Complete first aid kits are available online. However, you can try to save money by ordering the necessary supplies separately. Basic medications include: Bettazing or Bettamax, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, Amplicillin, Jungle Fungus Eliminator, Maracin 1, and Maracyn 2. [1] X Research source
Clean the tank regularly. To keep it clean, do not overcrowd with too many fish, add aquarium salt to water, and disinfect the tank. To limit the spread of disease from one fish to another, immediately remove dead fish, quarantine new fish for two weeks before introducing them to a tank, and wash your hands after handling fish. [2] X Research source Do not overfeed fish or allow food to rot in the tank.
Others signs that your betta fish is sick include: rubbing against items in the tank as if to scratch itself; swollen, protruded eyes; raised scales that protrude out toward you; lethargy; and a fin that is clumped together rather than spread out. [4] X Research source
Keep track of the symptoms in case you need to consult an aquatic veterinarian to treat your fish. Immediately remove a sick fish from a tank.
Eliminate a fungal infection by cleaning the tank and treating fresh water with fungus eliminator. Repeat every three days until visible signs of fungus have disappeared. Treat the water with BettaZing or Bettamax to dissolve any remnants of the fungus. Fungal infections are typically the result of a tank that has not been properly treated with salt and Aquarisol. Fungal infections are highly infectious, so this disorder should be treated rapidly. Quarantine infected fish. [5] X Research source
Clean the tank once every three days. Add either Ampicillin or Tetracycline into the water to treat it. Repeat until your fish’s fin ceases to show signs that it is still losing tissue. Put some fungus eliminator in the water to facilitate recovery. The tail will repair itself over time, but might not obtain its original luster. [7] X Research source If not treated, this condition can progress to the point where it begins to eat away at your fish’s body. Ultimately, it will be fatal.
This is a sign of overfeeding. The condition can easily be treated by reducing how much you feed your Betta fish.
To treat ich, you should raise the temperature of the tank to somewhere between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit over 48 hours. Add formalin or malachite green to the water. [9] X Research source
Treat Velvet by cleaning the tank and treating the new water with BettaZing. Velvet should not occur if you have been treating your tank properly with salt and water conditioner. If your fish contract Velvet you should reconsider how you care for the tank.
If several fish exhibit signs of pop-eye, the water condition is likely at fault. Test the water and replace 30% of the water daily for 4 to 5 days. If one of the fish has pop-eye, it might be a bacterial infection. Remove the fish to a separate tank and treat with Maracyn or Maracyn II until it shows signs of improvement. Occasionally pop-eye is the result of a serious, untreatable medical condition. If your fish does not respond to treatment it is possible that nothing can be done for it.
If caught early, dropsy can be cured by aquarium salt baths and medicines. However, since it is hard to see what kind of medicine to use (the wrong one can make it worse), this is hard. Vets can help. If the betta is severely affected, euthanizing it is an option. Dropsy is not contagious, but it could be an indication that your water parameters are off. Check them and consider replacing your water. [11] X Research source
If you have a larger tank, you may not need to change the water as frequently. Toxins will build up more quickly and in higher concentration in a smaller tank.
Treat the water with a dechlorinator. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to put this into the water. Test your water for ammonia using a test kit. You will either use a dip-stick test or gather a water sample to test the water. Your ammonia level should read 0, since you just used a dechlorinator. Measure the ammonia level once per day until you start seeing ammonia levels. This will tell you how long you can go before changing the tank’s water. [14] X Research source
Change 25%-50% of the water in the tank twice a week. This means you add 25% new water and keep 75% of the old water (or 50% new and 50% old). Use aquatic water conditioners, available at your pet store for $5-$10, to adjust pH levels in the water. Use them according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt and 1 drop per gallon of a fungus preventative like Aquarisol. Do not use table salt in place of aquarium salt. Table salt may have additives like iodine and calcium silicate, which can be harmful to fish.
Add an ammonia source to start the process of generating the good bacteria in nitrate. You can either add fish food or an ammonia solution to the tank. Use a test kit to test the water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. Your ammonia level will initially read 0. Test the water every day and the ammonia level will start to show trace amounts. The ammonia level will then drop as the nitrite level starts to show up. Then the nitrite level will decrease and the nitrate level will go up. Add a few flakes of fish food every day to keep the ammonia levels generating, which generate nitrite and nitrate levels in turn. Be patient. Cycling a tank properly can take 4-6 weeks to introduce the proper levels into the tank. The improved water quality will keep your fish healthy and sustain longer lives.
Keep a thermometer in the tank and check it periodically to make sure the temperature is constant. Keep the tank in a warm area of the room. The tank should maintain an even temperature. Keeping it by a window can risk exposure to colder temperatures that can be damaging to the betta.
Buy a filter that is the correct size for your tank.
Add 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt for every 5 gallons of water. Add aquarium salt to new fish tanks, when you are changing the water, and when you are trying to figure out a fish’s health problems. Do not use table salt in place of aquarium salt. Table salt may have additives like iodine and calcium silicate, which can be harmful to fish.
Spray your bleach solution on the inside of the tank. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
Let pellets soak in water 10 minutes before feeding. This will prevent them from swelling up inside your fish’s stomach. [22] X Research source If your fish has a rounded belly, you may be feeding it too much. If its belly looks a little caved in, then you might not be feeding it enough. [23] X Research source
If your fish is experiencing stress because of a new fish or environmental change in its tank, you might find that it feels better after being isolated.
Disinfect any other item that has come in contact with the fish or the water in the tank using a bleach solution of 1 part bleach and 9 parts water. Soak items for 10 minutes in the bleach solution and rinse very thoroughly. Rinse again for good measure. Never add bleach to the fish tank when fish are in it, as this can kill fish.
Be sure to give your fish the entire course of medication as recommended by the medicine’s manufacturer. Use good judgment when giving medications to your fish. Don’t try out several medications guessing at the right one. If you are unsure, you might consider consulting an aquatic veterinarian.
