Betta Fish & Swim Bladder Disease

Prevention is the best option in the case of swim bladder disease in bettas. Often caused by poor care, it is a common ailment that is also referred to as swim bladder disorder, SBD for short. Although the disorder will not cause affected bettas to die, the conditions that cause it will kill them if left untreated. Even though it is not a lethal disease, bettas do suffer from the stress it causes.

  1. Symptoms

    • Affected bettas will not be able to swim properly. According to the Betta Talk website, this disorder is very common for bettas that are between 30 and 60 days old. Bettas will either float to the top or sink to the bottom. Great effort is needed for them to swim to the top if they are sinking or to the bottom if they are floating. Sometimes, bettas will even be sideways.

    Causes

    • Usual causes include overfeeding and a poor environment. Overfeeding causes constipation which can lead to swim bladder disease. It is very easy to overfeed bettas as their stomachs, according to Velvet Dragon Bettas, are smaller than their eyes. A poor environment prevents the digestive systems of bettas from functioning properly which can lead to swim bladder disease. Low temperatures slow down their metabolism.

    Treatment

    • Change their water on a regular basis so that it is always clean. Maintain temperatures between 76 and 80 degrees F. Don't feed affected bettas for three days; then give them one blanched pea. The pea will help to push out any blockages in their digestive tract. Repeat the treatment if necessary. Medications marked "for use with SBD" do not cure the disorder but are safe to use in conjunction with it. These medications help prevent any infections that may arise due to the increased levels of stress on the betta.

    Prevention

    • Keep their food portions small. Do not feed flaked or freeze-dried food as they expand in their stomachs. Instead, feed quality pelleted foods or frozen foods that are thawed out. Feed only as much food as will fill their stomachs up. Fast bettas once a week and feed them a blanched pea after the fast. Soak pellets in conditioned water for 10 minutes prior to feeding if necessary.

    Chronic SBD

    • Unfortunately, some bettas will never recover. In such instances, special care needs to be provided. Give them a shallow home so they will not need to work as hard to reach the surface for air. Velvet Dragon Bettas recommends flat plastic storage bins of at least 5 gallons. These are wide and can even be heated using a submersible heater rated for the amount of water used. Include either a silk or live plant or two with large leaves at different water levels to provide the betta with places to lie down on. Do not overfeed.