i need help treating my betta fish for swim bladder. Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish | Male | 1 month and 4 days old

Check the water chemistry, quality and temperature. Any one of these, if incorrect, can predispose a fish to illness. You can use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free of for a small fee. Confirm an absence, 0 ppm, of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Perform partial water changes, if indicated, to stabilize chemistry or improve water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78 F and 80 F. Low temps will affect digestion which can lead to swim bladder issues. To treat the swim bladder condition, fast him for 3 days then resume feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas. This will help with constipation. Feed the peas until defecation and swimming are normal. Keep the water clean and at proper temperature during this time. Ideally, he should have a filter and a heater. Consider dropping the water level temporarily so he can reach the surface to breathe. In a majority of cases, swim bladder disease can be resolved with a fast and by providing pristine water conditions. In rare cases, a broad spectrum antibiotic or anti-parasitic, is necessary. Either can easily be found in the Aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully for any medication.

It may also be caused by poor water quality, incorrect environmental parameters, internal parasites or bacterial infection. Maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. You may need to che k water chemistry using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Ideally, you want an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20ppm or less. Water temperature should range between 78 F and 80 F. You may need a small submersible water heater to maintain temp. Before treating for any infection, try fasting him for 3 days then feed tiny bits of cooked and shelled green peas. Do this until swimming and defecation are normal. You can dip the pea in a bit of garlic juice to stimulate the appetite and to provide an immune system boost. If this doesn't help, consider an "all-in-one" product, such as Tetra Lifeguard, to treat parasitic and bacterial infections. Find it in the Aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully. A last resort would be a broad spectrum antibiotic and/or a deworming medication. Either can also be found in the Aquarium section of the local Petco. Again, read packaging carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are many possible causes, and for that reason, there are many possible treatment options. It is very important to try identify what the cause is so that therapy can be targeted at that. Possible causes include constipation, overfeeding, trauma to the swim bladder (which may improve on its own), a genetic abnormality, and even an infection. If it is due to constipation, you may notice a bloated/enlarged stomach and perhaps you have noticed that he has not defecated recently. If this is the case, then the treatment of choice is at least initially to fast him for 1-2 days. If it is due to overfeeding, you may notice a similar appearance as with constipation though with normal defecation. The treatment is usually at the beginning at least to fast him for 1-2 days. If it is a genetic abnormality or even permanent trauma, then you can try to keep the water level low so that he can still reach the surface to eat. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed that he gets better!

My betta fish has swim bladder. What's the best way to treat it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish | Male | 1 month and 4 days old

i need help treating my betta fish for swim bladder

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT 44

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on May 5th, 2018

Swim bladder issues can be caused by bacterial infection or constipation. These reasons can be compounded by poor water quality. Use a home test kit or submit a sample of water for testing to confirm 0ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Partial water changes can be done to stabilize chemistry and maintain or improve water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Bettas do best between 78F and 80F. Once you have pristine water quality, fast him for 3 days. Resume feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas until defecation and swimming are normal again. If this doesn't help, consider a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can find one in the aquarium section of the local pet store. Look for Furan, Maracyn 1 and 2 or Kanaplex. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

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My betta fish has swim bladder. What's the best way to treat it?

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