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Betta fish are intelligent.

As a result, there is a high possibility for them to get into a variety of mental health conditions. Depression can be considered as a perfect example of such a health condition that betta fish can get.

How to figure out whether my betta fish has depression?

As a betta fish

owner, you need to make sure that betta fish lonely doesn?t take place in your fish tank. But you cannot keep an eye on them at all times. On the other hand, you might not have a good understanding of how to take care of betta fish. As a result, they will end up getting depressed.

The easiest method is available for you to figure out whether betta fish get depressed or not is to understand how a healthy betta fish would look like. In addition, you need to get to know about the behavior of healthy betta fish as well.

Healthy betta fish tend to eat vigorously.

On the other hand, they are active and tend to swim around most of the time. By appearance, healthy betta fish look vibrant and colorful. Their tails and fins are well spread out. The body looks clean and slick as well.

But when betta fish becomes a victim of depression, it would look and act sad. In such a situation, you will notice that betta fish are lethargic.

Below mentioned are the most prominent signs, which indicate that your betta fish have become victims of depression.

• They eat reluctantly or they do not eat at all.
• The betta fish are inactive. They prefer to spend most of their time in one of the corners of the tank. Or else, you can always find them on the surface of water or in the bottom of the tank.
• The betta fish looks gray and pale. Usually, they have a dull color.
• They run into objects purposely in order to scratch themselves.
• The eyes of betta fish look swollen and protruding.
• In the body of betta fish, it is possible to find red or white-colored spots.
• The fins and tail are closed, clumped and falling apart.
• The belly of betta fish looks either extended or swollen.
• The gills of betta fish is not closing all the way. They remain half-open.
• If you have male betta fish, you will not be able to find them making betta fish bubbles.
• If you have female betta fish, you will not be able to see them releasing betta fish eggs once introduced to male betta fish.

How to treat betta fish?

When you notice these signs and symptoms in your betta fish, you don?t need to worry about anything. That?s because it is possible for you to go ahead and provide appropriate treatments as needed by the fish.

As the first step of treatments, you will need to isolate your betta fish. You cannot keep your betta fish in the same tank with others and proceed with the treatments. You will need to get them out from the communal tank and proceed with the treatments needed.

Once you isolate betta fish with depression, you can follow the below-mentioned steps in order to provide the treatment needed. You can follow these steps, whether you have a male betta fish or a female betta fish. You will be able to end up with positive results within a short period of time as well.

• Make sure that you keep betta fish in an environment where there are no fin nippers. If you keep fin nippers in the fish tank with betta fish, there is a high possibility for them to become victims of depression. Therefore, you need to keep them away from such an environment, until they recover. The fin nippers include tetras, neons and other similar objects. They have got the ability to chase betta fish constantly. Hence, your betta fish will have to live under a lot of stress at all times. This stress can lead them towards depression.

• Betta fish can be considered as tropical fish. Hence, they prefer to live in warm water. But if you don?t put warm water in the fish tank, they will become victims of depression. During the depression treatments, you will need to make sure that you have warm water in the isolated tank.

• Cleanliness in water can also cause depression among betta fish. Therefore, you need to use clean water in the new fish tank, where you have isolated your betta fish. In addition, you need to double-check and confirm that no strong filter currents are there in the new fish tank.

• There should be a lot of plants and rocks in the fish tank where your betta fish live. That?s because betta fish prefer to hide and have a personal time of their own. In addition, they prefer to swim around the rocks as well. Therefore, you need to add a lot of rocks and plants to the fish tank, where you treat them for depression.

• Betta fish need to be provided with a lot of food as well. In here, you need to think about getting food that is specifically designed for the consumption of betta fish. You can easily purchase them from your local pet stores. Usually, the diet of a betta fish is made out of a lot of protein. Hence, you need to purchase appropriate food and add them to the tank.

• You should also introduce some decorative items to the fish tank. When getting these decorative items, you must make sure that they are not too flashy to distract betta fish. A moss ball can be considered as a perfect example for an item that you can get into the fish tank.

• If you are treating a male betta fish for depression, you should make sure that no male betta fish are around. That?s because male betta fish are extremely territorial.

You also have to consider spending time with your betta fish since they are very intelligent.? There are toys that can be introduced to your betta fish when caring for them on a daily routine.