Since you know how magnificent your Betta fish looks it is very easy to notice that something`s wrong by its change of look and behavior. So, is the worst gong to happen and how to know if your Betta fish Is dying?
The first change in terms of looks is color – discoloration appears over its body. Sometimes spots show up in different colors, most commonly white or brown. The color change becomes pale and sometimes yellowish. Then tail edges become weak. Your Betta starts gasping for air often going to the tank surface. Complete loss of appetite is also a sign. These are common signs that indicate your Betta is going to die.
How does Betta fish behave before death?
Normally Bettas are happy fish. They are interactive and very often they follow you around the tank. They also want to attract your attention by swimming up and down or in different directions. If the owner is near the aquarium, it starts performing a show like most of the pets.
On the other hand, Bettas show different signs before death. If you have been wondering how to know if your Betta fish Is dying, here is what to pay attention to:
- They become less interactive
- They start to sleep more.
- Their appetite decreases rapidly and they barely move.
- They don’t respond to anything you do.
- They tend to sit in a corner or at the bottom of the tank in a weird body position.
- The color of its fins starts fading.
All of these are sure signs that your Betta is going to die.
How do you save a dying Betta fish?
Sitting at the bottom or being at the surface of the tank all the time are sure signs that your Betta is ill and can die. If you notice that your Betta behaves differently then you should do something.
- The first thing you should have prepared is the first aid kid. You can buy this normally in a pharmacy or at the store. The first aid kit is available only online so make sure that you have one. It consists of several medications for different conditions.
2. The second is to prevent illness caused usually by improper feeding and cleaning. This is achieved by regular cleaning of your aquarium. Once every three to five days you clean the waste that collects in the aquarium. You clean the filter also and perform a partial water change.
3. Check if the environment is suitable – like the water level which is a minimum of 5-10 gallons.
4. Check the water temperature if it is good. It should be between 76-82 degrees.
5. You should also possess a test kit for checking the level of ammonia and nitrates. This level should be for nitrate less than 30 ppm and for ammonia 0 ppm. If the water in your aquarium doesn’t satisfy these measures the best thing you can do is to change at least half of the water or to move your Betta to another tank until the conditions in your aquarium are safe.
6. You can also set up another tank to use as a hospital or quarantine where all the conditions need to be similar to normal conditions in your aquarium. Water parameters should be adequate. You should provide filtration, heater and bottom without gravel. Plants and decorations are not necessary because this is only temporary until your Betta gets well.
7. You should also know how to recognize the first signs of illness by observing your fish. You can collect much useful information by reading about Bettas or watching videos online.
8. You should treat the ailments that you notice.
- If you see that your fish is pale and less active and keeps fins clumped it is a fungal infection. You can eliminate it by cleaning the tank. Repeat cleaning until the fungus disappears completely.
- If you notice that the fins on your Betta go red or black on the edge or even holes show up, you need to treat it instantly. Clean the tank, combine ampicillin or tetracycline with some fungus eliminator and the fins will repair in time.
- You can easily notice swim bladder disorder when a fish bladder becomes larger. This condition can be treated easily by reducing the feeding because it arises from overfeeding and is easily treatable.
- If ich appears your fish will have a low appetite and dots all over, it will rub against items inside the tank. To treat this condition you raise the temperature of the water to 78-80 degrees and add malachite or formalin.
- If a velvet shows up you will notice the color loss, low appetite scratching against the things and open fins. The most important sign is light gold or rusty color over Bettas body which you can check with a torchlight. Treatment is Bettazing and cleaning your tank. You can prevent velvet by adding salt and water softener regularly.
- Pop-eye can sometimes be treatable. You can try by changing more than thirty percent of water daily for five days. It can also be caused by bacterial infection so you need to quarantine your fish and treat it with Maracyn.
Final Thoughts on How to Know if Your Betta Fish Is Dying?
There are many signs you can notice on your Betta to show you that something is wrong. If you spend time enjoying the view of your tank and your Betta in it you can easily guess that something is not as usual.
You should only observe patiently for all the uncommon signs and react in time. It is also easy in time to distinguish normal from abnormal behavior. There are also many things you can do to prevent any disease. If you pay attention and devote yourself to keeping the aquarium state at a high level in most cases you won’t have any issues to deal with.
Yet, if something unusual happens identify the signs and start immediate treatment. If you are persistent enough you will probably succeed in bringing your fish into a normal state. If that is not the case and you see that you can’t do much, try looking for professional help.