Disease: Possible Depression

DISEASE: UNKNOWN – POSSIBLE DEPRESSION

GENERAL INFO:

Sometimes a betta will act sick but not exhibits any symptoms. He could either have internal parasites, or some mild bacterial infection, or simply be depressed. Bettas often become depressed when they are first jarred as young fries, and get separated from their siblings. Also, males often become depressed after spawning. A depressed betta will stop eating and swimming around and may let himself starve to death. This is not as unusual as one may think!

SYMPTOMS:
Bettas may or may not have slightly clamped fins, lay at bottom or at surface, not eat, barely swim around. They will not flare or build bubble nests.

TREATMENT:
Do a full water change for jars or a 70% water change for tanks. Isolate any suspected sick betta. Add two drop of BettaZing (included in our Betta First Aid Kit) to each quart of water (so 8 drops per gallon). If the betta was just spawned or just jarred, and it is likely to simply have depression: In the case of a newly jarred young betta, float his jar inside the tank where his siblings still are. This should help him cope with the isolation. In the case of a male who has just been spawned, try floating him inside a tank containing lots of other bettas, females preferably. It has always worked for me. When floating a jar in a larger tank, be careful: if you have a power filter or canister filter the water flow created will slowly but surely pull in the floating jar and once the jar is under the water flow, it will fill up with water and sink, releasing the betta into the tank!! Therefore, make sure the jar is secured somehow and cannot drift.