Whats wrong with my Betta?

Question
I brought my Betta a few months ago and I'm not sure if it's healthy or not. It just seems to float near the top of the water and not eat much. Also, the tips of it's fins are white and the fins itself are red and a bit jagged. I've been watching it closely and it sometimes flares up by itself! It doesn't have a bloated stomach though.
Thanks for taking time to answer!


Answer
Hi Jasmine,
Sounds like he has a little bit of a swim bladder issue going on. This is common in bettas, they develop it really easily when in the petstore due to stress and poor diet/care.

The swim bladder is the organ that controls the fishes equilibrium and there are several things that can interfere with its normal function. Some bettas are more susceptible to swim bladder disorder than others. Improper diet leading to intestinal impaction, bacterial infections, poor water quality, rough handling and just overall stress are some of the factors that can trigger this condition.

Symptoms usually characterizes itself with the fish laying on its side at the surface, although some fish are so bad that they float upside down uncontrollably while others sink to the bottom -- unable to swim up to the surface without a major struggle, as if they were weighted down.

Treating this condition is usually easy. But it does depend upon the severity and length of time the fish has had the problem. Typical procedure would be to fast the fish for at least a whole day, then offer a small bite of green pea (on the end of a blunt toothpick works well). The pea will help relieve intestinal impaction that is putting pressure on the swim bladder. You can also try offering a decent-sized meal of frozen shrimp to help get the fish's digestive system going.

Treatment periods vary a lot. Some fish heal on their own. But unfortunately, some just have a tendency for being prone to swim bladder and injuries can make it difficult for them to recover fully. Some fish can also be born with a deformed swim bladder and need special care to help prevent balance issues.

But for now. Make sure the water temperature is warm (at least 78-80F) and it is kept clean, try to do 50% water changes at least two or three times a week depending upon the size of the environment of course. And try the pea-feeding method or try shrimp.

As for the ragged fins, water changes are the best thing for now. It -could- be fin rot. But most finrot develops and thrives in dirt water conditions. So water changes are the first step until you can determine if he might need an antibiotic. Most fin damage and such can be blamed on polluted water conditions.

I do hope this helps and best of luck!

For more info on bettas, visit this great website -
nippyfish.net

Karen~