Health & WellbeingHi my betta has red patches at the edges of his fins. Also he can not use one of his front fins to swim. He can not swim straight.What should I do?
Poor water quality can cause stress which can lead to infection. Check the water chemistry and quality first. You can use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20ppm or less. Perform a partial water change (no more than 30% total volume at once) to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78 F and 80 F. Add a teaspoon of plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) per gallon of water to the tank. Dissolve it first in a cup or two of tank water. The salt will reduce stress, improve gill function, treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Treat for 14 days then reassess fin condition. Perform partial water changes afterwards to decrease salinity. At the same time, withhold food for 2-3 days. Resume feeding bits of cooked,
Updated on August 12th, 2025
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