Make sure the water you are using is room temperature and mixed with the appropriate dose of Seachem Prime before adding it to the tank. If your betta is sick, consider changing more than 30% of the dirty tank water. Bettas are hearty fish and can tolerate water changes of 50-60% when needed. If it has been quite some time since you have Compression of the swim bladder is the most common cause of swim bladder disease. It occurs when a fish eats too quickly and swallows a lot of air, causing your betta’s stomach to enlarge and push into his swim bladder. Constipation. Constipation is a common cause of swim bladder disease. Saprolegnia (also known as water mold or cotton mold) poses a serious threat to fish in freshwater aquariums. These aquatic fungal species create fuzzy patches on a fish's skin or gills that resemble tufts of cotton. Healthy fish are often able to ward off infection, but Saprolegnia will readily take advantage of sick or injured fish, promoting The main symptoms of a betta fungal infection are white, cotton-like, fluffy growths on the head, mouth, and body of the fish. Your betta will most likely begin flicking or rubbing against your tank decorations and the substrate in response to the irritation that the fungus causes. About Bacterial Infections. Even if an aquarium appears spotless, there’s still bacteria present in it, and if the fish is unwell, certain bacteria will start to infect the fish. It can be hard to know what’s caused a bacterial infection and how it’s affecting the fish. The betta on the right appears to have translucent skin and decaying A bacterial infection is bound to happen if they are in a tank with poor water quality. One of the most common symptoms of bacterial infections in betta is swim bladder disorder, so there might be other symptoms you should look out for. You should know that a bacterial infection is severe in betta fish and can be fatal if caught too late. 3. Move your betta to a quarantine tank during treatment. Adding anti-parasite medication to the home tank may kill beneficial bacteria and live plants. Do partial water changes to the home tank and clean the filter to remove gill flukes. Adding aquarium salt to the tank kills leftover parasites and their eggs. Depending on the infection severity and its current stage, your fish may exhibit the following symptoms: Several pinhole-sized dots over the head, behind the eyes, and/or around the nose. White stringy feces. Subdued coloration around the affected areas. Loss of appetite and lethargy. Bacterial infections are another common cause of red gills in betta fish. Some of the most common bacterial infections that can affect betta fish include fin rot, dropsy, and columnaris. These infections can cause inflammation and discoloration of the gills, as well as other symptoms such as lethargy and loss of appetite. Fin Rot is a bacterial infection of the fins, usually brought about by poor water conditions and/or stress that causes the fins to deteriorate. Fin Rot can also set in when a fin is injured and the water is not kept clean enough to avoid infection of the injured fin. Symptoms can include: Small holes (pinholes) anywhere on the fins. QEsHH7Z.