, then it is highly likely to be normal. It could be an average color change as they grow up.
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Question:
What are the large whitish clumps coming out from under my beta’s belly almost getting stuck even and staying there?
Answer:
They could be anchor worms, fungi or slime, but any white matter forming on fish scales/skin is usually due to poor water conditions. You can try changing the water regularly and optimizing parameters such as dissolved solids.
Helpful
Question:
Can a male betta's fins get so long that they affect their swimming?
Answer:
Bettas will always grow fins that they will be able to manage unless the fins have a health issue.
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Question:
What kind of healthy foods should I give my betta fish since he has a tumor on his head?
Answer:
You can try plant-based foods - peas, etc, but most foods are just healthy.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has been laying on the bottom of the tank, and hasn't eaten in three days. Today I see he’s swollen by his gill and losing color. What can I do to help him?
Answer:
He's highly likely to have the swim bladder condition. As for the gill and color, you need to keep the water clean, maintain the right water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc. and deal with the swim bladder to keep him free from stress.
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Question:
Why did my beta kill itself by butting its head onto the tank?
Answer:
Didn't you see him/her butting? He/she could have developed an infection on the head.
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Question:
I've had my sorority tank for 3 years now, a few months ago I added 2 new females to my current 10 gal of 2. After adding the new ones one of my older ones has developed cottony growths that come and go. Also seems like her abdomen on her right is swelling up. Any ideas?
Answer:
Seems like a fungal infection, and you can start with the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful
Question:
My male betta had a little bump on his head. The next day, it became a hole. I added some rock salt and antiseptic to his pot..but the injury has grown. He is bleeding, and has lost his color and shine. He is not even eating anything and swimming on top in on the same side..his face has red lines and he's having respiratory problems. What should I do?
Answer:
You need to disinfect the water to avoid infection of the wound, and try some fungal medications. You also need to maintain the right levels of water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc. See all parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful
Question:
My female betta had what appeared to be an egg sac protruding from her mouth. Today, the "eggs" are all popped. But the "sac" is still protruding from her mouth. I can't fing anything that describes what is going on with her. I want to pull the "sac" out so she can eat, but am afraid I will injure or kill her. Any ideas?
Answer:
You need first to see the root of the sac. If it's on the mouth, you can pull it out with some care and then apply some disinfectant. If it's deep in the mount/throat, you can just change the water and optimize parameters such as ammonia, dissolved solids and nitrites. By doing this, the sac can deflate and get eliminated.
Helpful
Question:
My betta is not using one of his fins and sits in one of the corners or on the floor of the tank, his face also has little spots of silver on it (i don't know if the silver is him changing colour or a sickness.) What should I do?
Answer:
He could have hurt it or has an infection. You need to inspect it carefully to know the real cause of the problem.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has what I'm suspecting fin rot. I already started the salt treatment I noticed some improvements, but the back fin is not growing out at all. It's almost been ten days with salt treatment what should I do to help him grow back his tail? Also waiting now for medicine I bought the fin & body cure by API. Can I start the new medicine right away? Also, I read somewhere that people use salt as preventive care while other only say for treatment, and I'm not sure what to think anymore.
Answer:
Salt is for preventive care. That's why you're not noticing further degradation of the tail. As for the medicine, you need to start immediately, but the tail may take some time to grow - from two weeks.
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Question:
What is causing my white Opal male beta fish's fins to turn black?
Answer:
It may be either a fungal infection or just normal change of color.
Helpful
Question:
My beta had a bump on its left side, what could it be?
Answer:
If it is a hard bump, it could be a tumor. If it is a soft one, then it is a fungal or bacterial infection.
Helpful
Question:
My beta's scales are peeling off and I am not sure what to do please respond as soon as possible?
Answer:
It looks like your water has...
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Question:
The eye of my betta turned all red in the cornea. It looks like it could be a little swollen, and as if he is blind in it. I was thinking possible Popeye, but like I said it's not really swollen. Do you know what it could be?
Answer:
It could be Popeye in its early stages. Try the available medication and keep the water clean and maintain the right water parameters.
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Question:
My betta has a white spot on his tail fin, but at times it looks like one of the colors on his fin. He is acting like he normally does. Should I be worried or could it be part of his color pattern? It's just one dot and it hasn't grown since I noticed it two days ago.
Answer:
If he does not behave unwell, it is highly likely to be a birthmark.
Helpful 1
Question:
Why does my fish have red dots on his fins?
Answer:
Red spots are usually sores (fungal or bacterial) or wounds caused by parasites which thrive in dirty water. You can try changing the water regularly and adding some disinfectant.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta has a red dot on his fin and tail. I'm not sure what it is, and I think he's been like that for a month now. He has stopped eating as much as he usually would eat as well. What could it be?
Answer:
If he has been like that for a month and he's not showing big sickness symptoms, then it is likely to be a new color developing. As far as eating is concerned, it could just be a normal change in eating habit.
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Question:
My betta fish has something white protruding from his underbelly, is it fatal?
Answer:
It could be anchor worm, fungi or slime which you can carefully pull out. You then need to change the water regularly to avoid re-occurrence.
Helpful
Question:
My betta swims lopsidedly at the top of the tank, has a green dot on his fin, and is turning clear. I don’t know if that is his natural color. He is flaring more frequently, maybe bloated, always stressed and can't stay at the bottom of the tank without fighting. I don’t want to lose him. What should I do?
Answer:
Green dots as infections are usually rare in bettas, so it could be a natural color mark. Concerning the other symptoms, I also think it is a bloat. Just check on the amount of food you are giving him.
Helpful
Question:
Why do betta fish have whitish/pinkish spots on their heads and eyes?
Answer:
These spots are just their color or birthmark.
Helpful
Question:
What does it mean if your betta fish has a lump behind its fin?
Answer:
It's a growth/tumor or a symptom of fungal, bacterial, parasitic, or viral infection.
Helpful
Question:
My baby betta boy is acting strangely. He sometimes jerks quickly in the tank; darting quickly from one place to another. His appetite is normal, I see no other signs of distress. His water quality is good as well. Do you have any thoughts? I had this happen to another fish I purchased from the same store, and it ultimately died.
Answer:
Darting may not be a health issue, but he can collide with an object in the tank when speeding, which can be fatal!
Helpful 2
Question:
My beta has one gill that is sticking out. We have used a Melaleuca antibacterial for a week, which has not helped. Do you have any idea what this is?
Answer:
It's likely to be a swelling or a lump pushing the gill from inside. It can also be as a result of injury, maybe a sharp object that entered the gill and stretched it out. You need to inspect your betta more to know the true cause.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has what looks like rotting of his skin on his face chin and neck area with a lot of exposed skin that now appears goldfish. Erythromycin only helped some with fin rot. What else should I try?
Answer:
That is fungal try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
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Question:
My betta fish is slow, sleeps at the bottom of the tank and doesn't move much. What could be wrong?
Answer:
This is highly likely to be a swim bladder condition. See how to deal with it from the article.
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Question:
My betta fish is just sitting at the top of his tank. He looks dead. He has white fuzz on his top, and his fins are sagging. When I poke him with my net to see if he’s alive, he tries to swim very hard, but fails and goes back to looking dead. Do you know what’s wrong with him?
Answer:
You may have taken longer to change the water and condition it, making it poor quality and overwhelming to the fish. The white fuzz is a sign of dirty water. Some water parameters like - ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and pH could also be above optimum and stressing him.
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Question:
I recently got (2 days ago) two female betta fish and one male. The male seems to chase the girls a lot but has settled down now. One girl is fine and swimming around, but the other is barely swimming and lying sideways on the gravel. Is there a cure for my betta fish's illness? Will my betta fish die?
Answer:
If you are feeding them excessively, she could be having the swim bladder condition. See the condition in the article.
Helpful 16
Question:
My Betta Veiltail has had clamped fins for the past three days, I'm really worried about him. He takes his feed normally, but nowadays he seems to lay at the bottom of the tank, mostly at night. What could the issue be?
Answer:
Clamped fins is usually due to stress which is commonly caused by poor water quality. Some diseases like velvet can also cause this problem. See comments in this article to learn how to improve water quality. You can also follow the Bettafix link to get a water conditioner.
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Question:
My male Betta fish is swollen, and he has what looks like an infection around his eyes. I removed the plastic plants and changed his water every five days. He will get a little better and then swell up again. His eyes were completely swollen shut. After frequent water changes and removal of plastic plants he is starting to recover, but today his mouth is swollen and a bit of inflamed. What can I do?
Answer:
You can try keeping the right water parameters. Check the parameters in the article section of the article.
Helpful 12
Question:
My betta keeps hiding at the bottom of the tank all day and seems lethargic. There are moments when he swims frantically. His colours are also faded. What is the possible issue?
Answer:
Some issues with your water are causing that fading. The living conditions are definitely not good for him. You need to change your water regularly and maintain the right water parameters. See the parameters in the comment section of the article. You can also get the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article to help heal his corroded skin.
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Question:
Can I feed ants to my betta fish?
Answer:
Absolutely! Insects are always a good option!
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Question:
My fish has been lying at the bottom of his tank for 2 days now. His head seems to be discolored and a little swollen. He swims frantically every so often then just goes back to the bottom. Any idea what this problem with my Betta fish could be?
Answer:
It's highly likely that the quality of the water has turned poor. You can try changing it regularly and optimizing parameters like pH, dissolved solids, ammonia, nitrites, etc.
Helpful
Question:
Why does my male beta fish flare at me when I look at him?
Answer:
His flaring means he is a friendly pet!
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Question:
I just bought a betta. She looked really healthy when I bought her. It’s been about a week since I’ve brought her home. She has a little red dot on her forehead, and I can’t tell if it’s just a red scale or some kind of disease. What do you think?
Answer:
If she is not showing any signs of sickness, the mark is highly likely to be a developing bodymark.
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Question:
My betta fish has a little white ball next to his nose and close to his eye. It looks like a tumor. I'm getting worried about what it could be! I've had him for more than three years already, and he was doing just fine. He still eats and sleeps like normal. Today was clean up time for his tank, and I noticed that ball next to his nose. Any ideas about what it could be?
Answer:
The water was getting too dirty, and this could have caused the problem. Go on to clean the tank and maintain the right water parameters. See the parameters in the comment section of this article.
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Question:
Hello, my betta's fin look shredded at the ends. Its top fin is not opening fully. And it's perpetually at the water surface. Moves around once in while but mostly static in one top corner of the aquarium. It's eating normally. Can you Please advise?
Answer:
It is highly likely to be Columnaris in its early stages. This is a bacterial infection and is now effectively treated by the Waterlife-Myxazin mentioned in the artcle.
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Question:
What does it mean if your betta fish has a medium-sized lump behind its front fin?
Answer:
It's a growth/tumor or a symptom of fungal, bacterial, parasitic, or viral infection.
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Question:
My female betta has stopped eating and breathes nearly constantly at the top of the water, lying on the leaf hammock. At first, her color turned white, and she gasped a lot. Her color is back, but she still isn't eating and is still lying on her leaf breathing air from the surface. She has swum about a bit, but it seems to exhaust her. I changed her water to pre-conditioned betta water. What is causing my Betta's malady and what can I do for her?
Answer:
It's highly likely to be the swim bladder condition, and you can try the solutions discussed in the article.
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Question:
Why does my betta have red spots on his fins?
Answer:
Red spots are usually sores (fungal or bacterial) or wounds caused by parasites which thrive in dirty water. You can try changing the water regularly and adding some disinfectant.
Helpful 6
Question:
My betta fish can't eat anything. He always spits it out, tries again and then gets tired of trying. When he tries to chew his gills go in and out. Whats wrong with him?
Answer:
The food could be hard and he's trying to soften it. Other possible reasons include overfeeding, bad food that he doesn't like, sickness or mouth ulcers/lesions/cavity.
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Question:
Can you help me? My beta has a puffy chest. I have tried everything, but nothing worked
Answer:
It could be due to overfeeding/bloating or swallowing something big. It could even be dropsy that is developing.
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Question:
My betta fish has not been eating and has been hanging at the surface at the water, but he only floats. What condition might be affecting my betta?
Answer:
It is highly likely to be the swim bladder condition. See it in the article.
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Question:
My betta has fin rot, and sits at the surface of the tank. The tank is also foggy. What should I do?
Answer:
You need to change the water and treat the fish with the medication mentioned in the article. Follow the link in the article to get the medication.
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Question:
My betta seems to have worms coming off of it, and fin and tail abrasions. Could these be two different diseases that I need to treat?
Answer:
Yes, these could be anchor worms and probably fin and tail rot or columnaris. However, the abrasions could have been caused by sharp objects in the tank.
Helpful 5
Question:
Can you tell me why my male beta fish has a big bump under his pectoral fin? He is barely eating and only comes to the surface for air.
Answer:
It could be a tumor or a swelling caused by bacterial or fungal infections. If it's hard, it's highly likely to be a tumor.
Helpful 5
Question:
My beta has lost interest in eating and keeps his nose to the surface of the water. What is the cause of this?
Answer:
Betta can go for some time without feeding, so this is not a big issue. But as for the keeping his nose near the surface, I think your water lacks enough oxygen. You need to change the water or may be open the tank for some time.
Helpful 5
Question:
My betta floats a lot recently, and I've noticed some little long black eggs. Those weird eggs can also float. Also, the betta seems underweight (skinny). What should I do?
Answer:
Most bettas float due to the swim bladder condition, so as indicated in the article, you need to cut down the amount of food you are giving your fish. As for the eggs, it is normal for them to float, but thread-like eggs are associated with toads.
Helpful 5
Question:
My container dropped on the floor and the betta was out of water for a few seconds. Got him in another container, but his fins are kind of stuck. Is there anything to do to get my betta's fins normal again?
Answer:
Yeah, give him time. They will be okay!
Helpful 5
Question:
Can you advise me as to why my beta has stopped eating for four days and lies motionless at the bottom of the tank?
Answer:
You need to inspect your fish further for more symptoms because any disease can cause a fish to stop eating and lie motionless!
Helpful 4
Question:
My female Betta has had a rough road for four months or more. She got sucked up a filter and lost most of her fins. Now she is breathing hard, spits up bubbles, and her gills are dark red. Please help?
Answer:
You can use a disinfectant to avoid bacterial or fungal infection on the open sores.
Helpful 4
Question:
My fish will sit at the bottom of the tank, and it has red stuff on its tail and a worm looking thing. What is this?
Answer:
It's likely to be an anchor worm. See how to deal with it in the article.
Helpful 4
Question:
my Betta cannot move her body except for her two little front fins. She is not floating to the surface or looking bloated. Her fins look good, but when she tries to swim her body falls over sideways and she can't control herself. She gets herself upright with her two little fins. What is wrong?
Answer:
You need to check carefully if she has injuries or some infections on the other fins, including the tail.
Helpful 4
Question:
My betta fishes sides have become big like it has bloat, but on both sides. What could this mean?
Answer:
It could be dropsy or just bloat. If you think it's bloat, check the food and the amount.
Helpful 4
Question:
My Betta was a vibrant blue, he's now almost clear in color? I clean the tank regularly but what could this be?
Answer:
Something could be wrong with the water. Try checking and maintaining the right water parameters - ammonia, organic matter, air, etc. See comment section of this article.
Helpful 4
Question:
My beta has lost color in some of his scale. It was just a few at first, but now there are many scales that he doesn't have any color. What might this be?
Answer:
It is highly likely to be caused by poor water quality. You can try changing the water frequently, conditioning it and maintaining the right water parameters. See the parameters in the comment section of this article. You can also follow the Bettafix Remedy link included in the article to get a good conditioner.
Helpful 4
Question:
My beta has a new red patch on this head; it looks like a few scales might have come off. Is this an injury or related to some kind of illness? How should I treat this?
Answer:
It is highly likely to be an injury. May be there is a sharp object in the tank. And yes, you can apply some disinfectant.
Helpful 4
Question:
What does it mean when a betta has a white dot on the side of its eye?
Answer:
Most white dots are fungal. A few can be birthmarks and do not make the betta appear sick. So for now, monitor the dot and the betta carefully.
Helpful 4
Question:
My blue bettas' fins are turning white. The tank got a little too dirty with algae. I was told to take my beta out with some water and thoroughly clean the tank, rocks, filter and heater I put conditioner and bio stater as prev instructions the following day my bettas fins were white. What do I do?
Answer:
The new water could be having abnormal parameters that are fading the color. You can ensure that the following parameters are normal - ammonia, nitrites, nitrate, pH, etc. See all the parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful 4
Question:
My betta appears to have scales peeling on its head. What could this be? Is it the beginning of hole in the head?
Answer:
Your betta could have been scratched by a sharp object in the tank. You need to give it some time to see how it goes, and of course, act accordingly.
Helpful 4
Question:
My betta fish has white spots and missing scales. It has a huge white spot on its side and is acting very normal. I think it might be ick. But I cannot treat it for it has a spot of missing scales. How do I fix it?
Answer:
You can still treat it, but you can start by changing and conditioning the water regularly. Scales take some time to grow back, so you can't just wait.
Helpful
Question:
My betta was experiencing a loss of appetite, listlessness, and a popped out gill. I tried giving him salt baths, but they didn't help. He had discoloration on the day he died, and was red behind the gills. A month later, my other betta is showing the beginning symptoms, and I am treating him with Metroplex. So far he not worsened, but not better either, and this will be our third dose today. What do I do?
Answer:
They are likely to be affected by more than one disease or disorder, but the swim bladder condition is a suspect. Other symptoms may be due to dirty water or abnormal water parameters. See how to deal with the swim bladder condition from the article. You also need to change the water frequently and maintain the right levels of the parameters - ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, etc. See all the parameters in the comment section of the article.
Helpful 3
Question:
I just got a koi betta. She has rosy pink spots on her gills, and only there, her colors are very faded. But that spot is more noticeable, and her gills are flared up. I have not taken her out of the container from Petco. I need to put her in the tank, but she will be sharing with the Elephant Ear female I got today too, and I don't want her to get sick if the Koi is sick. What should I do?
Answer:
It looks like the living conditions are not favorable for the koi. You need to change the water and clean the tank/container and start doing it regularly. You also need to keep the right water parameters - see them in the comment section of this article. After that, you can keep the two fish together.
Helpful 3
Question:
My betta female has a long thin line coming out from under its body. I did not see any description here that matches this condition. What disease could be affecting my betta fish?
Answer:
It is slime or worm. Remove it and keep the water clean.
Helpful 3
Question:
My betta has a light pink growth/spot on the top of its head. It seems to be getting bigger. Still very active and eating. I tried Bettafix; and no change in growth/spot. Do you have any ideas?
Answer:
Some growths are not easy to deal with, but you can try changing water frequently and maintaining the right water parameters. See all the parameters in the comment section of the article.
Helpful 3
Question:
My Betta fish, which I have had for a year, has suddenly lost color and has clamped fins. I checked the temperature of the water and made sure the water was clean, but that did not help. After a few days, I guessed that he had a fungal infection and used antifungal medication, but it has not helped and it has been over a week with the medication. Now my fish will no longer eat and lays at the bottom of the tank gasping for air. What is wrong with my fish?
Answer:
You also need to check and correct other parameters like pH, ammonia, nitrates, etc which could be corroding his color and overwhelming him. See all parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful 3
Question:
My betta has had a gill puffed out a bit for about two weeks now. I started to use antibacterial drops to help him out, but he's been hiding in his castle, and hasn't eaten in a few days. I recently changed his water and noticed that he had red things on the ends of his tail and fins. What could this be?
Answer:
While a photo could help, it sounds like the red things could be blood blisters. He could have been hurt by rough objects in the tank.

I recommend that you clean your fish and apply the antibacterial drops. Then, remove any sharp or rough objects from the water.
Helpful 3
Question:
My betta fish has three small raised white spots on one side of her gills. I treated for ick several times and didn’t work. Tried amoxicillin several times and didn’t work. I have changed and treated the water several times and still no changes. Even tried aquarium salt. The white spots look like they are coming out of the gills. What could this be and what should I try next?
Answer:
Most white spots are usually fungal, and you can just try another medication. See the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful 3
Question:
My blue veiltail betta has red streaks on his fins and his fins are clamped. He also has whitish opaque spots on the head. What medications or treatment should I administer?
Answer:
He could be having a combination of conditions/infections, but the spots are highly likely to be fungal and you can try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article. The red streaks and clamped fins could be due to injury or the columnaris disease. See how to deal with the disease from the article. If you think the streaks are due to injury, you need to disinfect the water to avoid more infections.
Helpful 3
Question:
I have a beta that seems to be dying, and I can't find a solution. The right side of its body seems dead with a bulging cloudy eye. It is losing its color from light blue to black, and can not use its fin. Can you help?
Answer:
It has to do with the water. Your water is likely to be dirty and having wrong amounts of parameters such as ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, etc. You need to change and condition it regularly and maintain the right amounts of parameters. You can also get the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article to try to heal your fish. See the parameters in the comment section of the article.
Helpful 3
Question:
I have some betta fish that I breed. One of them has lost the color on the head and body and is now white. I use permanganate and formalin, but I don't see any change of the color on the body. Can you help me cure them?
Answer:
First, these substances you are using could be worsening the condition. Second, fish lose color mostly due to dirty water and abnormal levels of water parameters like pH, ammonia, nitrites. etc. So try changing and conditioning the water regularly, and maintain the right levels of the parameters.
Helpful 3
Question:
Can you help me? My fish has been sick for about a month. I've tried everything. He will have fuzz on his back that looks like Columnaris. It'll go away a little before it returns looking like a dandelion! I feel terrible that I can't help him...the fuzz looks like that in the Columnaris picture, but it could also be fungus. I've treated him with Lamenting and Metronidazole, and then fungus cure separately. I have also tried Methylene blue. Please tell me what I can do.
Answer:
The problem could be the water and other elements in the tank. You need to start charging water regularly, and you can begin by performing a 100% water change.

Ammonia build-up has been studied to cause all sorts of ailments in fish. You need to ensure that the amount of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates is below 40 ppm. To lower these compounds, you can do the following.
- Change water regularly.
- Scoop out unnecessary organic matter like food remains, rotting plants and dead fish.
- Vacuum/clean the gravel.
- Unclog the filter.
- Cut down on feeding.
- Avoid overstocking.
- Introduce healthy bacteria.
- Lower pH.
- Increase aeration.
- Use ammonia neutralizing/removing pellets/drops.

When performing a 100% water change, let the tank dry in the sun and soak its accessories in hot water. If you have plants, get them outside to vaporize any water on them. When adding fresh water, include some aquarium salt or conditioner, and ensure the water temperature remains between 26-27 degrees C.

After changing the water, cleaning the tank and obtaining the right water parameters, you can continue with the fungal medication.
Helpful 3
Question:
My betta fish has been acting really strange, he floats upside down but is still breathing. One day we were at Petco looking for answers, and when we got back, he was just fine. What sickness does he have?
Answer:
This symptom is associated with swim bladder disorder. You can try boosting his digestion by raising water temperature, feeding him cooked pea and reducing the amount he's eating.
Helpful 3
Question:
My Betta has a small lump towards the end of his tail that protrudes on both sides of him. He’s been barely swimming; as if he is a dog in the water. I did a water change like I’ve always done. What could be wrong?
Answer:
If the lump is hard, it is highly likely to be a tumor. Otherwise, it could be an internal swelling caused by bacteria, virus or fungi.

As for the grey color, this could be velvet. You can try changing the water regularly and maintain the right parameters. You can also get the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article to help with the infection.
Helpful 3
Question:
My Betta Fish has become lethargic, and the end of his tail is closing up making it harder for him to swim. How can I treat my betta fish's lethargy and tail problem?
Answer:
It is highly likely that your water has issues - you can try changing and conditioning it regularly. You also need to optimize parameters like pH, ammonia, nitrite, etc which could be overwhelming him.
Helpful 3
Question:
My red betta fish is turning orange, what is happening and how can I fix it?
Answer:
It is highly likely that your water has issues. You can change it more frequently and maintain right water parameters - pH, ammonia, dissolved solids, nitrites, etc.
Helpful 3
Question:
Will an antibacterial API Melafix work for my bettas fungal attack?
Answer:
Well, Melafix is mainly for bacterial infections, but it has smaller elements that can fight fungal infections. I recommend that you get Bettafix Remedy to help with fungal infections.
Helpful 3
Question:
My Betta had pop eye when I bought him and I named him Popeye not knowing of this disease but now he’s fading. I read multiple things and I’m wondering why if my tank looks so clear and my snails eat everything how do we know what bacteria level you have? As I add fresh spring water every couple of days to my Betta's tank, should I now be adding conditioners and some salt substance plus meds for the sick one?
Answer:
Yeah, try that and include some antibiotics to kill any harmful bacteria which their level is hard to be determined.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta has white spots. What do I use to fix it?
Answer:
This is fungal infection, and you can try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta fish has a small open sore. What should I do?
Answer:
You need to keep the water clean, and if possible, disinfect it to avoid further bacterial or fungi infection. Sores in bettas have causes, but are mainly due to fungi. You can, therefore, try fungi medications like Bettafix Remedy.
Helpful 2
Question:
My red male Betta fish has a blue tail. What does this mean?
Answer:
That's likely to be a normal color, if there are no signs of sickness.
Helpful 2
Question:
My Betta fish sits at the top of the tank and flips almost all the way upside down and can't swim down or hardly at all. He is eating good but his butt is a little big. What should I do?
Answer:
It's highly likely to be the swim bladder condition. See the condition in the article.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta fish has changed color on the head overnight. It has changed from silky blue to spotty brown. Also, his fins had a shade of wine color but on the tip, now it is bright wine color and much bigger. He doesn't look sick, actually, he is ten times faster than before, jumps to the surface, grabs his food and in a fraction of second is back to the bottom. I have never seen him like that in the last 3 years that I had him. What's wrong with my fish?
Answer:
It's highly likely to be due to higher levels of dissolved solids, ammonia, pH and nitrites, among other parameters. So you should try optimizing them.
Helpful 2
Question:
Any ideas on why my Betta is sinking to the bottom of the tank and curving its body with its head pointing up?
Answer:
It could be the swim bladder condition, but you can monitor him for more symptoms to know the exact problem. See how to deal with the condition from the article.
Helpful 2
Question:
My Betta won't move, and his fins are turning white. He has a white fuzzy substance on his face, and he won't eat anymore. what is wrong with my Betta?
Answer:
He is highly likely to have a fungal infection. You need to do something to your water. Change it regularly and maintain the right parameters. See the water parameters in the comment section of the article. You can also follow the Bettafix Remedy link in the article to get the medication.
Helpful 2
Question:
My Betta fish looks as though it has a worm that moves between its eye sockets, is this even possible?
Answer:
You need to monitor the eye carefully for the exact problem. If it's a worm, you can just remove it and keep the water and entire tank clean.
Helpful 2
Question:
I have a 16-month old female betta who has become somewhat swollen around the abdomen, and she doesn't seem to be able to swim to the top of her tank. She tries very hard to get her food then "falls" to the bottom. What could the problem be?
Answer:
It is highly possible it could be dropsy.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta is not eating the new food I give him and hangs out at the bottom of the tank. I did not feed him for 2 days then I fed him on the 3rd day but he ate didn't eat much of it. What can I do to rectify my betta's not eating?
Answer:
This is highly likely to be the swim bladder condition, so try not to give him more food. You can also try to increase the water temperature to ease digestion.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta fish is laying at the bottom of the tank and has a white tummy, and it began about a month ago. Do you think he might be dying?
Answer:
It is likely that you have overfed him and has developed the swim bladder condition. See how to deal with the condition from the article.
Helpful 2
Question:
My beta fish appears to have a clear liquidy ball on the side of its body, kinda by its face. He behaves normal but I don’t know why he has that. Is it a parasite?
Answer:
This can be due to dirty water, so you can try changing and conditioning it regularly.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta fish is not eating, and I've had him for two weeks now. I've tried seeing for any diseases, and it seems as if he has small holes on the side of his head. But I can't really tell because of his color. Is it the water conditions or is he just stressed?
Answer:
Bettas can go for days without eating, especially if they are stressed. You can therefore change and condition the water to avoid cases of stress. You also need to know exactly what you are seeing on the head.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta has a perfectly round not discolored lump on his pectoral fin and has recently been treated for fungal infection and survived. Is this a tumor or more fungal infection?
Answer:
if the lump is hard and firm, then it is highly likely to be a tumor. Tumors are usually hard to treat, but they are not common in fish.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta is not eating food, why?
Answer:
Possible reasons include - due to overfeeding, being sick, doesn't like the food (hard or tastes bad), mouth issue (cavity or lesions). Sometimes it is just normal - can go for a week without food.
Helpful 2
Question:
Is it normal that my fish has black around its gills and whitish color?
Answer:
Yes, if there are no signs of sickness.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta fish has a discolored head. It is white, but the rest of him is dark blue. Is this normal?
Answer:
If he's not showing any signs of sickness, then it is normal. It could be a normal color change as he grows up.
Helpful 2
Question:
Both my bettas had Tail Clamp, and both died. So, I recommend adding that to the list, because I guess lots of badly bred babies or young get it. I just got a new betta, an adult this time, we will see how it goes with him! He is very lethargic though, even though I have the water at 79-80 degrees, a slow running filter, a heater, a hideaway place, and a fake plant for it. He is in a 5.5-gallon tank, any ideas? I thought he may have had a ruff past; he is very skittish.
Answer:
You can also ensure other parameters such as ammonia and nitrate/nitrate are always optimum. See all parameters in the comment section of this article. Frequent water conditioning is also highly recommended.
Helpful 2
Question:
My male Betta has his tail broken and also lost color. It is active at times but rarely eats.it poops well too. What do I do?
Answer:
You need to keep your water clean and maintain the right water parameters. See the parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful 2
Question:
My red betta fish has white spots all over the body and also its jaws are also turning white. How frequently should I change the water?
Answer:
It depends on the tank size. If it is a small one 1 gallon (3.8 liters), you need to change water frequently, at least every week but the recommended period is three to four days.
Helpful 2
Question:
my betta fish's abdomen is getting bigger, and is developing some white spots. His left eye seems to have a blue glaze in it, and he seems to be trying to escape his bowl. What can I do to help him?
Answer:
It looks like he's being overwhelmed by the conditions of the water. You can try changing the water which could be harboring white-spot fungus and eye pathogens. You also need to maintain the right water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrites. See all parameters in the comment section of this article. Concerning the abdomen, this could be dropsy - see in the article.
Helpful 2
Question:
My Betta keeps twitching around his plants almost as if he’s trying to scratch himself. I see no white spots, however, in his tail, I see white streaks. I’m unsure if they were there before. Do you have any idea what that might be and what I should do to treat him?
Answer:
The white streaks could be birthmarks or fungal infection. You need to monitor the streaks to see if there are any changes. If you suspect an infection, you can use the BettaFix mentioned in the article. Fish also love plants, so he could just be playing with them.
Helpful 2
Question:
I have been treating my Betta for his fin rot. I’m using BettaFix and doing 100% water changes once a week. I thought it was getting better but yesterday he was showing signs on swim blatter disorder. He seemed to have trouble swimming to the top for air. So I have put him in a smaller tank with a heater and continued his treatment for fin rot. Today his color is fading. Am I going in the right direction?
Answer:
Yes, but in addition, you need to ensure the water parameters - ammonia, pH, nitrates, temperature - are optimal in the new tank. Some of them increase faster in small tanks, and can corrode fish color. You also need to avoid overfeeding him to do away with the swim bladder condition.
Helpful 2
Question:
I just moved my female betta fish and tetra community to larger tank it is very open, and suddenly my beta is dropping off one by one The Simpsons are lethargic paleness and lack of will to do anything almost dead already the fins are tucked in and don't seem that the expressing themselves?
Answer:
The living conditions are not favorable in the new tank! You need to measure the water parameters - see the parameters in the comment section of this article. You can try closing the tank next time - people can drop harmful substances inside.
Helpful 2
Question:
why does my betta have red spots?
Answer:
They could be caused by parasites or are injuries, or just birthmarks if he/she's not showing any signs of sickness.
Helpful 2
Question:
How do I know if my betta fish is ready to breed?
Answer:
If you see something like belly bulge caused by eggs.
Helpful 2
Question:
I got another betta recently, and I noticed that it a white plump where his gill is. I'm afraid it's a tumor. What should I do?
Answer:
If it's soft and looks like a ball of cotton, then it's not a tumor. It's most likely to be a fungal infection which can be eased by changing water regularly and maintaining the right water parameters. See the parameters in the comment section of this article. You can also use fungal medication.
Helpful 2
Question:
My Betta fish has little orange spots on its eye and side. And its been staying at the bottom of the tank ever since I changed the water. What do I do?
Answer:
It looks like he's being overwhelmed by the conditions of the fresh water. You need to check if the source of water is safe, and also check if the water parameters are in their right levels. High levels of parameters like ammonia, nitrites, pH, chlorine, dissolved solids, temperature, etc. can cause some issues including spots. See all the parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful 2
Question:
I've had my first betta for over a year. Water is the same since I got him. I believe his lower fin was damaged when changing his water. He has a large cottony white to clear lesion on his beautiful dark blue fin. I have used Bettafix, following directions for about a month, and I do not see significant results. There are no other fish in his 3-gallon bowl. I bought a floating log for him to hide in if he wants. Now, he stays in it. His fin looks bad, and his color has faded. What should I use now?
Answer:
He likely has the fin and rot infection, and you can try another medication. See Waterlife Myxazin from the article, and also maintain the right levels of water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrite, etc.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta always stays at the top of its tank. Why is it so?
Answer:
That is a behavior of most bettas, so it is normal.
Helpful 2
Question:
My fish has been a lot less active recently and also seems to be struggling to breathe a little, any ideas?
Answer:
It is highly likely that your water has issues which are overwhelming him. You can try changing and conditioning the water regularly, and optimize parameters like dissolved solids, ammonia, nitrite, pH, etc.
Helpful 2
Question:
My Betta is a beautiful Pearl White. He’s gotten spots on his head that look like pinpricks?
Answer:
Spots in fish are usually fungal, so try right medications like Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article. You also need to monitor them carefully to know how they are developing - it could be a hole in the head in its early stages.
Helpful 2
Question:
My Betta fish that I got from Petco has some red coloring developing on his tail. Is it possibly cancer? It suddenly appeared.
Answer:
It's not likely to be cancer, but a fungal infection or just abrasion. Check it carefully to know the exact problem. For a fungal infection, get a medication like the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article. If it's abrasion, you need first to disinfect it.
Helpful 2
Question:
My betta has what appeared to be an abrasion on her belly with a red wound, and now it has turned pale with raised bumps. She is also having issues swimming. Her bottom half seems to be anchoring her down. I have a 5.5-gallon heated tank. The PH is 7.6, Nitrates at 5.0, Nitrites at 0 and Ammonia at 0. I've been doing frequent water changes with aloe. Can you offer any suggestions?
Answer:
The water is okay; maybe the abrasion could have been caused by a sharp object in the water or an anchor worm. If the bottom is swollen, it could be bloat or dropsy. If it is not swollen, the swimming problem is highly likely to be due to the wound.
Helpful 2
Question:
OK so my betta fish is very agitated and in what I think is the belly area. I noticed today it's starting to swell I'm pretty sure my fish is male. What's wrong with him?
Answer:
It could be dropsy developing, or just overfeeding. You can just monitor him for a few days and see how he would faring.
Helpful 2
Question:
Why does my fish stay still for long periods and then continue swimming? And also he tends to do a bent flip thing, I'm not sure if it's parasites?
Answer:
Yeah, parasite or a digestive problem from the food you are giving him.
Helpful
Question:
There are these tiny clear worms (you can see dark vertebrae) swimming all around the betta tank. Not sure what these are?
Answer:
They are likely to be planarian, and you can control them by cleaning the tank and changing the water regularly.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has blue color inside its gill; is that normal?
Answer:
Yeah, this can be normal, but not always. You, therefore, need to monitor him/her for signs of sickness that might accompany the gill condition.
Helpful
Question:
My fish have pop eye and eye cloud, and after giving some medication antibiotics now it's having some other problems such as velvet, and there is a white spot near its fin. How do I treat it?
Answer:
Get the Bettafix remedy under the velvet section (from the article) to deal with the two diseases.
Helpful 1
Question:
Why does my betta have holes in its bottom fins and stringy fins at the top?
Answer:
It could be due an infection or poor water conditions, so first try to change the water regularly and maintain the right water parameters and monitor his/her conditions closely.
Helpful 1
Question:
I just noticed today my male betta has a lump on his side near the tail, he's a very active fish and doesn't seem to be having trouble swimming or eating. It wasn't there yesterday or at least not big enough to see. What could this be?
Answer:
If it's a hard lump, then it is likely to be cancerous. Otherwise, it is a bacterial or fungal infection.
Helpful 1
Question:
My betta is acting and looking strangely theese days. He has slight discoloration, normal eating habbits, hangs out around the top, slightly asymmetrical head, fin rot, and white dots on head. I feed him once every 1-2 days and change his water once every 1/2 to 1 week. What am I doing wrong and how can i fix it?
Answer:
You can try checking if the water parameters are right, and optimize them if they are not normal. See the parameters in the comment section of the article.
Helpful 1
Question:
I bought a betta that has this fluffy like white material on his scales and fins. Apart from that, he seems pretty active. What's going on?
Answer:
This is highly likely to be a fungal infection, and you can try reducing it by changing water regularly. You can also use Bettafix Remedy.
Helpful 1
Question:
My betta fish's tail is crooked at the end and swims only on the top portion of the water. I tried to make him go deeper under the water but he resisted. Do you know what is wrong?
Answer:
The most common issues involving the tail are rotting and injuries, so you need to check him carefully to know the real issue. As for the swimming on top, it could be due to the swim bladder condition. See how to deal with the condition from the article.
Helpful 1
Question:
Why does my betta have holes in his fins? Is it from biting? He bit his fins quite a lot in the beginning from seeing his own reflection, but I don’t know how to treat it.
Answer:
You can try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article. It is good for wounds, sores, bacteria and fungi infections, among other benefits.
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Question:
My Female Betta has been lying at the bottom and top of the tank; not moving for a few minutes at a time. Her fins are never open, and she often spits out or sort of vomits her food when she eats. Her abdominal looks white and a bit large, but we always thought it was her babies. Do you happen to know if anything is wrong with her?
Answer:
You could be giving her food that causes digestive issues like bloat. You can try changing the food to see if there are any positive changes.
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Question:
My Betta has lost a lot of his bright color and keeps laying on the bottom of the tank. I have tried changing and cleaning the tank, but nothing has helped. What else can I try?
Answer:
Check the parameters (pH, dissolved solids, ammonia, nitrites, etc) of your water, and optimize them if they are not in the recommended levels.
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Question:
After using Bettafix to treat a Betta for itching and torn fins, he developed a slimy spot on his back, just above his dorsal fin. I started a salt treatment five days ago, and while the ich is gone, the slime remains. We also layered on another treatment of Bettafix. (This is day three of that). He is active and eats well, but the slime seems unchanged. His water tests nicely. I don’t know what to do. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer:
If the spot is not growing, just continue with the treatment. It will go away with time.
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Question:
My fish was very lethargic at the bottom then he had a small white growth on his side. Then his mouth got very swollen. He also has red behind his gills and his gill membrane is sticking out a lot. I gave him antibiotics and the swelling went down and the growth is much smaller but now he has an actual hole in his mouth. His fins look bad, too. I don't know what else to do. He recently started eating again but he is still very lethargic. Do you know what could be wrong?
Answer:
He could be getting better now - the hole is likely to have formed after the swollen part drained out. You need to change and condition the water regularly to avoid cases of bad fins. You also need to optimize parameters like pH, ammonia, nitrite, dissolved solids, etc.
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Question:
I have a dark blue Betta Veiltail male and I noticed he’s getting pale and always lurking at the bottom of his tank. At first, I thought he was depressed so I got a bigger tank and some new plants but nothing’s changed. What do you think I should do?
Answer:
He's likely to be overwhelmed by the conditions of the water, so try maintaining the right water parameters.
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Question:
My Betta fish twitches, and his belly is fat. He’ll float around and is upsidedown quite a lot. He’s usually always at the bottom, too. what could be wrong with him?
Answer:
This is swim bladder - see the condition from the article.
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Question:
I’ve had this Betta for a month. The left dorsal fin was torn when I got him but seems to be improving. I’m concerned about what appears to be whiny scales on the edges of his gills. Is this normal? Water parameters show slightly high PH at 8 and 0 ammonia, 0 NO2, 10 NO3. He’s active, flares at his reflection and eats well. Temp is 79. Weekly water changes. 2.6 gal. with filter (Fluval Spec III).
Answer:
Well, if he's active, then it is highly likely to be a normal change of color. But you need to monitor him closely and touch to feel the texture of the white scales. If they are soft, then it can be a fungal infection developing.
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Question:
My betta has not eaten in about 5 days. The only thing I notice in his appearance is he has a red sizeable spot on his head. What is this likely to be?
Answer:
It could be a 'hole on the head' developing or just an injury from a sharp object in the tank.
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Question:
The tip of my male betta's fins are white. What causes this?
Answer:
It could be fin rot developing, fungal infection or birthcolor, so monitor it carefully in the next days to know the real issue.
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Question:
We noticed a sore behind my Betta's gill. It doesn’t look any pictures I’ve seen at how should we treat it?
Answer:
There are a number of ways, including using the Bettafix Remedy.
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Question:
My fish developed white films over her eyes and they look large less than a week after we got her. We think it’s popeye or eye cloud. She was also the cheapest fish in the store, is pretty small (probably a decently grown fry) and we’ve only had her for a week. What does that mean?
Answer:
Yeah, it is highly likely to be one of the these two infections, but you need to monitor her carefully for clearer symptoms.
Helpful 1
Question:
What happens when a betta throws up red stuff?
Answer:
It could be mouthbrooding, some kind of vomiting, or blood from internal bleeding.
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Question:
My female betta has white stripes on her that weren't there before. Is that ok or is she sick?
Answer:
Some stripes can just be new birthmarks while others can be fungal, so monitor her carefully for the next days to see if she will look sick. If she appears sick, you can try Bettafix Remedy.
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Question:
My Betta has white on his ventral fins. Not sure if they were there when I bought him. Is this just his colour or is it some kind of fungus?
Answer:
If it's raised and cotton-like, then it's fungal, otherwise, it a normal color change.
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Question:
My male half moon beta has some white under his head I’m not sure if it’s some sort of fungi or if he just has white scales how can I tell?
Answer:
If it's cotton-like, then it's fungal. Otherwise, it could be a normal color.
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Question:
My betta fish has a weird, red-ish, rust-colored spot on his head. It looks like blood, but it's not bleeding. It appeared recently. What should I do?
Answer:
It's either velvet or another fungal infection. Follow the medication link in my article to find a good treatment.
Helpful 1
Question:
My betta is losing his color in his tail fin. His bottom fin has turned red... HELP ME PLEASE! What should I do?
Answer:
You need to change the water regularly, keep the entire tank clean and maintain the right levels of water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc. See all the parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful 1
Question:
My beta has a round hard bump just past the body on its tail. It looks like a tick. What is this bump on my betta fish and what can I do about it?
Answer:
Well, hard bumps are usually tumors and not easy to deal with. But the way it looks- tick- it could be a swelling caused by fungi or bacterial. You can follow the Bettafix Remedy link in the article to get an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial medication.
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Question:
I just got my Betta and he has not been using his tail to swim at all! He only uses his pectoral fin to get around. His tail looks normal and is completely fine. What is wrong with my Betta?
Answer:
I think there is nothing wrong with your fish, unless you see some signs of sickness. Fish can use fins or tail or both to move.
Helpful 1
Question:
My betta has shiny white dots. Is that Ick? I had her with 5 guppies which died within a week of introducing them to my tank.
Answer:
It is highly likely that your water has issues. You need to change it regularly and maintain the right water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc. See all parameters in the comment section of this article.
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Question:
I've had my betta 3 years now and I noticed he had a small white spot on his head a few weeks ago however it seems the spot has embedded into his head right between his eyes. Not sure if it's parasitic or fungal how can I differentiate so I can get the proper treatment?
Answer:
If the spot is soft or cotton-like, then it's fungal. Otherwise, it's parasitic or another infection.
Helpful 1
Question:
The top of my Betta's head is swollen. Do you think Betta Revive could help?
Answer:
Betta Revive cures a number of infections in Bettas, so I think it could help.
Helpful 1
Question:
Three of my bettas died of dropsy a few days after a water change. This seems to be a pattern, but I don’t know why? I have a filtered tank and change 100 percent of the water once a month.
Answer:
Dropsy is deadly, and a 100 percent water change is also not so good. I would recommend you change 50-75 percent of the water just to save the rest.
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Question:
My Betta has been through a lot in the past two weeks. She started with general malaise and not eating. Then she developed popeye in one eye. Now she seems to have developed fin rot. She has red spots on her fins. She’s currently being treated with aquarium salt and Bettafix. She’s cuddling the heater and her appetite has returned. Is there anything I should be doing?
Answer:
It's good you are treating her, but you also need to keep the water clean. You need to change it regularly and maintain the right water parameters - ammonia, nitrites, pH, etc. See all the parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful 1
Question:
My betta’s fins look weird/they have stuff on it and it looks like his fins are fading away. What do I do to prevent that?
Answer:
You can try changing and conditioning the water regularly, and also optimizing parameters such as pH, ammonia, nitrites, dissolved solids, etc.
Helpful 1
Question:
I thought my betta fish might have had an itch, but when I looked closer, it looked like there were air bubbles stuck to him and it was only in his tail fin; it’s like his tail is blowing up like a balloon. What should I do?
Answer:
It's highly likely due to unfavorable water conditions, maybe dirty water. You can try changing the water often and keep the right water parameters. See the comments in this articles to learn about the parameters. Some water conditioners can really help. Follow the link in the velvet section to find some great conditioners.
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Question:
My beta is very active and after a couple of water changes, seems to be getting a darker discoloration on his head area, I have just added a filter insert containing charcoal and an ammonia remover, which was not present in the past in our filter array. Could the lack of these filters be why his head is getting darker?
Answer:
Yeah, because the filter helps in optimizing parameters like dissolved solids, pH and ammonia which can cause color change.
Helpful 1
Question:
My two male bettas have big stomachs, and one of them has really bad fin rot. I got medicine for them and water conditioner for the tank, but why are their stomachs so big?
Answer:
Your fish could be bloated. Check what you are feeding them and how much.
Helpful 1
Question:
My female betta has a white bump on her stomach and doesn't seem to move around a lot, I treated for ich but it's still there, I'm wondering if she's sick?
Answer:
Ich is usually spots, so you may have been treating a wrong disease. White bumps are usually fungal, so try a fungal medication like the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
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Question:
My betta is a white half moon female, and she's slowly changing black and she's hanging around the bottom of the tank a lot and she can't swim very well. All the other fish in the tank are fine, including the other female bettas. Any ideas as to what the problem is? I've googled, asked pet stores, asked other fish owners, etc. No answers.
Answer:
It looks like she is more delicate than the rest and is being affected by the conditions of the water. You could also be overfeeding her causing the swim bladder condition. As for the water, you can change it frequently and keep its parameters (ammonia, pH, etc) optimum. See all parameters in the comment section of this article.
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Question:
My red beta’s fins look like they are scaling (turning white). What causes this?
Answer:
It is highly likely that they are fading due to poor conditions of the water. You can try changing the water regularly and optimizing parameters like pH, ammonia, nitrite, etc. Other causes could be fin and tail rot (initial stages) and normal color change.
Helpful 1
Question:
Hey there, I’ve Just noticed my beta fish’s face looks darker than usual. She’s always had black around her face, but it seems to have spread more towards the front of her face. Do fish change naturally as they get older? Or could there be something wrong? She’s blonde coloured and otherwise seems fine.
Answer:
Yeah, the color can change as they grow older, but some factors like pH and dissolved solids (high levels) also cause color change.
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Question:
I just put my betta in a bigger tank yesterday and today he won't eat. He is flaring, he lies at the bottom of the tank, or he just sits at the top. His fins are also shrunken and he doesn't really swim around like he did in his smaller tank. I covered him in darkness for 24 hours and he is still exhibiting these symptoms. What do I do to ensure my betta's health in his new, larger tank?
Answer:
He has stress due to the new environment. So I think he will be okay soon.
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Question:
My male beta has little black spots on his body. What is it, and what can I do?
Answer:
Most spots are usually fungal. You can try changing water frequently and using the Bettafix remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful 1
Question:
My Betta fish has been floating in the upright position (head pointed towards the water surface) and is bloated, it doesn't look like it is dropsy what should I do?
Answer:
What about the swim bladder condition? See the condition from the article.
Helpful 1
Question:
My betta fish changed color to a pale white but it’ll disappear and reappear. I am thinking it could be aging or stress. He also got some red marks on the face. What could those be?
Answer:
It's highly likely that your water is the problem. You need to change and condition it regularly, and also optimize parameters like pH, ammonia, dissolved solids, nitrites, etc. The red marks are fungal sores which can be treated by medications like the Bettafix Remedy - see the medication from the article.
Helpful 1
Question:
My Betta fish has a black thing under its chin. Is that normal?
Answer:
If the fish doesn't show any signs of sickness, it is normal. It could be a developing fin.
Helpful 1
Question:
My Betta has a large lump growing under the skin, right where the back fin is located! Its also white? What is it? A tumor or something else?
Answer:
If it's a hard one, then it's a tumor. Otherwise, it's a fungal, bacterial or viral. You can see how to deal with the conditions from the article.
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Question:
I have a white male beta and I just noticed a tiny light blue dot on the small of his back. We have only had him for about three weeks. He is a happy and active betta, but I'm worried now he might be coming down with something. Does this sound like he has something?
Answer:
If he's acting normal, it is highly likely to be a birthmark, but you can always monitor how the dot develops.
Helpful 1
Question:
The ends of my blue betta fish's fins are turning white. What causes this and what can I do?
Answer:
If your fish is not showing signs of sickness, then it could be a normal color change. Otherwise, it is likely to be fin and tail rot.
Helpful 1
Question:
Do you have any comments on a beta with only one eye? it's not clouded or hoping, it's missing completely. he came like this and I'm trying to see if he needs any extra measures, like maybe he could be more susceptible to infection? is it common for a beta to develop only one eye?
Answer:
That's likely to be a birth defect, and I think it doesn't affect his health. If there is an opening around the missing eye or it's a damaged eye, then infections can occur, and therefore you need to always keep the water clean.
Helpful 1
Question:
I had 2 healthy betta fish in 2 separate tanks. I noticed that one of the tanks looked dirty and did a complete water change for both with conditioned tap water. When the betta that was in the dirty tank was placed back into his clean tank, he started to swim around frantically and then kept going to the top gasping for air. After about 3 minutes he floated to the bottom and died. What could have happened?
Answer:
He was likely to be sick, and due to the new conditions, he became overwhelmed and died.
Helpful 1
Question:
I purchased a Betta impulsively and didn't know about cycling the tank; now I'm doing a fish in cycle, my PH went from being 7.0 to 6.4 and halfway through the day my betta gets a silverish white patch between his eyes, more so to the right. I was using Seachem stress guard, and I have Seachem stability and prime that I haven't started using yet. Will any of these products help? If not what should I do? I don't know what my Betta needs to properly treat him.
Answer:
You are doing it right and you just need to wait to see if he'll get better.
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Question:
My betta's abdomen is bigger than usual, is this ok? Am I supposed to see the black part of his gills?
Answer:
It's looks like you are overfeeding him, or a disease like dropsy developing.
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Question:
My betta has developed black spots all over mostly one side of her body and at the base of her rear fins. Her behavior is completely normal, but 5 days of treating with AQ and no resolution. What could it be?
Answer:
There could be an issue with the water. You can try changing it and keeping the right water parameters - ammonia, nitrates, pH, etc. See all parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful 1
Question:
My Betta has red under his head on his fin and it’s bright red what do I do?
Answer:
It is highly likely that he was hurt by some sharp/rough objects in the tank, and therefore there is nothing much you can do. You can just disinfect the water to avoid infections on the sores (if any). Some fungal infections start as red, so keep monitoring the affected parts to see how they develop.
Helpful 1
Question:
My Japanese fighting fish has a strange sort of red fungi behind the eyes and it almost looks like a wound. He swims fine and eats but I'm a bit concerned. Should I be concerned?
Answer:
Of course you have to be concerned, get a fungal medication and keep your water clean. See the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful 1
Question:
My beta fish's fins are changing colors. He was a deep blue and now he is turning a brownish purple color. He hasn't been eating much and I'm very concerned. What could be happening?
Answer:
It's highly likely that there are issues with the water. You can try changing and conditioning it frequently and also optimize parameters such as ammonia, dissolved solids, nitrites, pH, etc.
Helpful
Question:
My betta fish just recently started not eating, he stopped eating last night and today I noticed that there was something on his scales. At first, he would be at the top of the tank completely vertical and barely move and then get random spurts of energy then go back to the top. Now he is only staying at the bottom, I got some betta flakes that sink and he ate some of them thankfully but I am not sure what's wrong. I love him, what should I do?
Answer:
Check the swim bladder condition from the article, and if the thing on the scales is cotton-like, then he also has fungus.
Helpful
Question:
I have recently picked up an all white male betta, and I noticed today (almost a week after getting him) his fins are starting to change color. I saw something about ammonia burn, but I have him in an overflow style tank, and the other two do not appear to be affected. Any idea what could be the cause of his change in color?
Answer:
It could be due to the new environment, so you can just keep monitoring him for any new unusual changes.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has gray patches all around her. Is this normal?
Answer:
Some patches can be birthmarks and thus normal, while others can be fungal. You can just monitor them carefully to know the exact cause. If they are growing quickly, then they are highly likely to be an infection.
Helpful
Question:
My betta lies on the bottom, occasionally darts up to the top and sinks back down. Could this be the floating bladder disease?
Answer:
Yeah, highly likely. See how to deal with it in the article.
Helpful
Question:
My veiltail beta has a bump behind its fin, do you know what the diagnosis may be? Please help, I want to keep my fish healthy and alive.
Answer:
If it's a hard bump, it could be a tumor which is not easy to treat. If it's soft, it could be as a result of fungal infection or even bacterial and you can always find treatment for these infections.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta's fins have been stiff for a while now, and he has two tiny dots of fin discoloration at the bottom of one of his fins. Do you know what could cause it?
Answer:
If he doesn't appear sick, they are highly likely to be normal body changes that are made to happen when he grows up. The stiffness could just be hardening that is required for effective swimming while the dots could just be birthmarks.
Helpful
Question:
My male crowntail blue betta fish has small black dots on his fin, what should I do?
Answer:
They could be part of your betta's color or a fungal infection.
Helpful
Question:
I thought my Betta had fin rot, but there was only discoloration and a fraying of the ends. I put him in a new, clean tank treated with aquarium salt with daily water changes. Seemed to help but no new growth. Today his gills are slightly discolored. He is eating normally and active, but no bubble nests. He's in a 2.5-gallon tank, unfiltered with live plants. I've been doing 100% changes twice a week. All his water parameters are in safe ranges?
Answer:
I think you are doing the right thing now. You just need someone who knows about Bettas, like a veterinarian, to check your water parameters and advise accordingly.
Helpful
Question:
I got my Betta fish a couple of days ago, and it had swim bladder disease, and now it is acting normal, but I am concerned that it has a couple of white spots. It’s mouth also has a faded color. Can you please tell me how to treat this?
Answer:
Most spots are usually fungal and can be treated with medications like Bettafix Remedy (see it in the article). Others are parasitic like ich - see from the article.
As for the losing color, it could be due to poor water conditions, so you can try changing and conditioning it regularly, and also optimizing its parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrite, dissolved solids, etc.
Helpful
Question:
Is it normal for our beta to twitch her tail a lot? We just cleaned the tank and the chemicals are fine.
Answer:
I don't think it's quite normal. You can inspect her closely for any issue.
Helpful
Question:
My female Betta has a bump growing beneath her scales on her upper back. What could it be?
Answer:
Most bumps on the dorsal area are usually tumors. It could be a tumor, but you need to monitor its progress as well as other symptoms.
Helpful
Question:
I have a veil betta of a blue-black shade and on his back tail fin are some black spots, what could it be? He seems to not be eating well either.
Answer:
It's highly to be ich or another fungal infection. Follow the medication link in the article to get a good treatment.
Helpful
Question:
My Half Moon Betta is staying at the surface. He barely moves and often just floats. I got him yesterday, but do you think that there is something wrong with him?
Answer:
That's highly likely to be stress due to his new home, so give him time to acclimatize and don't overfeed him.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has a red spot on the top of their head, almost like a rash. I've had it for about three to five months. It's also a bit unresponsive sometimes when I feed it. I use Wardley betta food; they are small pellets. Any clue what any of this could be?
Answer:
This is highly likely to be an early sign of velvet. You can try changing water more often and keep the water parameters right. See the parameters in the comment section of the article. As for the treatment, follow the Bettafix Remedy link in the article to get the medication.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta fish is normally blue, but now, on his back, the blue color is rubbed off, and silver is showing. Is there any help for him?
Answer:
It's highly likely to be issues with your water. You can start changing it frequently and maintaining the right water parameters. See the parameters in the comment section of this article for guidance.
Helpful
Question:
My red betta has white spots all over, and her jaw is turning white. How frequently should I change the water? What temperature should I maintain? Also, how do I condition the water before I change it?
Answer:
It depends on the tank size. If it is a small one 1 gallon (3.8 liters), you need to change water frequently, at least every week but the recommended period is 3 to 4 days. For the temperature and other parameters, see comments in the article.

For good conditioners, follow the BettaFix Remedy link in the article to find them.
Helpful
Question:
I bought 2 Bettas. One of them, (Blue and Green), has a pink spot on both of her sides under her scales. What do I do?
Answer:
If it's on both sides and the fish doesn't look sick, then it's likely to be a birthmark.
Helpful
Question:
I recently got a beta fish from a friend whose kept it in awful conditions, it appears to have fin and tail rot and is incredibly lethargic. How might I help it? I want to try to save it the best I can.
Answer:
You can keep him/her in a clean tank with well-conditioned water, and then treat the disease. See medications from the article.
Helpful
Question:
why did my betta fish stay at the bottom of its tank then die?
Answer:
He/she highly likely to have had the swim bladder condition which went unresolved for days leading to death.
Helpful
Question:
So I think my fish has bloat. I have checked the water, and added a tiny bit of salt, but now he has a white and red spot on his nose. What do I do?
Answer:
You can try reducing the amount of food you're giving him, or changing the food causing bloat. As for the spots, you can start by changing the water regularly and keeping the right water parameters. See the parameters in the article comment section of the article.
Helpful
Question:
I'm not overly sure if my Betta has fish fungus or ick. He has one small spot on his back, at first I thought it was a lifted scale, but yesterday and today looked a bit bigger, up close it's white and looks slightly fluffy. Any way to tell the two apart?
Answer:
Fish fungus covers a large area, but it starts as a spot and grows becoming fluffy. On the other hand, ich is usually like a flat dot - usually a number of dots. So your issue is likely to be fungal.
Helpful
Question:
My fish has developed a weird texture on his head. What does this mean?
Answer:
You need to check for more symptoms to know the real problem. Velvet changes skin texture, so you need to consider this infection when monitoring your fish. See also its medication from the article.
Helpful
Question:
I don't know if this is just a marking I never noticed or if it's an illness, but my betta has red spots on his head. Could you help me out?
Answer:
It could also be an injury - you just need to monitor how it develops in the next days.
Helpful
Question:
My beta has pale and open scales, not moving besides twitching from side to side when we tap on the glass, and has torn fins. He's a few years old, and with our past two, this has never happened. He also refuses to eat. Do you know what this could be?
Answer:
This is highly likely to be due to poor water conditions - you can try changing and conditioning the water regularly, and also optimizing its parameters like dissolved solids, pH, ammonia, etc.
Helpful
Question:
My betta is eating and swimming normally, but his scales near his head are flaking and his flesh is exposed. I have continued to feed him normally (4 pellets every evening), but I think his condition might be worsening. I don't have any of the items to help him and his tank is cleaned weekly. I don't know what could be wrong. What do I do?
Answer:
This is highly likely to be fungal, and you can try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful
Question:
Where do I purchase tetracycline for my bettas pop eye?
Answer:
Follow the Bettafix link (Amazon) on the article and you will find medications that contain tetracycline.
Helpful
Question:
My beta has weird bumps alongside his body they are still small, but I’m quite concerned. During the past few weeks, he has lost color on his gills. But he is doing just fine, eating well, he’s active, his fins have grown a lot... What do you think it might be? Is there anything I can do?
Answer:
It is highly likely to be some issues with your water. Ensure parameters like pH, ammonia and nitrites are optimum. See all parameters in the comment section.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta fish has white things on his gills, what could be going on?
Answer:
It is highly likely to be fungal. Get the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article and keep your tank clean.
Helpful
Question:
I had a betta fish and his eyes became cloudy and we treated that. The next day he was laying on his side at the bottom of the tank and was breathing heavily and died within 24 hours. May I ask what caused it so I know how to prevent this in the future?
Answer:
It's highly likely that he died of the swim bladder condition which is mainly caused by overfeeding. See how to deal with the condition from the article, but you should not feed your fish excessively.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta has had a large stomach for a day, the next day he won't eat at all on the third day I found him dead with a weird white substance coming out around his stomach, what was wrong with my fish?
Answer:
He might have been suffering from dropsy which causes fluids to accumulate in the abdomen and other organs. It also looks like the stomach burst and the fluids came out, or the substance could have been fungi or slime.
Helpful
Question:
My beta has a sore on its side. It started as an orange patch and then progressed into an ulcer with the top fin involved. I tried to administer 2 rounds of Betafix and Pimafix as well a super ick cure. I have a 1 gallon tank. Everything tested normal except Ammonia, and it was at 2 ppm. Ammonia issue was remedied. What are your thoughts?
Answer:
I think you did the right thing, and you can just wait to see if your betta will improve - most likely it will improve.
Helpful
Question:
Are there any ways to identify early signs of betta fish getting diseases?
Answer:
Yeah, things like behavior changes and abnormal skin conditions are usually early signs.
Helpful
Question:
My betta fish used to eat in a smaller tank now when I put him in a big tank all alone he likes to play instead of eating, is there anything I can do?
Answer:
Bettas can go for days without eating, so it is not a big issue. He could also be trying to acclimatize with the new tank, something which could be stressful.
Helpful
Question:
Why does my betta have red eyes when she didn’t before?
Answer:
It looks like he's being affected by the conditions of the water. Check to ensure that parameters like ammonia, pH, nitrites, dissolved solids, etc are optimum.
Helpful
Question:
A highly contagious algae outbreak is causing stress/disease and lead to death for many fish in my 6 tanks. One beta fish looks bruised around the face/head with white and swollen spots on each side behind her gills. She also stopped eating today. I treated all the fish with Betafix, Lifeguard, API fin/body cure, Eythromycin, fungus guard and herbals for bacteria sites. I am keeping the water in correct parameters. Also, I bought a Brita filter in case it was my water. Do you think a strong antibiotic is needed?
Answer:
This seems like an injury and fungal infection, so you don't need antibiotics. The medications you have listed are highly likely to heal your fish. They also have some levels of antibiotics, so if there is a bacterial infection, it will be eliminated.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta fish has like a swollen transparent bubble growing from one of his nostrils and is growing in size. Its been there for just over a month and doesn't seem to be affecting him in any way, but when I google this, I find nothing. Any thoughts?
Answer:
It is highly likely to be caused by poor conditions of the water. You can try changing and conditioning the water regularly, and also optimize parameters such as dissolved solids, ammonia, nitrites, pH, etc.
Helpful
Question:
Why does my fish have a hump on his back? He is three years old if that helps.
Answer:
If it's a hard hump, then it could be a tumor. Otherwise, it's a bacterial, viral, parasitic or fungal infection. Also, if it's a big hump, it could be a normal growth cause by old age.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has a bump on his head and scales are slightly raised on the bump, what could this be?
Answer:
If the bump feels hard, it is highly likely to be a tumor. Otherwise, it is just a normal bacterial, viral, parasitic or fungal infection
Helpful
Question:
My betta isn't swimming and is constantly restless and is always at the bottom of the tank. He also does not wants to eat. What can I do to help my betta's restlessness and lack of appetite?
Answer:
See the swim bladder condition from the article.
Helpful
Question:
I have a blue Betta and there are these grey patches on the underside of its head. What is it and how do I treat it?
Answer:
It's highly likely to be a fungal infection. You can try changing water regularly and use the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful
Question:
My fish has a slightly transparent ring around the back of its body and it's been hanging around at the bottom of the tank. I have a 1.3 gallon tank and change the water every month. I feed my fish about 3 times a day with about 5 squares every meal. Do you think my fish is sick?
Answer:
If he's acting sickly, then he's not okay. You could be feeding him excess and giving him a bladder condition. The transparent ring is highly likely to be fungal, so get a medication like the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful
Question:
my Beta has been on his side with his back side against the glass. He will perk up when I sing and he doesn’t eat much. What can I do?
Answer:
He's likely to have developed the swim bladder condition. See how to deal with the condition from the article.
Helpful
Question:
I have a male Betta and he has a very large bubble starting from almost his nose. It looks almost transparent. What could be the cause of this bubble on my Betta?
Answer:
Such bubbles are caused by dirty water, so try changing it more frequently!
Helpful
Question:
Why at the beginning do you say tetracycline doesn’t work, to use Myxozin, and on your list at the end you say treatment is Tetracycline?
Answer:
It is not quite effective, as it is written, but I have seen it work for some selected cases. The disease seems to have developed resistance for the compound which is found in a number of drugs. Myxazin is now included in the table in the latest edit.
Helpful
Question:
I have had my Half-moon Betta for about 3 years and most of that time he has been sick. Half of his head is covered in black. Furthermore, the black is now starting to spread and he has marks of black. Ever since I bought him, he has always had fin rot problems, even to the point of losing his whole back tail. I have cleaned the tank often, changed tank sizes, and used Bettafix but nothing helps. Is there any way to make him better?
Answer:
You can try another medication - see Waterlife Myxazin for fin and tail rot. Also, you need to check and optimize water parameters such as dissolved solids, pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc which are well known to affect the skin color.
Helpful
Question:
My betta is swollen and barely breathing. He has been on his side for a week now. I have a heater in a five-gallon tank. This happened once before, so I stopped feeding him for three days, and he got better. what do you think it is?
Answer:
If the swelling is on the belly area, it could be due to overfeeding which is giving him the swim bladder condition.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta has what look like a pale or whiteness on his fine. Mucus-like stuff comes off of him and floats in the bowl?
Answer:
It looks like slime!
Helpful
Question:
My betta fish's fins are turning black and brown, what do I do?
Answer:
If he/she getting old, that's normal. Otherwise, it's a problem with water, and you change and condition it regularly and optimize parameters like dissolved solids, pH, ammonia, nitrite, etc.
Helpful
Question:
My beta fish is lethargic, not eating as much, losing his color and staying calm between artificial plants, what could be wrong?
Answer:
He's likely to be overwhelmed by poor conditions of the water. You can try changing the water frequently and maintaining the right water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc. See all the parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful
Question:
There are white worms in my betta's tank water. What are they?
Answer:
They can be flatworms or roundworms, and you can deal with them by keeping everything clean.
Helpful
Question:
My dragon-scale betta has a tumor on his side. Is acting well, but it's getting bigger. Could I do anything special to help him?
Answer:
It's usually not easy to deal with tumors, but you can consult a vet for some kind of a surgery.
Helpful
Question:
My betta has lost her scales on her head and is bloated. I have tried fasting her and have decreased her feeding. No results have shown, I moved her from my male betta and given her more hiding places. She has no lights in her tank and is continuously losing more scales. What is happening to my betta?
Answer:
After the changes you have done, you can give her some time to see if there are some improvements. But you need to optimize water parameters - ammonia, nitrites, pH, etc. She could be having a reaction from these parameters. See all parameters in the comment section of the article.
Helpful
Question:
I recently got a red betta fish. After a few days I have noticed its scales started turning blueish-purple with black edges (?) and a bit of black edges were on his tail as well. Is this bad?
Answer:
If he's old, it's normal - color can change with age. If it's young, then it's issues with water, and you can try changing and conditioning the water regularly plus optimizing parameters like pH, ammonia, dissolved solids, etc.
Helpful
Question:
If a betta fish has fish fungus and velvet, which disease do I treat first?
Answer:
Well, you can start with the velvet because in most cases this disease seems to trigger the fungal attack and boosts its thriving.
Helpful
Question:
My older betta fish (he’s about three) has an opaque white film all over his body, mostly around his gills and eyes. He had nothing like this earlier this morning when he was fed. Now he is sitting up against the filter and trying to rub off whatever it is with the plants and his rocks. What is this? I want to know what I need to get him, I’ve had him for ages and I’d rather not have to put him in the freezer.
Answer:
It could be slime developing, and you can try changing and conditioning the water regularly.
Helpful
Question:
Recently, my betta has been swimming with his body downward and head up or just staying like that at the bottom of the tank for long periods of time. Every time he tries to get to the top it is like he is having trouble swimming. Is there a possibility he could have gotten hurt somehow? We have had him over a year with no issue.
Answer:
He could also be having the swim bladder condition. See the condition from the article.
Helpful
Question:
Is there a disease where bettas start to get brown spots? I'm pretty sure he's healthy because he hasn't developed any of the signs for these diseases.
Answer:
If he's not looking sick, then the spots could be birthmarks.
Helpful
Question:
My female betta sometimes rubs herself on her soft moss ball. I don't see any signs of sickness on her. She hasn't done this before. What do I do?
Answer:
It looks like she's enjoying the presence of the moss, or she is itching. You can check the part of the body she's rubbing for any abnormality.
Helpful
Question:
My female betta fish is rubbing herself against a soft moss ball we got for her lately. We recently treated her from ich so is this some sort of response to the treatment? We used something from PetSmart by the way.
Answer:
Yeah, some skin/fungal infections itch when healing, so she could be dealing with itching. She could also just be enjoying the moss!
Helpful
Question:
My betta fish's tail looks like its been ripped off but no weird behavior. What is it?
Answer:
He/she could have been scratched by some rough objects in the tank, or just an infection, so monitor him/her carefully to know the exact issue.
Helpful
Question:
My betta had a big lump. He is now floating with his mouth to the water, not moving. Is my Betta dead?
Answer:
You can check if he's breathing or making some movements. Concerning the lump, if it is firm and hard, then it is highly likely to be cancerous and can be difficult to cure. Otherwise, it is a bacterial or fungal infection which can be cured with some practices and medication.
Helpful
Question:
My Betta is an off white and is getting dark spots on fins, mouth and body. What is this and what should I do?
Answer:
Some bettas develop dark spots as they age while others get them as a sign of fungal infection. If your fish doesn't show any signs of sickness, then it could be due to age. Otherwise, it is a fungal infection and you can try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Helpful
Question:
I've had three bettas in a row go blind and die shortly after. Do you have any ideas as to why this is happening?
Answer:
There could be some issues with your water. You need to get water from a trusted source - your source may be offering water with harmful substances, or you could be adding them without knowing. You also need to change it regularly and maintain the right parameters - ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, pH, etc. See all parameters in the comment section of this article.
Helpful
Question:
My betta appears to have a tumor so after watching a video on how to remove it my boyfriend removed it and now he’s just laying on the floor of the aquarium not moving he’s still breathing but he’s not swimming around, as usual. Is there anything I can do to help my betta recover?
Answer:
You just need to give it time for the wound to heal. Meanwhile, you can apply him disinfectant and ensure the water is super clean to avoid bacterial or fungal infection.
Helpful
Question:
Should I feed my betta while medicating, or is it best to let her fast a few days during treatment?
Answer:
There is no problem unless you are treating him of the swim bladder condition.
Helpful
Question:
Are there illnesses that would cause a betta to stress after eating? My adolescent will go two or three days without eating. When he does this, he retreats and starts breathing hard. Do you have any ideas?
Answer:
It may be you are giving him wrong foods or high amounts that are giving him swim bladder condition.
Helpful

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Comments

AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
3 days ago from Intercontinental
@cj You can try changing and conditioning the water regularly, and also optimizing parameters such as dissolved solids, ammonia, nitrites, pH, etc.
cj
3 days ago
i bought my daughter a betta a couple weeks ago. Ive had bettas before but never had to deal with any skin/fin ailments. This otherwise active. bright blue betta, Sky, developed tiny red dots that resemble the red betta food balls.Sone look like they're sitting on his skin, others arent as raised. They are mostly on his tail but some on his underbelly fins.Weve been treating the tank with Bettafix. The fishstore said that it would treat most fungal, bacterial or parasitic problems but they also advised to me that they arent veterenarians. The dots dissipated but during the 7 day treatment, they reaappeared. Any advice?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 days ago from Intercontinental
@Crimson you can see how to deal with white spots from article, but as far as eating is concerned, it looks like he has the swim bladder condition and can therefore go for days without eating until the condition is gone.
Crimson
12 days ago
My fish Crimson just recently got over dropsy we have taken good care of him but now he seems as pale as he was when had it but isnt bloated and has this white spot near his gill. He barely eats and it gets hard to feed him. I uavent fed him for a while and not on purpose he just wont see it or realize its there.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
3 weeks ago from Intercontinental
There are some more remedies under the disease description that you can also check and try on your fish.
Angela Nisbett
6 weeks ago
I have diagnosed my Betta to have swim bladder disease. Have fasted for a length of time. Still swims funny but has the will to live. Finds locations to stay at the top of the tank otherwise unwillingly floats to bottom. Problem I am having now is he won't eat. Have tried his pellets, frozen bloodworms and peas. He is not interested. He has been fasted now for 2 weeks. What else can I try?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
3 months ago from Intercontinental
@Nimbus it is highly likely that there was a big problem with the water. It is usually recommended to change and condition it regularly, and optimize parameters such as pH, ammonia, nitrites, dissolved solids, etc.
Nimbus
3 months ago
My fish Nimbus passed recently he would hang at the bottome of his tank and struggle to stay afloat, we tried treating him for swimbladder and because hus fins had been torn badly fin rot, he refused to eat for weeks i had even tried changing his food from dried blood worms to pellets and ended up needing to lower his water levels so he can breathe what did i do wrong?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
3 months ago from Intercontinental
@Lilly It's highly likely to be a fungal infection, and you can try changing the water regularly. You can also try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Lilly
3 months ago
what does it mean when there is a yellow-white gunk near or on the gills of a beta fish?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
3 months ago from Intercontinental
@Diana if the light yellow stuff is cotton-like, then it's highly likely to be a fungal infection, and you can try changing and conditioning the water more frequently. You can also try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Diana
3 months ago
My Betta fish has a bump or a lump on top of his head it has like light yellow stuff on it what should I do to cure it?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
4 months ago from Intercontinental
@charlie In addition to cleaning the water, you need also to change and condition the water regularly and optimize parameters such as dissolved solids, pH, ammonia, nitrites, etc.
Moreover, see velvet from the article and check if your fish has its symptoms.
charlie
4 months ago
my beta fish is a female and shes smaller than usual. when i got her she was bright blue and turquoise, now maybe 3 weeks later, the very tops of her fins are turning brown along with the area near her gills, the brown is getting worse but only by a tiny bit, I've noticed shes inactive lately too. I've cleaned her tank and watched her more, but still keeps happening, i don't know if its the food I've gave her, but i doubt it, .my friend who is a fish expert told me this is the best food. i feed her a little in the morning and a little at night.
i have never had a fish before and this is my first one, could you please help me find out whats wrong with my fish please?
also if this one were to pass could you recommend me a fish that is easy for beginners, like me?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
4 months ago from Intercontinental
That's likely to be a fungal attack, and you can try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
Ada Smith
4 months ago
My Betta fish has a white ripped looking kind spot on its caudal fin. What is it and what can I do about it.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
4 months ago from Intercontinental
If it's a hard/firm one, then it's highly likely to be a tumor. Otherwise, it's a fungal, bacterial, viral or parasitic infection.
Tiffany McKenzie
4 months ago
My Betta has a black lump growing on his pectoral fin, it doesn’t fit any common ailments. Cancer?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
4 months ago from Intercontinental
See how to deal with spots from the article.
Alexander
4 months ago
My Betta has a white spot between its fin and gile what should i do
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
4 months ago from Intercontinental
@Brie check the swim bladder condition from the article.
Brie
4 months ago
My Betta fish has been staying at the top of the tank and almost perching himself on top of one of the decorations. His belly overnight seems to have tripled in size and he seems to be breathing harder. What should I do?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
5 months ago from Intercontinental
He might have been hurt by the other fish, or even bruised by objects in tank during the chase. If this is the case, he will get better with time. But you can use some disinfectants to keep the patches free from microorganisms.
Some fungal infections appear grey, so don't rule out these types of infections. You can just monitor him closely to see how the patches will develop.
Rajendraa
5 months ago
My betta is not eating properly for some days. I have kept him in a 240 litres tank with 35 other small fishes.. earlier when i had 20 fishes my betta was doing fine swimming around and eating.. but after adding 10 Red rose tetras which were chasing my betta for a week now, my betta is not so active.. it always hides or rests between plants.. doesnt swim around like it did earlier.. its color has reduced and the fins doesnt flare like it did..
And also there are some light grey small patches on its skin.. they were not there earlier.. i do weekly water change of 25% as i have more fishes in the tank.. Kindly suggest me what I can do to save my betta..
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
5 months ago from Intercontinental
@Amethyst It likely that the old water had a high level of dissolved solids which flocculated on the scales.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
5 months ago from Intercontinental
Most spots are usually fungal and can be treated with medications like Bettafix Remedy (see it in the article). Others are parasitic like ich - see from the article.
As for the losing color, it could be due to poor water conditions, so you can try changing and conditioning it regularly, and also optimizing its parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrite, dissolved solids, etc.
Jade
5 months ago
Hello I got my fish a couple of days ago and when I got him he had swim bladder and was on the top now he is better but losing his color and hasn’t some spots please tell me how to fix this and what’s it called thank you
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
6 months ago from Intercontinental
@SGH He's likely to be overwhelmed by the conditions of the water i.e., high ammonia, pH, nitrite, etc, or suffering from columnaris - see how to deal with the disease from article, and try changing and conditioning the water frequently.
SGH
6 months ago
I have the most beautiful Betta. When I got him 6 months ago he was sociable, highly active always cane to the glass to meet me and would stay as long as I talked with him. He never hid from me and would flare and blow bubbles all the time. I literally just did a 30% water change in his 5.5 gallon tank. I also cleaned decor and put it back exactly where it was. Now I’m completely freaking out he’s swimming with clamped fins, jerking through the water and I found him up against the filter. And he’s hiding from me. All of these symptoms are completely alien to this guy. I conditioned the water, waited, added the appropriate bacteria and put some H2O drops in the water to reduce stress. This is the same routine I’ve been following with him and he has never behaved this way. Am I losing him? Please, please help.
jm
6 months ago
my betta had tail rot lived 3 more years full life span is 4.5 years i use bath salt
harsha
7 months ago
my betta fish was not moving it is floating on the top of water please tell me the solution for it
Mieko
7 months ago
This is an amazing website thank you so much now my betta fish is healthy!
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
7 months ago from Intercontinental
@ZettaGirl in addition to the mediation, you may want to change the water regularly, clean the tank and maintain the right water parameters - pH, ammonia, nitrates, etc.
ZettaGirl
7 months ago
My betta has had a swollen abdomen for 6 months. She also has one eye protruding and swollen. Additionally there are white colorations at the lower rims of the eyelids.
I give her 1 drop of colloidal silver daily. She is looking much happier even with these issues.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
7 months ago from Intercontinental
It's highly likely to be the fin and tail rot disease developing, and so you can try a bacterial medication, change water and clean the tank.
Darien
7 months ago
My male betta has white tips of his front fins, he should be healthy I feed him pellets and every 2 days I give him dried blood worms.
Any help on what the whit little tips might be?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
7 months ago from Intercontinental
The problem is highly likely to be in the water, and since you have cleaned the tank, you can wait to see if he will get better.
Morgan
7 months ago
My beta seem to be developing a bump on his side. The scales are slightly whiter (he is a rose gold color) and he isn’t acting funny but it seems to be worse sense I last cleaned his tank. I thought it was just an injury but now I’m not so sure.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
7 months ago from Intercontinental
He/she is being affected by the conditions of the water. You need to ensure that parameters like dissolved solids, pH, ammonia and nitrites are optimum.
Brejhan Williams
7 months ago
Why is my blue Betta fish turning black
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
7 months ago from Intercontinental
@Mary You need to do some disinfection and keep the water super clean to avoid infections.
Mary
7 months ago
My fish has a cut on his head. How do i treat that?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
8 months ago from Intercontinental
@kaeleydog. Dirt accumulates faster in small containers, so first do away with them.
John
8 months ago
Hi i have a betta fish that lives with 2 small fish, his fins are white and, from the article, i can guess it is fungi but i dont know how to treat it and of it will affect the little ones
Kaeleydog2006
8 months ago
My betta has fin rot he is still in the cup i got him in since i need to get a snail and the tank im putting him in is cloudy but i put a bit of salt in the cup only of small piece since hes in a small container what shound i do? his waters clear not cloudy or anything and its not to bad this is the second betta ie had and i do not want another fish to die almost right after i got it (my houses water cant seem to keep fish) but so yeah....what do i do oh and sorry about the grammar some of my keys dont work correctly
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
8 months ago from Intercontinental
There is no problem in introducing another fish, but you need to change and condition your water regularly to avoid color changes.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
8 months ago from Intercontinental
It's highly likely that your water wasn't quite clean and well conditioned.
Vianka
8 months ago
I’ve had my beta for a while and I’m not sure if I should introduce another beta fish since he seems a bit lonely he also has developed a bit of green around his orange fins
Claire Robertson
8 months ago
He ended up dying a day later. He turned a yellowish color before he died and I don’t know what happened. What happened
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
8 months ago from Intercontinental
He's highly likely to be stressed by the new environment, so give him time to acclimatize.
Claire Robertson
8 months ago
I just moved my betta into a bigger tank and now he is not eating, flaring, laying at the bottom of the tank, going to the surface to breathe, fins shrunken, and lethargic. He also seemed to hide near the filter when it was turned on and roll sideways. What do I do?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
8 months ago from Intercontinental
@kdsankar Not really. It's only that your tank is highly likely to be harboring the dropsy-causing bacteria.
kdsankar
8 months ago
Is "Dropsy" Infectious?
Because i have 3 male bettas in same tank, Two betta died as same. And my 3rd betta is also showing the same symptoms.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
8 months ago from Intercontinental
It is likely that you have overfed her and has developed the swim bladder condition. See how to deal with the condition from the article.
dick cruz
8 months ago
Hi, i have a red HMPK female, and suddenly she had lost appetite and just stayed at the top of the water level, i don't know what happened to her. she does not even flare when i remove the divider to see her husband to be. i already change her water and added methylene blue (1 drop). i am using a 750 ml jar as their tank.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
9 months ago from Intercontinental
@Raiden He/she can't flare forever, so don't stress for that!
Raiden
9 months ago
My betta starts to flare whenever I turn off the light in my room and turn on the LED light in his tank. What do I do?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
9 months ago from Intercontinental
@Colton It could also be slime which like fungus can be aggravated by dirt water. So try changing the water regularly and keep it clean.
Colton V
9 months ago
My Betta has some white cotton-like fluff hanging from his fins. I’m not sure what exactly it is, but my best guess is some kind of fungus. He came with it and we have been fighting it for several months, but we can’t seem to curb it entirely. We have been giving him Jungle Fungus and putting a small amount of aquarium salt in with water changes but the mystery fungus just persists! It doesn’t seem to alter his energy level as he still zooms around with as much energy as ever. Any insight into what might be going on and what we permanently knock this fungus out for good?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
10 months ago from Intercontinental
@Sandra I think you are doing everything right. Most of the symptoms you see are just out of the pain of the injury. Some times fish can go for days without food, so this is not a big issue.
May be you can change the water regularly to keep harmful bacteria away, and try to disinfect the wound. You can also try keeping him off the sharp/rough objects
Sandra
10 months ago
Hello, I have a veiltail betta fish named Scottie and he is not doing very well. He was the only fish in a 5 gallon tank with a heater, a filter, some artificial plants and a hiding spot. He was doing fine until Dec. 9. Scottie doesn't like to come out of his hiding spot after dark, but my sister wanted to see him, so she shook his tank and spooked him.
That was on Dec. 9, and i only found out that she did that 2 days later because someone told me. The edges of the inside of his hiding spot were sharp, so when he got spooked, he cut himself badly. After that, he was lethargic and hasn't eaten since(i feed him betta pellets by the way). It's been 9 days so far and he still hasn't eaten. I recently moved him into a smaller tank so he could reach the surface easier to get air. Now he is still lethargic and stays at the bottom of the tank, but at random times, he darts around crazily. His injuries seem to have cleared up a little, but every time he swims up for air, he just sinks back to the bottom. He seems to be breathing heavy sometimes, and he is still not eating.
Sometimes he swims a little bit at the bottom, but then he stops and lays against the side of the tank or the gravel, or on one of the Luffy betta balls in his tank. This was originally my sister's fish, but she wasn't taking care of him. His water was filthy and he was in a bowl. No heater, and a bubble over his eye. So i've had him for about a year now, gradually learning how to properly care for a betta fish, because I didn't really know either. I just felt bad for Scottie. He was doing good until she came over and scared him last week. She didn't buy any necessary items for Scottie except Start Right water treater and pellets, so I bought him a heater and filter and larger tank and decorations. I plan to buy Aquarium Salt, Melafix Remedy, and some live plants instead of fake ones(so he won't hurt himself anymore, IF he makes it through this) this Wednesday to see if that helps Scottie. I don't know what else to do. Please help.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
10 months ago from Intercontinental
@Meg You're doing it right now!
Meg
10 months ago
I lived in Taiwan and then American and I followed all the procedures that are needed for keeping bettas. I did 20% water changes I use a little bit of aquarium salt, water dechlorinator I have a tank that's at least 3.5 gallons. I have a life plan to place for them to hide. I have a low flow filter for one of my tanks and the other two I need to switch over because maybe the flow is too strong but only on one of them. Now I have pellets in Taiwan they don't have blood worms and flea eggs. and absolutely no products from Omega one.
But in the last three months I've had for betta's died and 6 Guppies...... what killed the betta's most likely fin rot but my last betta it had a filter but he didn't die from fin rot I don't know what he died from he just lost his color and died.
now living in Taiwan they say all the opposite. They don't need a filter because we're supposed to do 20% water change. they need a heater but they need me no more than half a gallon tank.
I really don't know how to keep my betta's alive. I just bought a beautiful Orange County jail for the equivalent of 5 US dollars so I'm going to keep him in a half gallon tank what the life plant and heater and see how that works. I put in the dechlorinator and a little bit of aquarium salt with aloe Vera. Plus you'll have a light so the plant can get with it needs and I'll put one drop of plant food in. I really don't know what to do. I've got a red veiltail he seems to be doing fine now the tip of his tail turned gray a little bit I don't know if he was feeling stressed because maybe the filter was too strong. but my little baby she's in like the equivalent of a 1 gallon glass aquarium she's got a low flow filter and heater. I was afraid if I got her something bigger it would kill her. ..... but the small pet store that I went to they've been raising fish for 20 years and all their betta's look really good it's sort of like Russian Roulette.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
10 months ago from Intercontinental
@WOLF It is highly likely that the water has some issues. It is either dirty or its parameters are not right. Try changing the water and maintaining the right levels of parameters - ammonia, pH, nitrate, temperature, etc.
WOLFCRY6372
10 months ago
So I got this super delta betta he looks like there are some red scales and some little holes throughout scales I've done medicine for him. I have another betta he hangs out at the top and I think his gills are swollen because they dont close all the way and he has to open them out more. They also shoe some red what should I do plz help me.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
10 months ago from Intercontinental
She could be having the swim bladder condition or some bloat which can also affect the eyes. Let her go for more days without food, and see other ways to deal with the condition in the article.
Vivek jobanputra
10 months ago
My betta fish has a swollen stomach and swollen eyes and is not eating since many days and sticks to top corner of the tank. Please give some solutions to make her alright again
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
10 months ago from Intercontinental
You can try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article or any other reputable medication.
Zoey Wilcox
11 months ago
my betta fish has a fin fungus and it has a hole through it now, what should i do?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
Let him go without food and also raise the water temperature. This will help with digestion and ease breathing.
Sandrine
11 months ago
@Januaris Saint Fores The swim bladder condition can cause breathing problems ? ... Ive read online i should feed him a frozen pea but he's not eating at all so what should i do ?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
@Toure You can try checking the water temperature, and keep it at the normal level. You can also try changing the water regularly, and ensure it doesn't have dissolved substances,
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
@Sandrine Highly likely to be the Swim Bladder condition.
Nia Toure
11 months ago
My beta is turning black and I don’t think it’s normal for betas to do that, and my three other fish are always on the side of the tank swimming around, is my heater and filter the problem? And why is my bate turning black?
Sandrine
11 months ago
My betta fish has been sick for the over a week. He's been really lethargic, not really eating (he stopped eating completely for about a week, then eating two days in a row and he stopped eating again today), he either stays at the bottom or stays at the surface for really long periods of time and he has a lot of trouble breathing (you can see him breathing heavily). I dont really see any physical symptoms on his body but i was thinking maybe Oodinium ? I dont know what to do. I did a big change of water (about 50%) and then i keep changing it a little bit every few days.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
@Jade There could be a sharp object cutting them or some abnormal water parameters like ammonia and pH corroding them. See if the parameters are at normal levels.
Jade
11 months ago
So I've had this betta for quite a few months and when I got him, his fins were full and perfect, but over the last couple months his fins have started to look like they are being nipped away. I know it's not fin rot as I've been monitoring him very closely and he shows no signs of sickness. I clean his tank regularly and make sure he's getting all the correct nutrients. Could he be nipping away his own fins or something else?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
Concerning the picture, this platform doesn't support photo attachment, so it is not possible to upload it.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
If it's cotton-like, then it's highly likely to be a fungal infection. Other possibilities include worm and slime, but fungi is the biggest suspect. You can try keeping the water clean and using Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article.
ydugger
11 months ago
My Betta has a strange white growth on it's side and now it looks like it is splitting open. How do I attach a picture of it so I can ask your help to identify what it might be? Please advise, Yumi
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
@Kkml32 It looks like you are overfeeding your fish which is giving her the swim bladder condition.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
@Louse looks like it's columnaris or some stress caused by the new surroundings. See how to deal with columnaries from the article. If it's stress, you'll wait to see if he'll acclimatize.
Kkml32
11 months ago
Hi, my female betta we got as a very small fish about a year ago. While she has grown, about 5 months ago she developed a very large mass on one of her sides. Other than the mass she was fine for about 4 months, but a few weeks ago she bagn to always sink to the bottom of the tank or her cave and lay there all day and her coloring has begun to dull on her body. In the last few days she has stopped eating any foods. Does anything stick out to you? Are there any medications you would recommend or anything to do to help her?
Louise
11 months ago
Hi, i bought a betta from a disgrace of a petshop yesterday. The boys fins are clamped together, looks almost as if they fused... Any info and advice will be much appreciated.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
11 months ago from Intercontinental
@Rrubicon, you could be feeding him excess giving him the swim bladder condition. As for water turning murky, there could be some objects in the water tank dissolving or decomposing releasing particles in the water.
Rrubicon
11 months ago
My guy is just as beautiful and full as the day he came home, active and friendly. Best fish ever. Now he sits in tank up in the upper corner, and his water goes murky the day after I clean it. No marks, spots, swelling or fin changes. I’m not sure what to treat! I’m afraid to treat him for something he doesn’t have! Any suggestions?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
12 months ago from Intercontinental
if the tumor is hard, then it's likely to be cancerous. if it's soft, then it can be a bacterial or fungal infection which can be dealt with the melafix you are using. Give it some time to see how it turns out.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
12 months ago from Intercontinental
@Mg He might have been injured by some objects in the tank. He might have entered in a place that made him to struggle to come out. You can first monitor him for some days to see how it turns out.
Mg
12 months ago
Hi! I need help! My beta fish has a deformed face and neck with small red bubbles at the surface they look like blood bubbles and on side of his chin it looks all swollen. He is not doing very well, very agitated! Help!
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
12 months ago from Intercontinental
Yeah, if the spots are loose and you can easily remove them, then it could be some tiny sand particles getting in the small scales on the face. It could also be a fungal infection which can be dealt by changing the water frequently.
Mare
12 months ago
I've noticed that my white betta has developed black spots all around his face, is this normal? I've had him for a year and he's still just as energetic and interactive as he's always been - no changes or sign of sickness. I do have black sand as the substrate, could that becausing it?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
12 months ago from Intercontinental
Well, if he improving well, then the spot could be a harmless body mark, but you need to keep a keen eye on it to see if there are any changes - like change in size, color, etc
BettaBlue
12 months ago
So, I looked at my betta fish and saw a tiny spot on his head. It's not a white spot though. He had grown lethargic recently, so I changed his water and fed him the next day. He seems to be doing better since he's swimming a lot more and eating well. But I am still concerned about that small spot on his head. It's not bothering him, but I'm just curious as to what it could be.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
12 months ago from Intercontinental
@Mitchell. You can try optimizing the water parameters - ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, pH, etc. See all the parameters in the comments below, and also their allowed levels.
Joy Mitchell
12 months ago
I had one betta (white opal) that died after his fins got red at the tips). Now I have a 2nd betta (different bowl, etc.) that’s not acting right. Took him out and cleaned bowl. Doing better, but his white fins are now turning red). Ideas suggestions?
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
12 months ago from Intercontinental
@SkittlesTheBetta This is highly likely to be the swim bladder condition or some stress due to the limited resources. Check the condition in the article and see how you can improve the resources.
SkittlesTheBetta
12 months ago
My male betta hasn't been eating and he lays at the bottom of his tank. He is in a small tank, no filter, no heater and my mom wont let me give him proper housing. He's been like this for 5 days
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
13 months ago from Intercontinental
If it is a small tank, then change water after every 5 days - at least 75% change. Sometimes you can try 100% water change. You can also try checking the water parameters - ammonia, nitrates, pH, etc and optimizing them. The other thing is to try the medications mentioned in the article - follow the Myxazin and Bettafix Remedy links in article.
Kadie
13 months ago
Help! My fish has a few white spots and a big one by his tail. He isn't as active as he used to be. I clean his tank 1 a week but maybe I didn't do it well. I have betta conditioner but I use tap water should I change it to spring. I think he has Columnaris so please hurry and reply.
AUTHOR
Januaris Saint Fores
13 months ago from Intercontinental
You can try measuring water parameter such as ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, etc and keep them optimum. See all parameters in the comments below. You can also try the Bettafix Remedy mentioned in the article which treats a wide range of fish infections.

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15 Common Betta Fish Diseases (With Photos): Prevention and Treatment

The Common Diseases of Betta Fish, in Brief

1. Fin and Tail Rot

2. Columnaris

3. Hemorrhagic

4. Dropsy

5. Pop Eye

6. Eyecloud

7. Mouth Fungus

8. Furunculosis

9. Fish Fungus

10. Velvet

11. Ich

12. Anchor Worms

13. Hole in the Head

14. Swim Bladder Disorder

15. Betta Tumors

Summary

Conclusion

Have you ever dealt with any of the above Betta fish infections and diseases?

Questions & Answers

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15 Common Betta Fish Diseases (With Photos): Prevention and Treatment

The Common Diseases of Betta Fish, in Brief

1. Fin and Tail Rot

2. Columnaris

3. Hemorrhagic

4. Dropsy

5. Pop Eye

6. Eyecloud

7. Mouth Fungus

8. Furunculosis

9. Fish Fungus

10. Velvet

11. Ich

12. Anchor Worms

13. Hole in the Head

14. Swim Bladder Disorder

15. Betta Tumors

Summary

Conclusion

Have you ever dealt with any of the above Betta fish infections and diseases?

Questions & Answers

Related

Popular

Comments

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