Betta fish ich is a condition that caused by parasite on the outside of the fish’s body that result in several white spots of the fish’s gills and skins. The condition falls under parasitic infection that’s commonly affecting freshwater fish. It is a condition that can be easily detected by naked eye, but the diagnosis has to come with consideration that there are set of other possible causes beside ich that creates the white spots.
Ich, also commonly referred to as fish white spot disease, is a health condition brought by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis – a protozoan parasite. It is a condition that exclusively appears in freshwater fish. Meanwhile, saltwater fish also prone to white spot disease, but this one is caused by different type of parasite, Cryptocaryon irritans. Either way, both are quite tricky to treat because of the complexity of parasites’ life cycle.
There are various reasons that may cause Betta fish ich, but the most common one is the failure of introducing new additional fish to the aquarium with proper quarantine steps. Ich parasite only requires one to reproduce and transmit to the whole tank. Majority of fish will appear to be healthy and okay until the parasite reaches complete several life cycles, and this may take days to week, according to the temperature of the water. Other common causes of this condition is infected tank equipment due to improper sanitation process, infected tank decoration or filter media, or infected water from other tank system.
Successful betta fish ich treatment may require you to consult to a vet, where proper diagnosis can be made by examining the fishes. It is important because there are plenty of other possible causes of white spots in freshwater fish that can mimic the ich condition, but need to be treated differently. For examples, fin ray fractures can look quite similar even though this specific condition is not life-threatening at all. Lymhpocystis and breeding tubercles are other conditions that also provide white bumps and spots on fishes.
After proper diagnosis is performed and confirmed, you may opt for recommended treatment options that are usually available from the vet or fish store. Performing regular monitoring and maintenance of the tank’s water temperature is a crucial factor to make sure that you got rid of the parasite completely from the aquarium system. There are plenty of OTC treatment types for Betta fish ich, but they may hurt your fish pets severely if used improperly.
