7 Surefire Signs that You Have a Sick Betta

Are you worried that your betta might be sick? There are many causes for betta diseases and, if you think you might have a sick betta, you should definitely think about treating him now rather than later.

The easiest way to diagnose an illness is to examine how your betta is reacting to his environment and the physical symptoms he's showing off as he swims about the aquarium. The following are 7 foolproof ways to know that you have a sick betta.

1. Your betta refuses to eat. Though bettas can sometimes be picky eaters, if your betta all of a sudden refuses to eat the bloodworms you've been feeding him for months, most likely something is wrong and you should start thinking about buying medication for your sick betta in the event that he gets worse.
2. Your betta refuses to swim around. If your betta becomes lethargic, he probably is suffering or will suffer from a betta disease. Try to examine his body to see if you can find any abnormalities. If you can't find anything, test the water quality and make water changes if test results come up too high or too low. You might also want to think about purchasing water conditioners if changing the water doesn't work.
3. Your betta rubs his body up against plants and the sides of the tank. This usually happens when your sick betta develops parasites that like to feed off the flesh, which cause your betta to itch unbearably and may eventually lead to death.
4. Your sick betta develops cotton-like patches on his skin. Fungal diseases are common in betta fish. However, if your betta is left alone for too long without treatment, death could soon follow. Try picking up a fungal medication and follow the instructions on the bottle.
5. Your betta develops puffy eyes or discolored patches on the body. Most likely, your sick betta has a bacterial infection, which could become deadly if you let it get worse. If your betta recently got wounded, whether from a fight or just by accidentally scraping his body up against something, he's more prone to bacterial infections.
6. Your betta acquires torn fins. Frayed or torn fins are caused by fin rot, an easy to treat disease. However, if you don't medicate the condition in time, the fin rot could get worse and more complex.
7. Your sick betta resembles a pine cone and has a bloated body. This condition is known as dropsy, a betta disease that is sometimes caused by fungal infections, bad water quality, and organ failures. There's not an exact cure for dropsy, but some fish hobbyists recommend salt baths. However, always be careful when attempting a salt bath because bathing your betta in salt can cause stress and make the disease worse. Also, it's not guaranteed that a salt bath will cure your betta.