| Body Fungus - A disease that can be prevented by using aquarium salt or other preventatives. Very contagious. Bacteria not a fungus Symptoms - Fuzzy looking white or grayish brown patches or stringy material on body and fins. Fins may look ragged. The fish is not active and most often will not eat. Treatment - Change the water in the bowl after cleaning and sterilizing it. Use any fungus treatment available to you like; MarOxy, Jungle Fungus Eliminator (which is what works for me), or Maracynx. Fin and Tail Rot - If you keep your betta's bowl clean then you shouldn't have to worry. They say it isn't contagious, but I have a feeling that it is. Symptoms - Bettas fins appear to be deteriorating, alling apart, getting holes.. The coloring may dull and turn brownish. May have stopped eating, but not always. Treatment - Change the water after cleaning and sterilizing the bowl. Use any treatment avalable to you like; Neosulfex, Maracyn-two, Tetracycline tablets, Maracide, or TriSulfa with copper safe. Ick - A serious disease caused by a parasite that is very contagious. You can use a preventative like Aquarisol but it has never really worked for me. Symptoms - Tiny white spots all over body usually starting on the fins, from what I have noticed.. Rubbing and scratching on tank bottom, plants, rocks, driftwood, whatever the betta can scratch on.. Treatment - Treat with Coppersafe, Maracide, Ick Away, or any other ick treatment. All the ones I have tried work. |
| Dropsy - Dropsy is a nasty internal infection that is very fatal. It seems to be very contagious. Symptoms - Red spots or streaks, bleeding, or swollen, bloated body. The most obvious sign that it is bloat is the fishes scales look like they are sticking out. The fish is not active and usually does not eat. Treatment - Maracyn-two, or tetracyclin HCl. I use Jungle Fungus Eliminator which says it also treats bloat. I have had very good success using it. Velvet - A protozoan disease. Very contagious and loves to attack fry. Symptoms - Yellow spots, loss of color, and rubbing against bottom or other objects in tank. May not eat. Treatment - Treat with Maracide, or Coppersafe. Gill Disease - Not sure if it is bacteria or what. Symptoms - Swollen or red gills, gasping. Treatment - Use Maracyn-two, Maracide, or Tetracycline tablets. Popeye- Can be prevented by keeping the bowl clean. Symptoms - Eyes are sticking out, wollen, or cloudy. May stop eating. Treatment - Clean the bowl and add clean water. Use Maracyne-two, Trisulfa with coppersafe, Ampicilex, or Maricide. |
| True Fungus - Aquarium salt should prevent it. Contagious. Symptoms - White cottony spots that like to grow on wounds. Treatment - Use MarOxy. Again, I use Jungle Fungus Eliminator. |
| Swim Bladder Disorder - Caused by over feeding. Not a disease they can CATCH. So it's not contagious. Symptoms - Swollen belly, sluggish behavior, difficulty swimming, laying at the bottom of tank. Treatment - Feed them less and most of them should get better on thier own. Could be some permanent damage. Hole In The Head Disease - Caused by a bacteria. All bacterial infections are extreamly contagious. Can be prevented with Hole N Head Guard. Symptoms - Sluggish behavior. Not eating. And holes or wierd bumps on the head. Treatment- Clean the bowl and sanitize it. Add 2 teaspoons of aquarium salt for every ten gallons of water. Use Tetracyclin, MarOxy, or Methylen Blue. |
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| Examples of fin rot. |
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| With any disease you will want to clean and sanitize the containers and put the betta with their medication in fresh water. You can sanitize the containers by soaking them in a bucket or sink with boiled water with bleach added to it. Rinse off for several minutes while scrubbing to get all the bleach out. To tell if all the bleach is rinses smell the containers. If there is still bleach in them you will be able to tell. |