Your betta may have swim bladder disease if you see odd behavior in it, such as aberrant swimming or floating vertically, on its side, or upside down. I’ve dealt with and treated this condition with my bettas at least once, so I can tell you how to do it. You can treat swim bladder disease in betta with salt treatment. Furthermore, you can maintain the water quality, a good diet, etc.
First off, there’s no need to freak out because this illness affects bettas pretty frequently and isn’t likely to be fatal.
In this blog, I’ll discuss the causes, symptoms, and effective therapies for swim bladder disease as well as my experience caring for my betta whenever they had the condition. However, we must first define swim bladder disease.
What Is Your Betta’s Swim Bladder?
Your betta can regulate its buoyancy thanks to the swim bladder, an internal organ that has undergone particular evolution and is filled with gas.
Your fish can swim steadily when the swim bladder is strong and functioning properly. The fish, however, frequently swims on one side or even upside down when issues occur.
When the betta’s abdominal organs are severely displaced by swelling, it may struggle to swim below the water’s surface or end up stuck on the substrate. Being stranded on the bottom of the aquarium is extremely stressful and harmful for your pet because bettas depend on their intricate labyrinth organ, which they require to regularly breathe atmospheric air at the water’s surface.
What Is Swim Bladder Disease?
Contrary to popular belief, swim bladder sickness is not a specific illness. Any sickness, injury, or illness that prevents your betta’s swim bladder from functioning as it should is referred to as swim bladder disease in general. This means that the majority of the time when treating swim bladder disease, you are attempting to address the signs and symptoms of another disorder.
How Important Is A Betta’s Swim Bladder?
All bettas possess a swim bladder, an organ that allows them to regulate their buoyancy in the tank. Bettas don’t need to constantly swim to keep in place because their swim bladder takes care of all the effort, saving the fish’s energy and facilitating swimming.
The swim bladder of your betta fish is located behind all of the other organs, so any kind of swelling can harm it. Your bettas will have trouble staying buoyant in the water whenever there is a swim bladder issue, which could put them under a lot of stress.
What Are Swim Bladder Disease Symptoms In Betta?
The symptoms can vary a bit, but they are all difficulties with swimming and keeping buoyant. You may see your fish swimming upside down or sideways. You might notice problems reaching the top or bottom of the tank. Or even see your betta swimming in circles.
Your fish can stop eating or cease producing feces. If you observe this in addition to your trouble swimming, it may be a sign that your trouble swimming is being caused by overeating or constipation problems.
A bloated appearance or an abrupt s-curve to the spine are other potential symptoms. All of these indicate swim bladder illness in betta fish. The swim bladder of a betta fish can be quite delicate, and injuries or digestive disorders might result in serious consequences.
What Causes Swim Bladder Disease In Bettas?
Swim bladder sickness could have several reasons because it is a subsequent sign of various betta fish illnesses. If you find your betta acting abnormally, the first thing you need to do is determine the proper cause. See the list of causes below.
Low Water Temperature
Bettas are extremely sensitive to changes in water temperature. Their digestion processes will slow down if the temperature in your tank is below ideal. Food that is digested more slowly may clog the gastrointestinal tract and put pressure on the swim bladder. Regularly check the temperature of the water in your tank, and if necessary, manually set the heater’s thermostat to a comfortable level between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Overfeeding/ Constipation
Overfeeding and related digestive issues are the most frequent causes of swim bladder illness. Since they are gutty fish, bettas occasionally continue to eat even after they are full, especially when food is present. Your betta may experience stomach swelling and swim bladder pressure if they consume their food too soon.
Overfeeding may result in a buildup of fatty deposits in the bladder in addition to constipation. Bettas commonly suck down too much air because they consume from the water’s surface, which is the source of all of this. Some circumstances involving the food they consume can also be problematic.
When pellets, freeze-dried bloodworms, or flakes are consumed by bettas, the meal may expand when it comes into contact with water. When bettas eat the food, it could obstruct their intestines or make their stomachs bigger, which would put pressure on their swim bladder and make them uncomfortable.
Shock
When there are abrupt changes in the water, light, or temperature of the tank, your betta may choke. Even while this is a less frequent cause of swim bladder illness, it’s important to be aware that it might happen if your fish experience stress from abrupt changes. Extreme situations involving these quick changes may result in swim bladder problems and fin clamping.
Maintaining your tank’s cleanliness with techniques like weekly partial water changes, vacuuming the gravel, and often checking the tank’s conditions like pH, water hardness, and temperature will help you avoid shock.
Physical Trauma
Bettas are occasionally aggressive fish that can engage in fights with other fish in their tank or get trapped in filtration or décor equipment, as you may already be aware.
Once, my betta got entangled in the fake plants in my tank, and I had to carefully extract it. Additionally, when you are performing routine maintenance, bettas may jump out of the tank and get injuries. Because of this, I always advise being delicate while handling anything in the tank to avoid startling your betta.
Parasitic Or Bacterial Infection
Infections, whether caused by bacteria or parasites, are another factor in swim bladder illness. Your bettas’ intestines and stomach may become infected with parasitic worms, which will make swimming extremely challenging for them. Although parasitic worms seldom result in death, in rare circumstances, they can cause swim bladder disease.
Poor water quality in the tank is typically the cause of bacterial illnesses. Your betta’s swim bladder could become irritated as a result of this infection. Instead of the typical hard, dark brown poo from bettas, you may observe stringy and light-colored feces in the tank when this occurs.
Birth Defects
Swim bladder disease can occasionally have no known cause, and your betta may be born with a congenital condition that impacts its swim bladder. These cases are usually fatal, and you’ll usually notice them early on. It is more typical in double-tail bettas as well.
Other Causes
It’s possible that none of the mentioned factors contributed to your betta’s swim bladder problem. In this situation, you should look for additional conditions such as kidney cysts, egg binding in female bettas, cotton fin fungus, and other things because these are also issues. However, you should be aware that if this is the case, there is no way to treat your betta; your only options are to wait and see how things develop, then seek the advice of a veterinarian if things worsen.
How Do You Know If Your Betta Has Swim Bladder Disease?
A fish owner could mistakenly believe that fish floating strangely in the tank is dead when, in fact, they are showing signs of swim bladder disease. Fish with swim bladder disease has a range of symptoms, most of which are related to buoyancy.
Floating To The Top Of The Tank
The swim bladder will sink into the tank if it is deflated. The fish could float to the top of the aquarium if it took in too much air while eating.
Struggling To Stay Upright, Swimming Upside Down Or Sideways
A fish without buoyancy issues will typically stay still and upright in the water. You will notice excessive fin movement if your fish are trying to keep upright or are swimming sideways or upside down as they attempt to float correctly.
Distended Belly
The fish may swim with an enlarged stomach if the swim bladder is compressed. This condition may impair the fish’s digestive system, which could result in an expanded belly.
Curved Back
Other organs may be pushed aside if the fish’s abdomen is expanded, which can occasionally cause the spine to curve.
Changed Appetite
Fish that are affected by it may eat regularly or not at all. The fish might not be able to feed regularly or even surface if there are serious buoyancy issues.
How To Treat Swim Bladder Disease In Bettas?
The reason for swim bladder disease will affect how you will be treated. Before starting a treatment approach, it would be advisable to try to determine what is causing swim bladder disease. See the list of swim bladder illness treatments below for more information.
Treatment For Swim Bladder Disease Caused By Overfeeding
The steps listed below should be used if your betta fish has an engorged stomach as a result of overfeeding or digestive problems.
- If the infected betta is in a tank that is shared with other fish, relocate it to a quarantine tank.
- Give your betta three days without food. Your fish won’t suffer because they can survive several days without meals.
- While your fish recovers throughout those three days, gradually raise the tank’s temperature to 80°F. Their pace of digestion is accelerated by rising temperatures.
- Examine any changes after three days. Three days alone can sometimes be enough to start them moving.
- Start feeding them daphnia (we recommend live daphnia) or a balanced peeled pea due to its high fiber content if you continue to see indications of swim bladder disease.
- Hold out some freeze-dried daphnia for your fish in the tank if your betta has trouble chasing the live daphnia. Before feeding it to your betta, make sure to let it soak and absorb water.
- If your betta’s condition doesn’t get better after a week, it can be more serious.
As betta fish popeye is excellent for constipation, you can also try it as a treatment for swim bladder disease.
Treatment For Swim Bladder Disease Caused By Bacterial Or Parasitic Infection
To treat your fish if your betta has a bacterial or parasite infection, follow the instructions below.
- Put your betta under quarantine in a different tank so you can treat the water.
- Start administering the proper medication to your aquarium.
- If the infection is bacterial, treat the water with Melafix, and if it is parasitic, treat the infection with Betamax. Use Melafix first if you’re unsure of the sort of infection because parasitic infections are quite unlikely.
Treatment For Swim Bladder Disease Caused by Shock
It isn’t much you can do if your betta gets swim bladder disease as a result of trauma or shock besides removing them from the scenario. Remove your betta if it’s stuck somewhere. The water conditions in your tank have radically changed; gradually restore them to normal.
Turn down the lights to lessen activity, and make sure the tank is suitable for your betta. Throughout this time, your betta will rest and eventually recover from the illness.
Epsom Salt For Swim Bladder Disease
If your betta is constipated, Epsom salt can frequently be a useful treatment for swim bladder disease. The finest results can be obtained by taking an Epsom salt bath, which you can perform as follows:
- In a clean container, combine 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt with 1/2 gallon of conditioned tap water.
- Add half a gallon of your aquarium water to the container once the Epsom salt has dissolved.
- Substitute conditioned tap water that is the same temperature as your aquarium for the water that was withdrawn from it.
- Remain in the tub with your betta for 10 to 15 minutes. Put him back in his tank if this hasn’t relieved his constipation after that.
- Keep checking on your betta throughout the day to see whether he has passed waste or is swimming more effectively.
Add your fish back to the tank as soon as you see that he stops swimming in the Epsom salt bath or is merely lying still in one place.
Some of the best options for you can be:
- Epsoak Epsom Salt 19 lb. Bulk Bag Magnesium Sulfate USP
- Amazon Brand – Solimo Epsom Salt Soak, Magnesium Sulfate USP, 8 Pound
Tips To Prevent Swim Bladder Disease In Betta
As we know, ‘Prevention Is Better Than Cure’ here are some of the tips to prevent the swim bladder disease in Bettas:
- You may prevent swim bladder disease in your betta by using the advice listed below.
- Buy and feed your betta only top-notch food at all times. Concentrate solely on trusted names like Cargill, Land O’ Lakes, and ADM Animal Nutrition.
- Before giving your betta food, soak it so that it will sink in the tank, and they won’t have to come to the surface to eat.
- Avoid overfeeding your bettas because most will continue to eat as long as the food is available. Don’t exceed 2-3 pellets each day.
- Adhere to all recommended tank maintenance procedures to maintain good water quality. Proper tank maintenance includes things like performing routine water changes, eliminating algae, and cleaning the decorations on the tank.
- Maintain a constant temperature in your tank and watch out for sudden variations.
- Remove ornaments that could hurt your fish, and if your bettas start fighting, remove them.
How Can You Care For A Betta With Chronic Swim Bladder Disease?
A betta can still lead a full and happy life even if they have chronic swim bladder illness as a result of an injury or birth defect; you just have to adjust its habitat to suit its requirements. The best tank for them is one that is wide and shallow since it takes less effort for them to swim to the top for air or to the bottom for any food that may have settled there.
Additionally, it is a good idea to add real or silk plants with broad, flat leaves to their tank so that they can rest on them as needed. Additionally available are “betta hammocks,” which have the same function.
Is Swim Bladder Disease Fatal To Bettas?
Depending on the underlying source of the issue, a betta fish with swim bladder disorder has a variable outcome.
Your Betta is suffering from bloat or constipation. Changing its diet and starving it for a few days should help it recover rather quickly. However, the outcome could not be favorable if the issue is brought on by a severe illness or parasite attack.
The skin ulcers and sores that a betta stranded at the water’s surface occasionally experiences could become infected because the fish’s protective slime coat will dry out. Additionally, if the fish is anchored to the substrate, the stress coat may be scraped away by abrasion from sand or gravel.
Is Swim Bladder Disorder Contagious?
Again, the etiology of the ailment determines whether the Swim Bladder Disease is communicable.
Your other fish should be alright if, indeed, the problem is due to constipation or overfeeding because those conditions are not contagious. However, there is a potential that other species could experience swim bladder issues if you overfeed all of your fish.
Swim Bladder Disease, brought on by bacterial infection or parasite activity, is likely to travel through the water and infect any other fish in your tank with a compromised immune system. Of course, it is a considerable probability that your other animals won’t contract Swim Bladder Disease if they are robust, healthy, and not stressed.
How Does a Medicated Bath Work?
One of the simplest and safest ways to cure various disorders in fish, specifically SBD, is to take a medication bath or salt bath. The salt in the medicinal bath penetrates your Betta’s air bladder, causing dehydration or partial deflation.
This makes it simpler for the air bladder to reposition itself if it becomes loose. Your fish’s movement and buoyancy will be helped until your Betta’s swim bladder grows back to its usual size.
This pharmaceutical bath will assist in curing any bacteria, fungus, or parasite infections that may still be present but have not yet manifested as a problem in addition to your Betta’s SBD. The hazardous organisms in your fish’s body will become attached to the salt and become dehydrated, which will eventually lead to their death.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Cure Swim Bladder Disease In Betta Fish?
The cause of the condition will determine the most effective treatment for swim bladder disease. Your betta will quickly recover if you follow the above-described therapy measures with the cause.
Can Swim Bladder Disease Go Away On Its Own?
If shock is the root cause, swim bladder disease can indeed go. You can only provide your betta the best possible living conditions and give it time to heal in such a situation.
Can A Fish Recover From Swim Bladder?
Swim bladder diseases can be either temporary or permanent, depending on the underlying etiology. With a few lifestyle changes, your fish can still lead a happy and fulfilling life even if they have a chronic swim bladder condition.
What Do You Feed Fish With Swim Bladder?
For this, frozen peas work best because they may be defrosted by being boiled briefly or microwaved to achieve the right thickness (not too soft but not too firm). Serve the peas to the fish after removing the skin.
Conclusion
The lifespan of a betta fish is only two to five years. Therefore, it makes sense that you, as a caring betta owner, would want to enhance your betta’s quality of life by keeping it as healthy and content as possible.
The good news is that although swim bladder disease affects betta fish on a fairly regular basis, as long as it is caught early on, treatment is usually straightforward.
Along with the advice given here, adding some aquarium salt to the water can also be beneficial. By promoting the development of a protective slime layer, lowering edema, and boosting immunological function, aquarium salt benefits betta fish.
Bring your betta fish to your neighborhood pet store if you’re unsure to out more knowledgeable advice on the finest treatment for their swim bladder disease.
