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There are so many diseases and illnesses that your betta fish may end up suffering from. And while there’s a good chance that they’ll be fine for the majority of their life, it’s always good to be prepared.
So if you’re wondering what different problems can spring up for your betta, or perhaps, they’ve already got something wrong with them, then you’ve found the right article.
In this article, you’ll find out about all the most common and uncommon diseases and illnesses your betta can suffer from, as well as what to do about them.
This list will start with the most common diseases and illnesses that bettas can suffer from before moving on to ones that are less and less common. If there’s something wrong with your betta, then it’s probably going to be one of the first four problems; however, make sure you don’t rule out the other ones too early!
Swim bladder disease is a common illness that bettas suffer from, and if left untreated, it can often advance to dropsy.
While it’s named swim bladder disease, it is, in fact, more of a disorder. There is a whole range of different things that can affect your bettas swim bladder and the way they swim, and swim bladder disease is the term used to describe all of them.
Wondering where you can find a complete guide on Betta fish care? Click here!
The swim bladder is the organ that allows your betta to control their buoyancy. Without the swim bladder, your betta would have to constantly swim to stay in place, but thanks to it, they don’t have to.
One of the reasons swim bladder disease is so common is because it’s located behind all the other organs. Because of this, it often means if anything affects one of them, it will probably affect the swim bladder as well.
There are a number of symptoms associated with swim bladder disease, so diagnosis is often easy. However, remember, some of the symptoms exhibited can also be caused by other illnesses and diseases as well. Here are the most common symptoms of swim bladder disease:
One of the most efficient ways you can treat swim bladder disease in bettas is with Epsom salt. Epsom salt is a relaxant, so in a lot of cases, it can help soothe your betta. Here’s how you should treat them with Epsom salt.
Whether swim bladder disease will be fatal or not really depends on the cause of it and how quickly you treat it. If it’s caused by constipation or bloating, then the chances are your betta will make a full recovery.
However, if it’s caused by a bacterial infection or damage to the swim bladder, it may end up becoming fatal if you don’t treat it. At this stage, it’s not uncommon for it to advance to dropsy. And once your betta has dropsy, it’s highly unlikely they will make a recovery.
(Check out this complete guide to Swim Bladder Disease In Bettas.)
If you notice that your bettas tail looks like it’s becoming ragged and torn, then they could be suffering from fin rot—another extremely common disease amongst betta fish. Fortunately, though, if your betta is suffering from fin rot, it’s extremely easy to spot and easy to treat as well! (As long as it doesn’t become too severe.)
Fin rot is an infection that can be both fungal and bacterial in nature. Once your betta contracts either of them, their fins will begin to deteriorate slowly. However, the deterioration will differ depending on whether it’s bacterial or fungal.
When it’s fungal, the rot will appear evenly over their fins, and often times you’ll also notice a white edge where the fraying is. However, when the fin rot is bacterial, the fins will appear more frayed and ragged.
The symptoms of fin rot will differ depending on the severity, as well as the treatment. Here’s what to look for:
Mild Fin Rot
If your betta is suffering from mild fin rot, then you’ll notice the following symptoms:
Major Fin Rot
When the fin rot is left untreated, it goes from minor to major, and obviously, the symptoms become more severe. If your betta is suffering from major fin rot, then you’ll notice:
Severe Fin Rot (Body Rot)
When fin rot is left long enough, it will become extremely severe, and you may even notice the body beginning to rot. At this stage of fin rot, there’s a strong possibility that you won’t be able to save your betta.
You can tell your betta is suffering from severe fin rot when you notice the following:
When your betta has fin rot, there are a number of different ways you may need to treat it. If it’s not serious, then moving them to a quarantine tank with API Stress Coat can normally help give them a speedy recovery. As well as this, you may also try adding aquarium salt to help heal them.
As the fin rot gets more severe, you may also need to perform much more frequent water changes to reduce the chances of more bacteria or fungus infecting them before finally having to use stronger medication such as API Pimafix or API Furan 2.
Fin rot will be most likely to become fatal to bettas when it’s left untreated. However, with that being said, when you catch it early enough and act, the chances are your betta is going to make a full recovery.
The only time it will most likely be fatal, no matter how much you try to treat your betta, is when it’s advanced to body rot. At this point, the prognosis is not optimistic.
(Check out the complete guide on Fin Rot In Bettas.)
Because bettas are such gutty fish, it’s extremely common for them to suffer from constipation. The only difference is, while constipation is an inconvenience to people, for bettas, it’s life-threatening if left untreated.
If your betta is suffering from constipation, it’s because they’re having a hard time passing stool. Normally because it’s hardened inside of them. This is mainly due to overfeeding or a poor diet, so it’s vital that you make sure you’re feeding your betta the right things!
If you think that your betta is suffering from constipation, then there are plenty of symptoms you should be looking out for. Here are the most common ones:
Constipation is treated in a number of different ways. The first thing you should do is fast your betta and see if it passes naturally. If that doesn’t work, you can also try feeding them a pea and daphnia, both of which are high in fiber. If it’s more severe, you could also try to use Epsom salt.
If left untreated, constipation can definitely end up becoming fatal to your betta. Constipation makes it much more likely that your betta will suffer from swim bladder disease, which in turn can cause dropsy.
On top of the increased chance of swim bladder disease and dropsy, being constipated is also going to stress your betta out. When your betta is stressed, their immune system is going to become compromised, and it’s much more likely that they’ll suffer from more illnesses.
So if you think that your betta is suffering from constipation, make sure you treat them as quickly as you can.
Dropsy is an incredibly serious illness that normally results in death. However, fortunately, if your betta is well looked after, then the chances of them suffering from dropsy are small, although not impossible.
While many people think that dropsy is a disease, this simply isn’t true. In fact, dropsy is a multitude of symptoms caused by poor health and a lack of care. If you’re taking care of your betta and they remain healthy, then the chances of them contracting dropsy are very slim, although never impossible.
There are a number of symptoms associated with dropsy; however, there are a couple of big indicators that are a clear sign.
If your betta is suffering from dropsy, then you should move them to a quarantine tank so you can keep the water cleaner much easier.
After you’ve done this, there are a number of different things you can try, including adding aquarium salt to the tank, using a strong antibiotic like amoxicillin, and making sure you change the water daily.
Unfortunately, if your betta is suffering from dropsy, then the chances of recovery are going to be extremely slim. By the time the symptoms of dropsy are noticeable, your bettas’ organs are normally too far gone.
You will need to decide whether you wish to proceed to treat them or to consider euthanizing them.
If you notice that your betta has gold-like markings on them that weren’t there before, then they may be suffering from velvet. While not as common as the others listed above, it can be just as deadly when left untreated.
Velvet is caused by a parasite, although it’s also known by other names such as Rust, Gold Dust Disease, Oödinium, and Coral Disease.
There are a number of different symptoms that may be exhibited when your betta is suffering from velvet. However, there’s definitely one main one you should be looking out for.
While velvet seems like a terrible illness, it’s actually pretty easy to treat. Especially when you catch it early enough! If you want to treat a betta with velvet then you should make sure you’re raising the temperature of the tank, turning off all the lights, and slowly adding aquarium salt.
Because velvet is so easy to treat, when it’s caught early enough, it’s highly likely your betta will make a full recovery. However, don’t be mistaken about the severity of velvet. If left untreated, velvet can become fatal, so make sure you treat it as soon as possible.
(Here’s an article explaining everything you need to know about velvet in bettas.)
Ich or ick is short for Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (which, as you can see, is quite a mouthful). If you notice it on your betta, you should be wary about other fish in your tank, as it’s highly contagious.
Ich is a parasite that latches onto the skin of your betta. As well as being called ich, you may hear it being called by its other names, a white spot or white spot disease.
If you think your betta is suffering from ich, there is one symptom, in particular, you should look out for. And all the others are going to confirm your suspicions.
When treating ich there are a few things you may consider doing. The first is to remove your betta from the tank and place him in a quarantine tank. This will remove all traces of ich in your main tank as it won’t have a host to live off.
Secondly, you can also try raising the temperature in the tank and adding salt to help kill the infection.
And lastly, for more severe cases, you may have to use stronger medication to help heal your betta.
Ich can definitely be fatal to your betta when it’s left untreated. However, that’s the main point to remember, only when it’s left untreated! If you catch ich early enough and you treat it, it’s highly likely that your betta will make a full recovery from the disease!
(Find out more about ich in bettas.)
As you can imagine by the name, popeye is definitely not an illness that you want your betta to end up suffering from.
Popeye is when pressure behind your betta’s eye causes the eye to protrude from its head. It’s scientific name is exophthalmia, and your best bet is to prevent popeye from ever happening. (Fortunately, though, if your betta is already suffering from popeye, you can still treat them.)
As you already know, there is one big symptom of popeye; however, that’s not the only one. Looking for as many symptoms as you can is vital for making sure you’re diagnosing your betta correctly. Here are the symptoms you can expect to see:
The way popeyes in bettas are treated really depends on the cause of it. If you think that it’s been caused by physical harm, frequent water changes and Epsom salt is the standard treatment procedure.
When popeye is caused by an infection, you’ll need to remove 100% of the water to remove the infection. After this, you’ll need to use ampicillin or other medicines depending on the cause of the infection.
Believe it or not, it’s actually quite unlikely that popeye will kill your betta. Sometimes, your betta’s eye may come off completely, and they’ll still be able to survive. (However, of course, you definitely shouldn’t let it get to this point.)
While popeye isn’t likely to kill your betta, it will definitely weaken their immune system. And if left untreated for long enough, they’ll likely succumb to another disease.
(Find out everything you want to know about popeye in bettas.)
Popeye isn’t the only illness that can affect your betta’s eyes. Cloudy eye is another illness that can affect your betta as well!
As you can guess, cloudy eye is a disease that makes your betta’s eyes go cloudy. When it’s more severe, the eyes can even become opaque. There are a wide variety of different causes of a cloudy eye, so before treating it, you’ll need to know exactly what’s causing it.
To treat cloudy eyes, first of all, make sure you’re quarantining your betta from their main tank. Then use API Stress Coat and Aquarium Salt to help reduce your betta’s stress, build up their immune system and fight the infection.
The biggest cause of cloudy eyes is poor water quality. So you also want to make sure you’re performing regular water changes in your main tank. Doing this is going to improve the water quality of the tank.
It’s very unlikely that cloudy eye is going to be fatal to your betta, even when left untreated. However, you should definitely treat your betta as they’re much more likely to succumb to other illnesses.
Fortunately, though, they’re likely to make a full and speedy recovery with treatment.
(Here’s a complete guide about Cloudy Eye in Bettas.)
If you’re housing your betta in a tank where the water conditions are poor, they can be affected by columnaris. It has many other names, and if you notice it, you should begin treatment ASAP.
Columnaris is a bacterial infection. It’s commonly seen in guppies; however, it can affect any fish in your tank, including bettas. As well as being called columnaris it can also go by names like cotton wool disease, cotton mouth disease, saddle-back disease, and guppy disease.
If you think your betta has columnaris, here are the symptoms you should be watching out for.
If your betta is suffering from columnaris then here’s what you need to do to treat it.
Obviously, before anything, you’re going to want to move them to quarantine to reduce the chance of spreading the disease and putting them in cleaner water. Lower the temperature to help kill the bacteria, which thrives in warmer temperatures.
Add Furan 2 or another antibiotic. As well as this, you can also try using aquarium salt and stress coat to help reduce their stress levels.
(Find out more everything there is to know about columnaris in bettas.)
If left untreated, columnaris is definitely capable of being fatal to your bettas. However, when you treat it early enough, it’s highly likely that your betta is going to recover!
While it’s rare, tuberculosis is another illness that can make your betta sick. Here’s what you need to know about tuberculosis in bettas.
Tuberculosis in fish isn’t the same as for tuberculosis in people. In fact, if your betta has tuberculosis, you won’t have to worry about catching it yourself. Tuberculosis in fish is caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium marinum. It’s found in most aquariums, but it generally only affects bettas with weakened immune systems.
One of the biggest problems with tuberculosis in fish is that it’s generally symptom-less until it’s already too late. With that being said, here are the most common symptoms associated with tuberculosis. At the very least, they may be able to help you rule out other illnesses or diseases.
Emaciation & Loss Of Appetite
A couple of the most common symptoms of tuberculosis in bettas is emaciation and a loss of appetite. This won’t just be losing weight, but losing muscle density. This is especially noticeable at the top half of their bodies.
Crooked Skeleton
If you notice that your betta has a crooked skeleton, then you’re looking at the tell-tale sign of tuberculosis. However, this only applies when the skeleton bends vertically. If it bends to the side, then as previously mentioned, they could be suffering from dropsy.
Skin Defects
You may also notice skin defects such as a loss of scales, blood spots, open wounds, discoloration, lesions, and folded fins. Loss of scales, particularly when combined wih other symptoms, is an indicator of tuberculosis.
If you think that your betta is suffering from tuberculosis, unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done. It’s speculated that if you dose the tank with antibiotics or clean the wounds with penicillin, then you may be able to help them recover.
Once again, though, this is only speculation, and there isn’t much research to back this up.
As you probably would have guessed by now, if your betta is suffering from tuberculosis, they’re not going to survive. Your only option in most cases is to begin thinking about euthanasia.
(Find out more about tuberculosis in bettas.)
Hole in the head is just as serious as it sounds. If your betta is suffering from it, you’ll need to act quickly in order to save them.
Hole in the head is a disease that goes by many names, including hexamitiasis, freshwater head, and lateral line erosion. Unfortunately, even now, no one is sure what causes it, but there is a lot of speculation.
What Are The Symptoms Of Hole In The Head?
Before your betta’s head actually begins to suffer from a hole in it, there are other symptoms you’ll notice. If you can catch hole in the head while it’s still showing early symptoms, you’re going to have a much better chance of treating it effectively.
Hole in the head can only be treated with medication. Dimetridazole is the first choice; however, you can also use Metronidazole if you can’t find that. Just remember, when you’re using any medication like this, you should make sure you’re consulting a vet first.
Hole in the head can quickly become fatal, especially if left for too long. When you notice your betta has holes in their head and body, the chances of them surviving are slim. They’re going to be much more susceptible to a secondary infection that will kill them.
(Find out more about Hole In The Head in Bettas.)
Gill flukes are just as horrible as they sound. They are extremely similar to skin flukes, the only difference being where they attach themselves.
Gill flukes are parasites that breed, feed, and grow inside your betta’s gills. While they are most likely to be found inside gills, it is possible for them to latch onto your betta’s skin too. And vice versa, it’s possible for skin flukes to latch onto your bettas gills.
Lastly, gill flukes grow about 0.3mm in size, so you’re not going to be able to see them.
If you can’t see gill flukes, you may be wondering how to know if your betta has them. Well, there are a number of symptoms associated with gill flukes.
The best way to treat gill flukes in your betta is with an anti-fluke medication. API General Cure is the most commonly used one. However, be aware, it does come with a warning that it can cause cancer. So you should definitely weigh this up before you decide whether you use it or not.
When left untreated, gill flukes can most definitely become fatal to your betta. A combination of gill damage, ulcers and wounds on the skin, and a weakened immune system will become more and more severe over time. Until eventually your betta is overcome by them.
(Find out more about Gill Flukes in Bettas.)
Another parasite that can affect your betta are anchor worms. Fortunately, though, it is incredibly rare for them to suffer from anchor worms.
Anchor worms are a type of crustacean called Lernea. Contrary to what a lot of people think, they’re actually not worms. They attach to your bettas skin and then burrow inside. Once they’re in they use their anchor like heads to latch on.
There are a lot of symptoms of anchor worms and fortunately, they are incredibly easy to spot. Here are the symptoms you should look for.
There are a number of ways you can cure your betta of anchor worms. The easiest method is to pull them out carefully. As well as this you should dip your betta in a potassium permanganate solution for 5 minutes. Lastly, you should perform a water change in your tank to remove as many of the parasites as you can.
When anchor worms are treated quickly enough, your betta will most likely make a full recovery. However, if you don’t catch them in time or choose to ignore them, they can quickly become fatal.
The risk of fatality also increases depending on where the anchor worms bury themselves. If they bury into an organ, it’s much more likely they will become fatal.
(Find out more about Anchor Worms in Bettas.)
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Like every animal, bettas are also at risk of getting a tumor. If you think your betta has a tumor, then there’s not much you can do except try to make them comfortable. Here’s more information about tumors in bettas.
Just because your betta has a tumor, it doesn’t mean you’ve necessarily done anything wrong. In most cases, bettas are simply pre-disposed to getting tumors, and they’re going to get them regardless. However, feeding them poor food and letting carcinogenics into the tank can increase the chance of suffering from a tumor.
There’s only one symptom of a tumor, and of course, that’s going to be a lump on their body. The size of the lump can vary, and in some cases, you may not even notice they have a tumor if it’s inside them.
However, a lump doesn’t just signify a tumor. In fact, what you think is a tumor may be an abscess or an ulcer.
If your betta has a tumor, then there’s not much you can do to treat them. But if they’re still swimming around fine and happy, then you won’t need to treat them anyway. The only options for a betta severely suffering from a tumor are surgery, which can be incredibly expensive, or euthanasia.
Believe it or not, even if your betta has a tumor it doesn’t mean it’s going to be fatal. In fact, your betta can still live a long full happy life, even with a tumor. Just keep an eye on them, and if you notice they appear more and more unhappy, then it may be time to euthanize.
(Find out more about Betta Tumors.)
Hemorrhagic is another rare illness, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to affect your betta. Here are the main things you’ll need to know about hemorrhagic.
Hemorrhagic is a disease that causes the inside of your betta’s mouth to bleed, as well as inside their eyes. As well as hemorrhagic, it also goes by the name redmouth, and viral hemorrhagic septicemia.
It’s extremely contagious, so if you notice your betta has it and they’re in a community tank, you’ll need to remove them immediately.
There are a variety of symptoms that can be associated with hemorrhagic.
There’s no real way to cure hemorrhagic. However, you can take action to reduce the chances of it killing your betta. First, you’ll want to move your betta to a quarantine tank and thoroughly disinfect your main tank. As well as this, you can also try adding antibiotics to your bettas’ food.
If you treat hemorrhagic early enough, it’s likely that your betta will go back to their old health in no time. So if you can catch it early enough, the chances of a fatality are normally low.
Mouth rot is a painful disease in your betta, and as you can guess from the name, it’s going to affect your betta’s mouth.
Flavobacterium bacteria is the cause behind mouth rot and it’s most likely to occur when you first get your betta. The symptoms start gradually, but your betta is likely to decline quickly.
There are a number of different symptoms you can expect in your betta when they’re suffering from mouth rot. Here are some of the main ones.
To treat mouth rot, you should move your betta to a quarantine tank where the water is clean. Perform water changes regularly and add aquarium salt and an antibacterial to the tank as well!
When not treated early enough, mouth rot is likely to become fatal. However, if you can catch it and treat it early enough, your betta should make a full recovery. Just make sure that you try and catch it early.
Now you know all the different diseases and illnesses your betta can get! It’s a good idea to have a brief idea about each one in your head. So if your betta does become sick you’ll be able to spot it early.
If you liked this article, make sure you check out the rest of the website! And if you have any more questions, you can ask them in the Q&A Section!
