DISEASES AND WHAT THEY ARE CAUSED BY
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1. Ick
Usually caused by poor water quality resulting in less frequant water changes, and heavy chlorination,nitrates, and metals, as well as an high amount of amonia ( pee). Ick is also caused by low water temps, resulting in the stress of the fish which will also create the illness. This is a parasitic infection that is very contagious
2. Fin Rot
This is a slightly contagious disease that is caused by a bacterial infection. Fin rot is one of the most common betta diseases, and one of the ones they are most susceptible too. there only two causes of fin rot :
- FILTHY WATER!! for a fish to become contaminated with fin rot, it has to have suffered an extreme amount of ammonia exposure, meaning the water hasn't been cared for or treated any where near as much as it should have been. Fin rot doesn't happen over night.
- STRESS will inevitability weaken a bettas immune system which can also make it susceptible to fin rot. these types of stress factors may include (again) poor water quality, low temps, a home that is too small, boredom, poor diet, etc.
3. Gill Parasites
Small numbers of parasites are common and probably do little harm. However, all parasites have tremendous reproductive potential and can, under ideal conditions, quickly overwhelm fish in the confines of a tank. This infection is very contagious and may also be caused by gill flukes (see below), along with poor water quality and high levels of ammonia.
4. Gill Flukes
Gill flukes are a tiny parasite that can actually live and move around while it attaches itself to the outside of the fishes body. These parasites are very hard and almost impossible to see and will attach themselves using a hook like structure.They are actually a worm that specifically attacks the gill membranes, causing them to turn red and acquire a coating of slime that makes it difficult to breathe. Fish will hang at the water's surface, gasp, and lose weight rapidly. This is a problem that will indefinably spread rapidly in your betta's tank and must immediately be treated. They are most commonly caused by imbalanced pH and ammonia levels. DIRTY WATER ALERT!!
5. Popeye
This infection like many others is primarily caused by poor water quality and is also a bacteria infection that is minimally contagious.
6. Dropsy
Dropsy is bacterial infections that is SEVERELY CONTAGIOUS. This illness is a very serious condition that is more than harmful to your fish, but FATAL if gone on untreated. It is caused by bacteria that live and grow on live foods such as black worms and brine shrimp. It is also caused by poor water quality which allows the parasites to manifest and breed within the ammonianted water. Not commonly considered a disease but more accurately a symptom of a specific bacterial infection. The result of untreated dropsy will be that the bacteria will settle into the tissue of the fishes body affecting its kidneys until they fail to function normally, ultimately resulting in the fishes (painful) death.
7. Constipation
This is a common betta ailment that is solely caused by overfeeding. Most commercial betta fish food will have feeding instructions printed on their label, that will give amounts that are simply too large for a healthy betta.
8. Swim Bladder Disease
This is a non contagious disease that is solely caused by overfeeding, a tendency shown by unacknowledged betta owners.
9. Mouth Fungus or Cotton Mouth
Mouth fungus is a highly contagious fungal infection which is primarily caused by failing to add aquarium salt to your betta's tank
10. Ammonia Poisioning
(another) DIRTY WATER ALERT. Ammnio poision has only one cause and that is your fish swimming in their own waste that has had to much time accumulating in their tank...meaning, the water isn;t being properly cared for.
11. Brown Blood Disease
Also Known as Nitrate Poisoning after alot of accumulated ammonia, this poison may quickly become a major killer in the infected betta fish. While dealing with ammonia issues, nitrate levels will naturally rise. This will internally change the color of the fishes blood, increasing a chemical in their body known as methemoglobin, which will reduces their body's ability to carry oxygen. This will result in liver damage eventually causing the suffocation of the poor little betta. The beginning symptoms of Brown Blood Disease may also include the development of bacterial infections such as fin rot, ick and so on.
12. Rust or Velvet or Gold Gut Disease
This is a parasite in which penetrates the bettas skin and gill filaments. This destroys the fishes cells intentionally, so it may feed on it's inner nutrients which are valuable to the parasites development. They form as a large white puss like bubbles on the betta's body. Similar to ick, but much larger, more defined, and less sparatic. This disease is caused by very poor water quality, extreme temp changes, and excessive handling etc.
13. Turburculosis or Curved Spine
This is a relentless disease.Most references actually call this disease Fish TB, but it is not actually TB and it is transmissible to animals other than fish. Fish TB is caused by Mycobacterium marinum, a bacterium closely related to the TB bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There are actually over fifty species of bacteria related to tuberculosis that can cause disease. They are typically able to live in any number of environments, in soil, water and animals.
14. Acid-Fast Disease
Fish diseases are rare to be contagious to humans, but this deadly disease has made itself an exception. The waxy slime coat on a bettas body makes treatment of this disease basically impossible because this waxy coat will create a line of defense on the fishes body "protecting" it from chemicals. Though it is contagious to humans, a human treatment is otherwise more quick and effective once treated. This disease is more common in bettas raised in high temp water, and is more susceptible in bettas living in old age.
15. Chlorine Posioning
Chlorine in the water reacts with the living tissues in the tank which creates acute necrosis meaning cell death in bettas. Their gills are very sensitive and are directly exposed to any kind of bacteria and poisonings such as this, in which contracting gill necrosis will lead to respiratory difficulties. This ailment is most commonly caused by inexperienced betta owners who unknowingly expose their fish directly to this poison by placing them in tanks filled with common tap water which should have been dechlorinated. As well as replacing dechlorinated water with tap water when doing half water changes as commonly instructed to do with bettas.
16. Septicemia
Septicemia is a bacterial infection in the bloodstream that is commonly cause but either one of the two following reasons: 1. through the consumption of I've foods that are carrying the bacteria (or) 2. through a tank wound that had become infected due to poor water conditions. It is important to know that this disease is curable, but ill become fatal if left untreated.
17. Slime Disease or Costia
Also referred to as Costia, as the two diseases share similar symptoms.Not one particular disease, but more a symptom of various diseases.
It is very dangerous for a fish to overproduce mucus. If the mucus covers the gills death will occur rapidly from suffocation.
This disease will usually only occur when the fish are stressed. Common stresses include overcrowding, poor water quality, malnutrition or sudden temperature changes.
It is very dangerous for a fish to overproduce mucus. If the mucus covers the gills death will occur rapidly from suffocation.
This disease will usually only occur when the fish are stressed. Common stresses include overcrowding, poor water quality, malnutrition or sudden temperature changes.
18. Fish Lice
Fish lice can be seen by the naked eye and is the biggest parasite of the fish world. They are incredibly rare in indoor fish but can be acquired by live food.
19. Fin Melt
Finmelt is another form of finrot. Rather than the fins rotting, the fins melt, and look like melted plastic. Fin melt is extremely aggressive, and should be hit straight away with medications. This disease typically is associated with one cause...(once again) DIRTY WATER ALERT!
20. Flexibacter Columnaris or Cotton Wool Disease
Columnaris is commonly mistaken for a fungal problem, it is NOT a fungus, it is caused by Flexibacter bacteria. Columnaris can be particularly difficult to diagnose as there are many symptoms associated with it. Infection occurs in fish that have been stressed out by unhealthy water conditions, poor diet, or other stress inducing activity such as bullying and being carelessly transported. Columnaris can be an internal or external infection so there can be a wide variety of symptoms associated in different cases.