Posted by Marcus Song on September 24th, 2006 — Posted in Betta Health
Although you can’t perform mouth-to-mouth on a sick or injured fish, there are some simple first aid techniques you should be aware of.
1. Remove any fish that is exhibiting signs of illness or disease from the general fish population.
2. Test the water for ammonia, nitrites, pH, and oxygen levels. The ammonia and nitrites should be 0; pH should be between 6.8 and 7.0. Dissolved oxygen levels should be above 60%.
Betta Lover’s Tip: An easy way to reduce nitrites and ammonia, a big cause of betta illnesses, in your water is to put in a piece of Java Moss.
3. Remove any dead fish at once. Refrigerate in a baggie until you can get it to a vet or lab for examination.
4. Perform a 50% water change using aged and treated water.
5. Remove live plants and conduct a salt treatment.
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Posted by Marcus Song on September 24th, 2006 — Posted in Betta Health
If you notice your Betta’s fins are withering away and disintegrating (and there aren’t any obvious causes like aquarium mates attacking your little guy), you most likely have a case of fin rot.
Fin rot is a condition caused most commonly by dirty water. Bacteria blooms when your Betta’s feces and uneaten food accumulate. So make sure to keep to a regular water cleaning schedule. Also make sure to keep your Betta’s water at the tried-and-tested optimal temperature as I talk about in my book.
Try to detect and treat the condition early. You see, the good news is that your Betta’s fins will grow back.
Apply a product called “Neosulfex” by Aquatronics (available at almost all pet stores that sell aquarium supplies). It should take about a month to work, so be patient. If Neosulfex is not fully effective, also use a product called Jungle Fungus Eliminator.
Meanwhile, keep your sick Betta separate from your other fish, since fin rot is contagious.
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