Help! My betta fish has white flecks all over it! One day you wake up and go to feed your beautiful betta fish just like every other day and you realize there's a problem. As opposed to its normal, colorful appearance, your fish is covered in tiny, white dots! It looks like someone has shaken a saltshaker over your poor fish!
What's going on here is a bad case of Ich, or Ick. Ich is a common parasite that lives in your betta tank. When something goes wrong and your betta is weakened Ich can gain a foothold and infect your fish. Ich can be deadly to your fish, so it's important to take steps to prevent it and treat it.
For prevention it's best to make sure that your betta lives as stress-free as possible. Anything that frequently stresses a betta out can weaken its immune system. Make sure that you keep the water temperature between 76-82 degrees F. This is a normal healthy temperature for a betta. Anything too far above or below that range is dangerous to them.
Add some aquarium salt to the water when you do a water change. Be sure that you have aquarium salt. It isn't table salt! Add about 0.25 to 0.5 teaspoon of aquarium salt per gallon of water. This has a tonic effect on your fish and helps keep Ich at bay.
Now, if you've already got Ich it can be hard to get rid of. It can also be very contagious. Make sure that you don't contaminate other tanks! Treat the entire tank and be certain to scrub your hands and any common equipment before touching other tanks or fish.
Ich has three life stages, and you can only treat it in the last stage. During the first stage the parasite has burrowed beneath the fish's skin. This is where you see the white spots. Start treating now, but the medication won't hit the Ich yet.
The second life stage of the parasite sees it drop off of your betta fish and multiply rapidly at the bottom of the tank. Continue treatment, although it's not particularly vulnerable at this point.
The final life stage of the Ich parasite is where you can get it. During this stage the parasite is an adult and it is free-swimming. It swims in the water looking for another fish to live on. Here's where the medication will kill it best.
Two things can really help your treatment. First, slowly increase the water temperature to 85 degrees F. This will help the parasite speed through its life cycle and hit the vulnerable adult stage quicker. The other factor in treatment is frequently changing the water. This will help get rid of a lot of extra Ich.
To treat the parasite look for a medication based on copper or Malachite Green. Most of the Ich treatment medications you find at the pet stores will have these chemicals in them, but check anyway. Treat according to the medication dosing directions. Be sure to treat your tank for a full 14 days, even if your fish appears fine. Remember that the white spots on the fish are just the first visible stage of the parasite development. Being careful to treat after there are no white spots will help ensure that you've cleared out the infestation!
Showing posts with label cure sick betta fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cure sick betta fish. Show all posts
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
6 Signs You Have a Healthy Betta
Here are six things to check out that would indicate a healthy betta fish.
Swims easily: Your betta should swim around naturally. If it looks like it's having a hard time then probably it's not doing well.
Shows good awareness: Does your betta respond to you outside of the tank? What about following your finger around or flaring up at it? A healthy betta fish keeps a close eye on its surroundings.
Has a healthy appetite: Bettas are eaters! They don't eat all of the time, but your fish should eat regularly and go after food.
Bright color: Whatever color your betta is should be clear. A betta that looks dull or drab isn't doing well.
Full, healthy looking fins: What does your betta's fins look like? They should be smooth and flowing. If they're torn, hanging, or have stuff on them then your betta is unhealthy.
A strong, healthy, smooth body: Your betta should be streamlined. If the scales appear ruffled or there's growths and sores on the body then treatment may be necessary.
Don't just leave your betta in a corner and feed it once in a while. Regularly inspect your betta to make sure that it's doing well. Your fish will be a lot happier and live a lot longer.
Swims easily: Your betta should swim around naturally. If it looks like it's having a hard time then probably it's not doing well.
Shows good awareness: Does your betta respond to you outside of the tank? What about following your finger around or flaring up at it? A healthy betta fish keeps a close eye on its surroundings.
Has a healthy appetite: Bettas are eaters! They don't eat all of the time, but your fish should eat regularly and go after food.
Bright color: Whatever color your betta is should be clear. A betta that looks dull or drab isn't doing well.
Full, healthy looking fins: What does your betta's fins look like? They should be smooth and flowing. If they're torn, hanging, or have stuff on them then your betta is unhealthy.
A strong, healthy, smooth body: Your betta should be streamlined. If the scales appear ruffled or there's growths and sores on the body then treatment may be necessary.
Don't just leave your betta in a corner and feed it once in a while. Regularly inspect your betta to make sure that it's doing well. Your fish will be a lot happier and live a lot longer.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Healthy Betta Fish vs. Sick Betta Fish
Now you have your betta and things are going well. You've been enjoying your new pet, feeding it, teaching it to follow your finger and generally having a good time. One day you wake up and notice that your betta might not be doing so well.
Before you panic and start dousing the tank with every chemical you can find, let's take a look to make sure there's something wrong.
Here are some characteristics to look for in a healthy betta:
-High energy. Most bettas are active much of the time. They do take breaks, but will move around quite a bit, especially if someone comes near them.
-Big appetite. Bettas are big eaters. If you keep feeding them, they'll likely keep eating. Not that you should overfeed your betta, but their appetite is a good barometer to their health and mode.
-A healthy, clean looking body. Bettas have a fairly smooth and uniform body. Their scales should look neat and orderly and their fins should be whole and spread out.
-A bright, brilliant color. This is especially important for male bettas. They should be colorful. Bettas that are dull and drab or look "washed out" may not be doing well.
-Healthy, normal looking eyes or gills. The betta's eyes should be uniform and proportional and the gills should look healthy and smooth. The gills should close well against the betta's side.
Here are some characteristics to look out for:
-Low energy. A betta that sits at the bottom or in a top corner of the tank and mopes around might not be doing well. If this behavior persists then there may be something going on.
-Not eating. Bettas like to eat, so be alert for changes in appetite. If your betta goes on a hunger fast or ignores food then probably it's ill.
-Any strange marks on the body. If your betta's scales are ruffled up, you see sores, or there are any strange growths on its fins or body then that's a pretty clear sign that it's sick.
-Losing color. A betta that's dull and has lost its luster is not doing well. Either something is going on with the betta or its food.
-Look out for swollen gills or protruding eyes. If a betta has a gill disorder or one eye starts bulging that's a sign of some serious and common problems.
If a betta has a gill disorder or one eye starts bulging that's a sign of some serious and common problems.
Keeping an eye out for any changes in your betta's appearance, behavior, or mood and you're a long way towards maintaining a happy and healthy fish. At the first sign of these symptoms it's best to make a water change and isolate the betta (if it has tankmates).
Before you panic and start dousing the tank with every chemical you can find, let's take a look to make sure there's something wrong.
Here are some characteristics to look for in a healthy betta:
-High energy. Most bettas are active much of the time. They do take breaks, but will move around quite a bit, especially if someone comes near them.
-Big appetite. Bettas are big eaters. If you keep feeding them, they'll likely keep eating. Not that you should overfeed your betta, but their appetite is a good barometer to their health and mode.
-A healthy, clean looking body. Bettas have a fairly smooth and uniform body. Their scales should look neat and orderly and their fins should be whole and spread out.
-A bright, brilliant color. This is especially important for male bettas. They should be colorful. Bettas that are dull and drab or look "washed out" may not be doing well.
-Healthy, normal looking eyes or gills. The betta's eyes should be uniform and proportional and the gills should look healthy and smooth. The gills should close well against the betta's side.
Here are some characteristics to look out for:
-Low energy. A betta that sits at the bottom or in a top corner of the tank and mopes around might not be doing well. If this behavior persists then there may be something going on.
-Not eating. Bettas like to eat, so be alert for changes in appetite. If your betta goes on a hunger fast or ignores food then probably it's ill.
-Any strange marks on the body. If your betta's scales are ruffled up, you see sores, or there are any strange growths on its fins or body then that's a pretty clear sign that it's sick.
-Losing color. A betta that's dull and has lost its luster is not doing well. Either something is going on with the betta or its food.
-Look out for swollen gills or protruding eyes. If a betta has a gill disorder or one eye starts bulging that's a sign of some serious and common problems.
If a betta has a gill disorder or one eye starts bulging that's a sign of some serious and common problems.
Keeping an eye out for any changes in your betta's appearance, behavior, or mood and you're a long way towards maintaining a happy and healthy fish. At the first sign of these symptoms it's best to make a water change and isolate the betta (if it has tankmates).
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