Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 6: Identifying Signs of Malaise in the Cock
• Method 2 of 6: Treating Constipation
• Method 3 of 6: Diagnose fin rot and fungal infections
• Method 4 of 6: Treating Oodinium (Velvet Disease)
• Method 5 of 6: Treating Ichthyophthyriosis
• Method 6 of 6: Treating Bulge
• Tips
• Warnings

Males can show a variety of signs of ailment, ranging from simple lethargy to white patches. As soon as you suspect that your betta is sick, you should immediately remove him from the rest of the fish so that the disease does not spread. You should be aware that you may not always be able to find the medication you need for your betta at the pet store right away. In this case, you can try purchasing them online.

Steps

Method 1 of 6: Identifying Signs of Malaise in the Cock

1. 1 Note the tarnishing of the color. When the cock is sick, the color may fade. It may even lose its color altogether.
2. 2 Examine the cock's fins. The fins of a healthy fish will be intact. Sick fish may have holes or tears in their fins.
   • Another symptom of a cockerel's malaise is the pressing of the fins to the body and the lack of their full disclosure.
3. 3 Pay attention to the lethargy of the fish. If the cock is sick, then his activity level will drop. He will not behave in his usual active manner. His movements will be somewhat slowed down.
   • Another sign of a fish's disease is its more frequent attempts to hide at the bottom of the aquarium.
   • Sluggishness can also be caused by temperatures that are too low or too high, so check the temperature of the aquarium water.
4. 4 Watch your cock's appetite. With a number of diseases, the fish may stop eating altogether. If you notice that your cock has no appetite, then he may be sick.
5. 5 Pay attention to the appearance of spots. Look for small white patches that are usually concentrated in the head and mouth area. They are a sign of the presence of ichthyophthiriosis - a parasitic disease.
6. 6 Look for breathing problems in your fish. It may seem strange to you to identify breathing problems in your fish, but if the fish is constantly hanging near the surface of the water and trying to get more air, then this is a sign of a problem.
   • Males rise from time to time to the surface of the water to draw air, but it is not normal for the fish to do this too often.
7. 7 Pay attention to whether the fish itches. If your cock is trying to rub against the sides of the aquarium, this may be a symptom of a specific problem. Likewise, if a rooster scratches against a plant in an aquarium, then he too may be sick.
8. 8 Look for other physiological symptoms. The bulging eyes of the fish may indicate a disease. Pay attention to your rooster's eye bulging symptom.
   • Also protruding scales may indicate a disease.
   • Examine the gills. If the cock is unable to close the gills, then they may be swollen, which is also a sign of illness.

Method 2 of 6: Treating Constipation

1. 1 Notice if the fish is bloated. If your cock suddenly starts to swell, he may be constipated. You need to quickly fix this problem.
2. 2 Stop feeding your betta regular food for a few days. The first remedy for constipation is to stop eating for a few days. This will give him time to digest the food in his intestines.
3. 3 Start feeding your fish live food. After a couple of days, start feeding the fish again. However, at first, you should use live food.
   • Bloodworms or brine shrimp can be taken as live food. The general rule of thumb for portion sizes is that they should be eaten by the fish in two minutes.Feed your cock twice a day.
4. 4 Do not overfeed your fish. Constipation is often the result of overfeeding fish. Therefore, after fixing the problem, start feeding the betta less than you did before.

Method 3 of 6: Diagnose fin rot and fungal infections

1. 1 Note the frayed fins and tail. This disease can affect only the fins or only the tail. However, at the same time they take on a shabby appearance.
   • Be aware that some long-tailed species, such as the crescent cock, may bite their fins if they are too heavy. If so, see if there are other symptoms of the disease other than torn fins.
   • Also notice the darkening of the tip of the tail.
2. 2 Look for white foci of fungal infection. A characteristic feature of this disease is the appearance of white foci on the fish. In addition, the fish may be less active and their fins are heavy. Although fungal infections are different from fin rot, the two are treated in the same way.
3. 3 Change the water. The first step in treatment is to change the water. Of course, for this procedure, you will need to plant the fish in some kind of container. This disease often develops due to poor water conditions, therefore it is necessary to provide your fish with a clean living environment. Clean the aquarium before putting the fish back into it.
   • The best way to clean your aquarium is to use 1 in 20 bleach. Leave this solution in the aquarium for about an hour. You can leave artificial plants and a net for catching fish in the aquarium itself, but you should not leave stones and gravel in it, as they can absorb chlorine.
   • Be sure to rinse the aquarium several times afterwards.
   • For stones, you should bake them at 230 ° C for an hour. Let them cool down before placing them back in the aquarium.
4. 4 Use medication. It is necessary to give the fish tetracycline or ampicillin by adding it to the water. The dosage of the medication depends on the size of the aquarium, but you will find the corresponding instructions on the medication package.
   • You will also need an antifungal medication. This will prevent fungi from growing in the water.
   • If your cock is just a fungal infection, then he does not need tetracycline or ampicillin, but he needs an antifungal agent.
5. 5 Repeat the treatment process. Change the water at least every three days. Add medicines to the water every time you renew the water. Stop treatment only when you notice that the fins of the fish have begun to heal, which usually takes about a month.
   • For a fungal infection, wait for the white clumps on the fish and other symptoms to disappear. Then treat the aquarium with BettaZing or Betamax to remove the fungus.

Method 4 of 6: Treating Oodinium (Velvet Disease)

1. 1 Shine a flashlight on the fish. Shine a flashlight on the fish to recognize velvet disease. The light will help you to see the golden or reddish coating on the scales of the fish, which forms with this disease. The fish will also have other symptoms of the disease, such as lethargy, loss of appetite, rubbing against the walls of the tank and other objects in the tank. Fish may also have stuck fins.
   • This parasite can be prevented by regularly adding aquarium salt and conditioner to the water. You need to use 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt for every 10 liters of water. You will also need one drop of water conditioner for every 4 liters, but read the instructions for the water conditioner you purchased beforehand.
2. 2 Use BettaZing. You can order it on the Internet, or find out about the veterinarian-ichthyologist, which analog can be purchased. This drug is most effective in the fight against oodinium, since it uses two active substances against this disease.Add 12 drops of the drug for every 4 liters of water.
   • You can also use Maracide. Look for it in online stores.
   • Continue treatment until symptoms disappear completely.
3. 3 Treat the entire aquarium. You must isolate the diseased fish, but you also need to cure the entire main tank. The disease is highly contagious.
   • To isolate diseased fish, you will need to place them in a separate aquarium with clean water. You need to treat both aquariums.

Method 5 of 6: Treating Ichthyophthyriosis

1. 1 Note the appearance of white spots all over the fish. Ichthyophthyroidism is a parasitic disease in which spots appear all over the body of the fish. Also notice the sticky fins and lethargy in your betta. In addition, the fish may stop eating.
   • As with velvet disease, infection with this parasite can be avoided if the water is handled correctly. Add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt for every 10 liters of water. Use 1 drop of water conditioner for every 4 liters, but be sure to read the instructions that came with the product first.
2. 2 Try raising the temperature in the aquarium to combat the parasite. If you have a large, densely populated aquarium, try raising the temperature to 29.5 ° C, which will kill the parasite. However, do not do this in a small aquarium, as you could overheat the water by mistake and kill the fish.
3. 3 Change the water and clean the aquarium. If you have ichthyophthyroidism, you should change the water in your aquarium. Also take the time to treat the water as outlined in the section on dealing with fin rot and fungal infections. In a small aquarium, you can pre-transplant the fish, clean the aquarium and heat the water to 29.5 ° C before returning the fish to it.
4. 4 Treat the water. Remember to add aquarium salt and conditioner to the water before returning fish to the aquarium. This will protect the fish from re-infestation with the parasite.
5. 5 Add Aquari-Sol to the water. Use one drop of this medicine for every 4 liters of water. You can continue to add it daily until the fish gets better. This drug kills parasites.
   • If you can't find Aquari-Sol, you can use BettaZing instead.

Method 6 of 6: Treating Bulge

1. 1 Notice if the fish has bulging eyes. The main symptom of this disease is protruding eyes from the head. However, this symptom can also be present with other diseases.
   • For example, it could be a sign of tuberculosis. If a fish has tuberculosis, it will most likely die.
2. 2 Change the water in the aquarium and clean it. In case of bulging eyes, you should clean the aquarium as mentioned earlier. In addition, the water must be replaced in it.
3. 3 Add ampicillin to the tank. Ampicillin will solve the problem if the fish's symptoms are not caused by something more serious. You need to add the medicine to the aquarium every time you change the water and clean the aquarium, which should be done every three days. When symptoms disappear, continue treatment for another week.

Tips

• If the fish is suffering, it may be better to put it to sleep. Most importantly, make sure that this is not a simple disease!
• Don't worry if the fish changes color. It's all about the “marbling” gene. This happens to most fighting cockerels. It is worth starting to worry if the color of the fish has become noticeably paler in comparison with the original color - the color change in this case occurs immediately, and not gradually (the latter is considered the norm). This may be due to stress. If the tail of a fighting cock looks frayed and the fins turn red or black, it could be fin rot.
• If a fish has holes in its fins, it could be caused by sharp rocks or plastic plants. In this case, remove them from the aquarium. Monitor the temperature and purity of the water, and the cock will heal without assistance.
• If the cock spends a lot of time lying down, an infection may be the cause. However, before contacting an ichthyologist veterinarian, consider the option that the fish may simply be bored, unhappy, or simply hungry.

Warnings

• Not all “symptoms” are actually symptoms. Lethargy can be caused by low temperatures (not heater), and fins tearing by sharp objects in the aquarium. Do not give your fish medicine if there is only one symptom! Look for other signs as well.
• Beware of fish tuberculosis (Mycobacterium marinum). The disease is contagious, fatal and can be transmitted to humans. Symptoms in fish include lethargy, bulging, skeletal deformities, and a curved spine. Symptoms in humans: A large, red cyst-like tumor where bacteria have entered (eg, an open wound). If you think that you have contracted fish tuberculosis, immediately contact your doctor and be sure to say that you have a fighting cock, otherwise the diagnosis may be incorrect.
• Your cock may develop other incurable diseases as well. For example, dropsy is fatal for cockerels. With this disease, the belly of the fish swells, and when you look at it from above, you can see that the fish scales are protruding. There is no cure for dropsy, but you should isolate sick fish from other fish if they show signs of the disease.