Q&A for How to Tell if a Betta Fish Is Sick

API Bettafix is a medication you can buy in stores that will help cure fin rot.

You should change 25 percent of the water in the tank every 2 weeks to keep your fish healthy.

I recommend using either a pad type heater for small fish bowls or a probe heater for larger aquariums.

White spots can be a sign of infection with the parasite, Ick, or white patches a sign of a fungal infection. Fungal infections can sometimes be circular and have a "target" like appearance with a black area at the center.

Only feed your betta tiny amounts of food at a time. You should give your betta the amount of food he can eat comfortably within the span of 2 minutes. Bettas won't stop eating once they're full -- they'll eat whatever you give them (if they're healthy), so it's easy to overfeed them.

Your fish is probably stressed from being transported. Give it some time to adjust to its new home.

Typically when a fish has swim bladder disorder, it appears as though their equilibrium is off. They may appear to be swimming on their sides and have trouble swimming either up or down.

They just are. Nothing to worry about. I have a healthy female crowntail whose eyes are black.

If you're tapping on the tank, you may be agitating it. Otherwise, bettas won't usually be aggressive unless they are with other bettas. Your betta should end up recognizing you as its provider if you continue to feed it.

The betta may simply be seeing his reflection and thinks another male fish is nearby.

In this case, it might be that your fish doesn't like the food you're giving it. Try changing its food to see if it prefers the new food.

Yes. Betta fish usually do not feel threatened by sucker fish, because they do not compete for the same food, mates, or even space. As long as the tank is big enough to accommodate two fish (some suckers can get quite large), they should be fine.

No. While bettas are able to breathe air at the surface, they won't use it often unless there is either something wrong with the water or something wrong with the fish that's preventing them from getting adequate oxygen from the water.

Is he spitting the food out or ignoring the food? If he's spitting it out, it either means he's not hungry or that it's too big for him to consume. If he's ignoring it, most likely he's not hungry or has eaten something that might be growing in your tank.

This might sound cruel, but it will help: don't feed your fish for a few days. Your fish won't starve and it will give them a chance to balance themselves back out.

They can change color as they age, this is normal. If it changed colors recently or has done this in the past, you may have a marble betta (lucky!).

Yes, unless your betta is a crowntail, which have naturally shredded-looking tails. If he is a veil tail or a halfmoon, he should have completely intact fins with no ragged edges.

A betta only moves its gills most of the time, your fish is fine.

No, this is not a sign of sickness.

Bettas are tropical fish and only thrive in waters that range from 72-83 degrees F. If your water temperature is too cold, that could affect your betta in a variety of ways.

Change your water using a siphon and suck that film off, that should fix it.

No, that makes it salt water. If your fish is normally in fresh water, you will kill it by adding salt.

Tuberculosis can look similar to dropsy, but without pineconing and possible scale loss as well as possible skeletal deformation. Antibacterial medication should help.

White spots are a sign of ich, and the bulging could be dropsy or bloating. Check your water conditions and improve what is needed there, then do further research to learn more about curing these conditions.

Bettas are typically bright and multicolored. If your betta is acting normally, I don't think there's anything to worry about.

Your betta may be having trouble swimming -- he could be injured he could've been hurt by something in the tank.

The best thing to do is consult a vet. They will be able to guide you, and advise you on how to proceed with your betta fish.

You should definitely take the plants out. They can tear your fish's fins.

He's just marbling. This is a rare trait, so you're lucky! The "jumping gene" makes bettas change colors throughout their lives.

Blowing bubbles (if male) and making a bubble nest at the top of the tank! Also, if they are active and swimming around their tank.