The betta or also called "combatants" are those small fish with a lot of personality, that many people want to have, due to their vibrant and beautiful colors.
If the aquarium or fish tank where they are kept in the best conditions, clean and fresh, the betta can live longer and be happier. However, if the space is not suitable for he althy living, bettas often cause parasitic, fungal or bacterial diseases.
If you have a beautiful betta fish at home and you are interested in knowing more about this species, continue reading this article on our site, where you will know what are the most common diseases of betta fish.
Get to know your betta fish a little more
Most of the diseases that betta fish suffer can be prevented just with a good, clean environment and treatment with antibiotics and s alt of aquarium Try to start getting to know your fish from the first day you bring it home. Observe his behavior when he is in optimal conditions, in this way, if he gets sick and the physical symptoms have not arrived, you will be able to identify if something is not right since, for sure, your behavior will change.
A good time to do this is during aquarium cleaning and when feeding. If your fish is sick it won't want to eat as much or will refuse to eat at all.
Columnaris - Mouth fungus
Mouth fungus is a bacterium that, by itself, grows in aquariums and ponds. It is a bacterium that can be both beneficial and harmful. When a betta suffers from this disease, physically, it begins to present "cotton gauze" type stains on the gills, mouth and fins all over the body.
This problem is caused when the conditions of the animal's habitat are not appropriate or stressful (overcrowding or little space) and little circulation of new and clean water.
Dropsy
It is not considered a disease as such, but rather a manifestation of the poor internal or degenerative condition of the fish, present due to other pathologies such as, for example, swelling and fluid buildup in the liver and kidney.
Can be caused by parasites, viruses, poor nutrition, and bacteria. Dropsy is serious and visible because the abdominal area is clearly swollen and some parts of the body appear as if the skin were made of little pine trees.
Other symptoms are poor appetite and the constant need to surface for oxygen. It is a disease that could be contagious to other members of the aquarium, but in most cases it is not.
Broken or frayed tail
This is, without a doubt, one of the most common diseases of betta fish, with hundreds of cases reporting its appearance. Its long, technicolor-style fins are susceptible to poor water quality, though it appears as if the betta is biting its own tail due to boredom or stress. In addition to the drastic change in the state of the tail, which is clearly torn, the animal may show decay, strange white spots, black and red borders along the affected area.
Don't worry because with a treatment, based practically on changing the water daily and checking the source of it, your betta's tail will grow back. Don't let the symptoms progress, as the rot could eat away at other skin tissue and turn a treatable problem into a deadly disease.
ICH or white spot disease
Extremely common, caused by the presence of a parasite that needs the betta's body to stay alive. Its symptoms begin by changing the behavior of the animal. Your fish will be very subdued, sometimes nervous, and rub their body against the walls of the aquarium. It is later when the white dots appear all over the body. These spots are nothing more than cysts that act as a wrapping for parasites
If the disease is not treated, the fish could die of suffocation because, due to so much anxiety, the heart rhythm is altered. S alt water baths, drugs and even thermotherapy are some of the treatments.
Sepsis
Septicemia is a non-contagious illness caused by bacteria and derived from stress caused by factors such as: overcrowding, excessively sudden changes in the temperature of the water, the arrival of new fish in the aquarium, the poor state of the food or injuries of any kind. It is diagnosed by the presence of red marks like blood all over the betta's body.
The most typical treatments for this disease is the placement of antibiotics in the water, which can then be absorbed by the fish. Similarly, antibiotics should be used sparingly. It is best to ask the veterinarian before the application, so that he can recommend the most appropriate dose.
