In this blog we will discuss blind betta fish.This blog will give you all the information related to the same in detail.
Overview
In this blog
- Can a betta fish go blind?
- What might cause a beautiful betta fish to go blind?
- How do you know your beautiful betta fish has turned blind?
- How do you treat a blind betta fish?
- Is it easy to care for a blind betta fish?
- Is it easy to feed a blind betta fish?
- Summary
- Frequently asked questions
- Reference
Can a betta fish go blind?
Blindness in betta fish can be caused by various factors, including injury or infection.However, the chances of them becoming completely blind are very slim. Most of the time, bettas may lose sight in one eye or, more commonly, partially lose sight in one eye.
What might cause a beautiful betta fish to go blind?
If a betta loses part of its vision, there can be a few different reasons for it. Some things are out of your control, while other things can be prevented or treated with the right care.
The main causes of blindness in betta fish are:
Blindness due to infections in betta fish
One reason your betta might be going blind is because of infections. Some parasites, bacterial and fungal infections, can cause damage to your betta’s eye and harm their vision.
If your betta is healthy, they will not get sick from these ailments; however, if their environment is poor, their immune system may be too weak to fend off an infection.
If the infection causes blindness, the first sign you notice is cloudy eyes. And the younger your betta is at this time, the more likely he is suffering from an infection rather than a cataract.
Blindness due to diamond or moon eye in dragon scale betta
The moon eye is when the scales on your betta’s eyes start to grow out of control. The condition is most common in dragon scale bettas, hence the name dragon eye.
The scales on moon eye’s typically start off being translucent, but eventually they will grow in number and take on a more colorful appearance. During the course of a couple of months, the scales will completely cover the eye of your betta fish, effectively rendering it blind.
Blindness due to cataracts in bettas
As your bettas age, they may develop cataracts. One indicator of whether a fish is experiencing cataracts is its age. If you notice that they are over two or three years old, their chance of developing cataracts increases.
If your betta is suffering from cataracts there isn’t much you can do to treat it, so all you have to do is help your betta live with it.
Your bettas might have lost an eye
There are various reasons why your betta may lose their eyes, such as physical damage caused by fighting and rigid objects in their tank; however, it can also be caused by infections.
How do you know your beautiful betta fish has turned blind?
If you’re new to betta keeping, there are a few ways you can check to see if your betta has lost his sight:
- First, look at their eyes for signs of blindness. If they lose an eye or have scales on their eyes, their chances of going blind are very high.
- Then look for any signs of illness. If they suffer from popeye, you will notice that their eyes literally pop out of their heads. If they are having problems seeing, their eyes will be clouded over.
- Then you can finally try sticking your finger in the tank. To see whether your betta goes to investigate, you need to watch him carefully. If he doesn’t, try slowly moving your finger towards him.
How do you treat a blind betta fish?
If betta goes blind in the first few days from an infection, there are a few things you can do to reverse the damage and help him regain his sight. The success of treatment probably depends on how long the fish has had the infection.
The first step in caring for a betta fish is moving him to a quarantine tank, where he will be switched to fresh water.
Once you’ve completed these steps, the next steps will depend on what you think your betta is experiencing. If you think he has Popeye, then you need to treat him with ampicillin and aquarium salt.
If your betta is suffering from cloudy eyes, all you need to do is treat them with aquarium salt and API stress coat.
Traumatic eye injuries in fish are not treatable. Eye drops are a waste of time since they will fall off the instant your fish swims away. Providing clean water and a healthy diet are the best ways to treat a traumatic cloudy eye.
Is it easy to care for a blind betta fish?
Caring for blind bettas won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible. Here are some tips on how to take care of it:
- The first and the foremost thing you’ll need to do is remove any sharp objects or decorations that could hurt your betta fish, in order to keep him safe. If you still want decorations, consider replacing them with either live plants or silk plants.
- If your betta is in a community aquarium, you should remove it and add it to a separate aquarium. If he is blind, he can be a victim of bullying. Even if he doesn’t, other fish swimming around the tank are likely to stress him out.
- Consider using sand as a substrate instead of using gravel. Sometimes it’s better to be safe than sorry even if it’s unlikely that your betta will go to the substrate. However, if your betta never gets close to the substrate, you may not need to worry about this step.
Is it easy to feed a blind betta fish?
It can be hard to care for a blind betta fish, as they may not be able to feed themselves. However, fortunately, there are many things you can do to make sure your betta is getting enough food.
- The easiest thing to try is to put food in the same place every time. If you keep providing your betta with food at the same location, he will eventually become used to it and go there on his own to eat.
- Even if you put the food in the same place, if the betta fish doesn’t eat it fast enough, it may end up floating around the tank.Adding a feeding ring to the tank can help if this is a common problem.
- If your betta still has good eyesight, you can always place the food near it for him to see. You can also try adding some live food this way, as the movement may help him find the food.
- If your betta hasn’t figured out where the food is, you can put it in his mouth by using tweezers.This way, he will know right away what the food is and he can start eating it.Make sure the food you give your fish is small enough that he can easily swallow it.
- You can place the food where you know your betta likes to rest. When it goes to rest, it should be able to smell the food and go to eat it. However, if you can keep the food in one place long enough for your betta to detect it, this will work.
Summary
There are several main causes of blindness in bettas, and they include eye diseases, injury, and poor diet.
If your betta fish gets an infection, they may lose their vision because of the waste products in their tank. These wastes can cause bacteria and other deadly microorganisms to grow rapidly, and this can lead to blindness.Proper treatment is essential to their recovery.
It is a good habit to feed the betta fish in the same location in the tank so that the blind betta fish has an easier time finding food.
Make sure all the decorations inside your tank are soft so that if bettas get blind, they won’t have any problems moving around.
If you notice that your betta fish is no longer swimming around or eating, it may be possible that it has turned blind. Blind betta fish are unable to see and may eventually die if not given the appropriate care.
Frequently asked questions
Are cloudy eye infections contagious?
If the water quality in your tank is poor, your fish are more susceptible to a whole range of illnesses.However,cloudy eyes are not contagious. Cloudy eyes are not fatal but can lead to vision loss. If the water quality does not improve, the betta fish is likely to contract a fatal disease.
Why are dragon scale bettas more prone to blindness than other betta species?
Dragonscale bettas are more prone to blindness than other betta species. The problem is that their scales are very thick and it might cause some problems in the future with dropsy infection
