Last week your betta's eyes were fine. However, your betta's eyes suddenly become swollen, cloudy, and protruding. Well, actually your betta fish is experiencing symptoms of swollen eyes. Puffy eyes is a disease characterized by a buildup of fluid behind your fish's eye. Although unpleasant, a new environment, isolation, and appropriate treatment can prevent and cure puffy eye disease in betta fish.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Prevent Puffy Eyes
Step 1. Change the aquarium water regularly
One of the causes of puffy eyes is dirty aquarium water. One of the best prevention of puffy eye disease is to replace dirty aquarium water with new one regularly. Make sure the water in the aquarium or betta fish tank is always clean so that the fish do not suffer from puffy eyes.
- If your betta is placed in a 7 liter tank or tank, change the water halfway every week.
- If your betta is placed in a large tank, change 10-25% of the water every 2-4 weeks.
Step 2. Clean the aquarium every 1-2 weeks
Clean the aquarium weekly if there is no water filter. Clean the aquarium every 2 weeks if the aquarium has a water filter.
- Use the net to gently scoop the betta out of the aquarium. Transfer the betta fish to a container of clean water.
- Drain all the aquarium water, take the rocks and decorations in it, then clean with clean water.
- Clean the inside of the aquarium using a paper towel.
- Place the rocks and decorations back into the aquarium. Fill the tank with drinking or distilled water until it is quite full. Once filled with water, put the betta fish back into the aquarium.
Step 3. Make sure the water temperature remains warm
Betta fish usually live in warm and calm waters. Make sure the aquarium water temperature is 24-27°C so your betta can live in a healthy environment.
Step 4. Make sure the acidity level of the aquarium water is appropriate
Use litmus paper to test the acidity of the aquarium water. The acidity of the aquarium water should be 6, 5 or 7.
- If the acidity of the tank is too high, filter the water using peat before adding it to the tank.
- If the acidity of the water is too low, add baking soda or shellfish powder to the tank.
Step 5. Purchase a water dH tester to test the hardness of the aquarium water
Betta fish prefer soft water. Therefore, make sure the dH of the aquarium water is 25 or less. Visit a pet store for special products that can absorb magnesium and calcium from the aquarium if the hardness is too high.
Step 6. Introduce new fish into the aquarium with care
Different types of fish require different environments. Therefore, do not add new fish if their needs are different from the fish in the aquarium. Puffy eyes generally occur when the aquarium water volume is not appropriate. Adding new fish that can thrive in different ecosystems will disrupt the water content of the aquarium.
Method 2 of 2: Treating Puffy Eyes
Step 1. Start by isolating the betta fish
Remove sharp angled decorations or aggressive fish from the betta's environment. The betta's vision may be impaired so it may bump into sharp-angled decorations in the aquarium. Also, your betta may get hurt by other fish. Therefore, move the betta fish to a new tank for a while.
Step 2. Add Epsom salt to the aquarium
Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, can help remove fluid that has built up behind the betta's eye. Every three days, add 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt for every 20 liters of aquarium water.
Step 3. Add antibiotics to your betta's aquarium
There are several antibiotics that can relieve puffy eyes when added to betta fish water. Generally, antibiotics can be purchased at the pet store.
- Add ampicillin to the tank and change the water every three days. Keep giving ampicillin for 1 week after the betta's swollen eyes have healed.
- If your betta's swollen eyes are not too severe, you can use erythromycin, minocycline, trimethoprim, or sulfadimidine. This antibiotic is generally used to treat fin rot disease.
Step 4. Return the betta to its original tank once the disease has subsided
Puffy eyes will subside within a few weeks to a few months. Corneal damage takes longer to heal. Place your betta in its original tank a few weeks after its eyes have returned to normal.
If the fish's eye swelling is severe enough, one eye may rot and fall off its head while it's healing. If this happens, isolate the betta permanently
Warning
- If the aquarium water is fine, swollen eyes may be due to a serious illness, such as tuberculosis.
- Chlorine can harm betta fish. Therefore, use a water filter to remove chlorine from the aquarium water.
