In this blog we will discuss a condition called diamond eye in betta fish.This guide will give you information regarding everything related to diamond eyed bettas.
Overview
In this blog
- What is the diamond eye condition in betta fish?
- Is nutritional imbalance the cause of betta’s diamond eyes?
- Is infection responsible for the diamond eye in betas?
- How to feed a diamond betta fish?
- How to treat diamond eye bettas?
- Why is it important to have the right water parameters in a bettas tank?
- How do you change water in a bettas tank to avoid blindness and other infections?
- Summary
- Frequently asked questions
- Reference
What is the diamond eye condition in betta fish?
A betta fish’s vision is called monocular vision.This means that their eyes are on the other side of the head and both eyes produce different images.
Their eyes do not respond well to sudden changes in brightness and can focus on objects one foot away.The outgrowth of the white scales looks like a diamond and that is why many people call it diamond eye fish.
Diamond eyes of a betta fish are caused by changes in genetic makeup.It is an overgrowth of white scales around their eyes and as its growth increases, it completely or partially covers their eyeballs.
Blindness is the main sign of diamond eyes.There is nothing to get worried about as it is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from one fish to another.
Utmost care should be given to a betta with diamond eyes and whenever you are feeding them,you should tap their glass to let them know it’s their meal time.
Make sure you are not changing their tank environment,because it can overwhelm them if anything in their tank get disturbed and can stress them out.
Why are genetics or healthy lines important before buying betta fish?
Genetics play a great role in fish survival, i.e their longevity.It is known that bettas have a life span of three years and they can live upto five years if they have been given proper care.
Everyone is aware of the fact that bettas have been bred in captivity for many years now for their finnage patterns and color schemes and many pet shops are not aware of healthy lines of bettas.
So it is very important to find a breeding who is actually aware of their genetics and healthy lines.If you happen to select a betta with poor genetics,you will come across many issues related to their health.
Is nutritional imbalance the cause of betta’s diamond eyes?
Bettas are carnivorous and voracious eaters and accept a wide range of food in aquarium conditions.Its very important to feed them balanced meals consisting of proteins,fibers & live food for maintaining their finnage coloration.
They like to have a feeding time table to have their meals exactly at the same time everyday by rotating their diets.
If they don’t get healthy and nutritious food on time everyday they might feel nutritionally imbalanced and sometimes when they are stressed they refuse to eat too,such situations can cause various infections in them.
Although it is not known exactly what are the main reasons for diamond eyes in betta fish, this could be one of the reasons for such conditions in betta fish.
Betta is a carnivorous fish that requires a lot of protein in its diet. In the wild, they usually eat small meat creatures such as worms, daphnia brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, and other fish.
In aquarium conditions, a bettas diet should be high in protein, i.e you need enough meat to maintain their health and finnage colors.
Betta fish will eat whatever is available near them in their natural habitat and this makes it very easy for betta to overeat when extra food is readily available and this results in overfeeding.
Overeating can lead to bloating, digestive issues, lethargy and obesity. Leaving a lot of uneaten food can also make their water dirty and unhealthy and can cause various infections including diamond eyes in bettas.
It is very important to feed them moderately to avoid such conditions, as it can be injurious to their health and aquarium too,if they are with other fish in the same aquarium.
Is infection responsible for the diamond eye in betas?
Another reason for betta fish to get diamond eyes is infection.Some parasites, bacterial and fungal infections such as the popeye and cloudy eyes can cause damage to the eyes of the betta fish and damage their eyesight.
Popeye infection in betta
Popeye’s disease is a condition in which a fish’s eye becomes swollen and bulges out of the eye socket.The eyes may also appear cloudy and when left untreated,Popeye’s disease can cause a fish to lose sight.
Treatment of Popeye depends on the underlying cause.If an eye is injured,it usually heals spontaneously unless the fish is secondarily infected or stressed.For Popeye treatment,API melafix is suggested.
API melafix
API MELAFIX is a natural antibacterial drug that treats fish infections. Common bacterial infections are open wounds and cuts, tail rot, eye clouds, and mouth in the fungus.MELAFIX treatment of fish also helps to regenerate damaged fins and tissues.
Cloudy eyes in betta
The cloudy eyes may be due to poor water quality.The only symptom of cloudy eyes is gray or opaque eyes.
Nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin A deficiency, may contribute to poor fish eye health.
The most common cause of cloudy eyes in aquarium fish appears to be poor water quality, especially when the pH level of the aquarium water gets too low.
The pH should be kept between 6.5 and 8. The water should be changed frequently, at least once a week, to keep the fish fresh.
Bettas are carnivores naturally but in aquarium conditions they can be trained to have a wide range of food in their diets, and require a diet rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
The focus on providing the best nutritional value is that betta fish is high in protein, fat, fiber, phosphorous, carbohydrates, calcium and vitamins (A, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C , H, M).
Make sure the food for betta is natural and contains protein as the first ingredient and other vitamins too.
How to feed a diamond betta fish?
- Tap their aquarium glass before feeding them,make sure you are tapping gently,because loud noise can stress them.
- Get in the habit of feeding fish in the same place in the aquarium to maximize the chances of blind fish finding food.
- Feed them live food and high quality betta pellets.
- Give them time to finish their bite.
- Make sure not to overfeed them,because overfeeding can cause indigestion and also pollute the tank environment.
- Changing the feed makes it harder to get it.
How to treat diamond eye bettas?
Diamond eye bettas can be treated using aquarium salts, So before adding bettas,be sure to float it on the surface of the bag for 20 minutes before adding it.
You need to add aquarium salt to the aquarium.One tablespoon per five gallons is enough. Before adding aquarium salt, you need to stir it with a small amount of aquarium water until diluted.
By performing this,as per some fish vets,this condition can be cured to some extent but if in the initial stage,if it has reached to a level where both their eyes go blind then it won’t be easier to treat them.
Why is it important to have the right water parameters in a bettas tank?
Stable water parameters for bettas:
- Temperature: 75°-81°F /23.8°-27.2°C
- Ammonia and Nitrite: 0 ppm.
- Nitrate: <20 ppm.
- GH: 3-4 dGH /50-66.7 ppm
- KH: 3-5 dKH /53.6- 89.4 ppm
- pH: 6.5-7.5.
Different fish species require different water conditions to develop normally.If your aquarium does not meet their requirements,it can stress the fish, which can lead to health problems. If you find it difficult to maintain optimal water temperature, think about the location of the aquarium.
How do you change water in a bettas tank to avoid blindness and other infections?
To perform a partial water change, you will remove some of the water from the betta tank and replace it with fresh, purified water.Using a clean spoon or similar, remove 25% of the water from the current betta container. Leave the betta in the container until the water is removed.
Summary
- It cannot be moved from one fish to another because it is not contagious, but many believe it may or may not be transmitted from generation to generation.It is not necessary their babies will be born with the same conditions.
- It’s very important to buy healthy lines of bettas from breeders who are aware of their genetics.
- Overfeeding should be avoided at all cost,as it is one of the main reasons for increasing the bioload in bettas tanks and makes the water chemistry unsuitable for bettas to thrive.
- Performing regular water changes or partial water changes will maintain pristine water conditions in bettas and keep them healthy.
- Water should be monitored everyday,with the help of good quality water testing kits to keep the levels of ammonia and other organic pollutants which are harmful to bettas in check.
- Leftovers or uneaten food should be removed everyday with the help of a gravel siphon to avoid accumulation of ammonia in bettas tanks.
- Giving them lots of proteins and vitamins is mandatory to avoid nutritional imbalances in bettas.
- API melafix can be used to treat various infections in bettas.
- Make sure not to disturb bettas tanks.It will be very challenging for them to understand the new settings.
Frequently asked questions
Is diamond eye condition in bettas contagious?
No,diamond eye conditions in bettas are not contagious at all.There is not to worry as they do not transmit to other fish in the same aquarium.
Is there any treatment for diamond eye condition?
No,there is no treatment for diamond eye condition nor can it be reversed.
