Instructions
Watch the betta fish during meal time. A healthy betta will eat the food quickly. A betta that is ill will regurgitate the food or avoid it all together.
Watch the betta's activity level. A normal betta will swim throughout the day and will remain active. An unhealthy betta will be inactive and may only approach the top for air.
Look at the betta's body. A healthy betta's body will appear smooth and shiny. A betta that is ill may have open sores, lumps, white spots or may have a white growth.
Pay attention to the betta's scales. Normally, a betta's scales will be smooth. A betta that is suffering from an illness may have scales that appear raised and its body may resemble a pine cone.
Watch the betta's tail and fins. The fins and tail of a healthy betta will be spread and mimic the appearance of a fan. An ill betta's tail may appear stiff, closed in or the tail may even fall off.
Pay attention to the betta's coloring. A healthy Betta fish will have a coloring that is bright and colorful. The coloring of a sick betta will appear more ashen and may take on a gray appearance.
How to Tell If My Betta Fish Are Sick?
Betta fish, or Siamese fighting fish, originated in the Mekong basin of Southeast Asia and can be found in aquariums across the world. Generally, betta fish will grow approximately 2 inches in size and will live approximately four years. Betta fish can become ill with a whole host of illnesses, from fin and tail tot to ich to gill disease. There are several common symptoms that can be found in many of these illnesses.