An Assignment

0n
‘’Swim Bladder Disease in Betta''

Course Title: Fish and Shell Fish Diseases .

Submitted to:
Sayed Mashequl Bari
Assistant Professor at
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University
Chairman at
Department of Aquatic Animal Health Management.

Submitted by:
Mohammad Rashidul Islam
Reg: 18-08912
Level : 3, Semester : ll

Submission Date: 10.06.2021

Introduction:

Swim bladder disease is a very common disease for betta fish. Swim bladder disease is also
called as Swim bladder disorder or Flip-over. Betta is a freshwater ray finned fish. It is a small
fish and looks very colorful. The most popular Betta species is B. splendens, commonly known
as the Siamese fighting fish.

Fig: Betta Fish

Most bony fish have a swim bladder. This air-filled inner organ helps fish maintain their
buoyancy so that they can swim through the water column with less effort. The swim bladder
additionally acts as a stabilizer because it runs along the length of the spine. The number of swim
bladders varies however in maximum species have 1-2. Problems with the swim bladder can
result in odd swimming or trouble changing depth. Though swim bladder disease is common in
betta fish but it is rarely lethal. By taking preventive measures, betta fish can get rid of this
disease.

What is Swim Bladder Disease:

Swim bladder disease or swim bladder disorder refers to a condition when the swim bladder does
not function properly due to physical abnormalities, mechanical/environmental factors, or for other
reasons that cannot be diagnosed. Swim bladder disorder itself is not contagious, but the reason of
it can be.If the swim bladder disease is resulting from bacterial contamination or parasites then
this can spread to different fish species. If the reason is constipation or a genetic problem, then
no it cannot.

Swim bladder disease is a troubling condition that commonly affects bettas. The condition is
actually not a disease but rather a secondary symptom of other betta fish diseases. Fish with
swim bladder disease normally float upside down, struggle to stay at the water surface or sink to
the base of their tank when they stop swimming. Affected fish develop an obviously swollen
belly, which sometimes leads to misdiagnosis with other conditions like dropsy.

How Does the Betta’s Swim Bladder Work:

Bony fish have a specialized organ known as swim bladder. The swim bladder is a buoyancy
organ situated in the fish abdominal cavity and formed from a bulge in part of the fish digestive
channel. The swim bladder consists of oxygen gas and function as stabilizer organ, enabling the
fish to maintain its buoyancy and stay at its chosen depth without the need to use energy in
swimming. The swim bladder also acts as a resonating chamber to acquire or deliver sound.

Causes:

Swim bladder disease is really difficult to diagnose appropriately because any one of a betta's
inner organs can get tainted and cause swelling. There are numerous expected reasons for issues
in a betta swim bladder. These are given below:

 Digestive Problems: The most well known reason of swim bladder disease is digestive
problems. If betta eats up excessively or gobbles up food too quickly, the stomach may
become so swollen that it presses against the swim bladder. Constipation has same effect,
as does gulping down air that regularly occurs with surface-feeders.
When betta eats flakes, pellets, or freeze-dried bloodworms, the food expands on contact
with water, which can cause a obstructed intestinal tract or an increased stomach, which
presses on the swim bladder and causing swim bladder disease.
  Low Water Temperature: Bettas are very impressible to water temperature. When the
water temperature in the tank is too low, the digestive process will slow down. This may
cause food to block the gastrointestinal tract that presses on the swim bladder. Try to
check the water temperature, and adjust the thermostat on heater if necessary to ensure a
range of 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
 Shock: Shock is caused by unexpected temperature changes or fluctuations in water
conditions that can result in swim bladder problems and fin clamping. To prevent shock,
try to keep tank clean by vacuuming the gravel, carrying out weekly partial water
changes, and always monitoring the temperature, pH, and water hardness.
 Parasitic or Bacterial Infection: Occasionally bacterial or parasitic infections can attack
the betta’s swim bladder and cause it to become inflamed. In that case, the betta’s feces
will be stringy and pale in color rather than dark brown and firm.
 Physical Trauma: Betta swim bladder can be damaged by physical injury. For example,
an injury sustained in a fight with a tankmate, or becoming stuck in decor or filtration
units etc. Physical injury can be sustained as the result of a fall when betta jumps out of
the tank during routine maintenance. Bettas can jump, so always proceed slowly and
carefully at the time of working in betta's tank.
 Birth Defects: Betta fish can be born with birth deformity that influences the swim
bladder. In that cases, the betta’s problem appears early in age and the condition is
normally lethal. It is also more common amongst double-tail bettas. In this cases, the
betta fish never swim normally.
 Swollen Abdominal Organs: Sometimes, the fish’s abdominal organs can become increased ,
affecting the swim bladder. For example, cysts or growths can form in the liver and kidneys and
affecting the swim bladder of betta fish.
 Poor water quality: High nitrate levels have been known to prompt to swim bladder disease of
betta.

Signs & Symptoms :

Betta fish that are experiencing Swim Bladder Disease may show an assortment of side effects –
basically identified with their capacity to swim and stay buoyant in the water, including:
  Difficulty swimming
 Struggling to remain buoyant
 Swimming in circles
 Floating upside down and vertically
 Floating to the top of the tank
 Sinking to the bottom
 Constipation
 S-shaped curve in the spine
 Loss of appetite: Sometimes betta
have no interest in food whenever
affected by swim bladder disease.
Low water temperatures is
important Fig: Symptom of Swim Bladder Disease in Betta fish
factor here.

 Swollen appearance: Swim bladder disease can likewise make betta's body apparently
swell.
In some cases, diseased fish will continue to eat their food normally or are unable or unwilling to
feed at all.

Prevention:

Prevention is usually the satisfactory medication in relation to any fish disease. The best way to
make sure swim bladder disease never never occurs is to keep bettas’s surrounding environment
warm and the water clean and properly filtered.

Bettas are delicate to poor water conditions and unexpected changes in water parameters. Living
in the grimy tank will stress the betta that decreasing their immune system and leaving them
susceptible to attack by parasites and bacteria or other microbes. Consistent exposure to
excessive levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate is also stressful and can be prompted to disease.
So always ensure the water changes are done with timely. Keeping the aquarium or tank clean
and carrying out partial water changes can help to prevent swim bladder disorder.

Always keeping up the water temperature at a constant 78 – 80 degrees Fahrenheit will help
betta’s digestion and immune system. Try to avoid large swings in water temperature.Feed the
betta high-quality foods and soak dried ingredients for a couple of moments in some tank water
before feeding. This will assist them pre-assimilate water and increase earlier than getting into
feeding. Melting the frozen food ingredients earlier than provide them to betta as well. When
handling is needed , always carefully do this to avoid physical trauma.

In maximum cases, swim bladder disease can be prevented. Always make sure that betta’s tank
is kept clean and the water parameters remain stable. Don’t overfeed the fishes, always soak
dried food ingredients earlier than feeding them and don’t feed betta on one day each week to
allow his digestive system to rest.

There’s no 100 percent powerful method to prevent it, but there are few things we can do that
will notably diminish the chances of having this disorder. Always keep an eye on water
conditions and temperature.

Treatment :

No matter the cause, the main thing to do for swim bladder treatment is to move them to a
smaller hospital tank if feasible. It should be effectively heated, filtered and treated like the main
aquarium, but with a uncovered base. This assists with eliminating any potential environmental
issues in the main tank and also helps to confine the betta, so they don’t get exhausted trying to
swim excessively.
After transferring the betta in the hospital tank, try to find out the causes of swim bladder
disorder and then treatment will be started according to the causes. Betta swim bladder disorder
can also be a symptom of more serious conditions like dropsy or look similar to other diseases.
So, ensure to rule these out first earlier than selecting on a treatment.
  Constipation: The initial step to treating constipation is to fast the betta fish for 1 to 3
days. That means no feeding at all. Often the blockage will get out on its own and the
swim bladder problem will disappear.
If the fish still hasn’t righted after their fast, try to feed either a small portion of daphnia that acts
as a laxative or a quarter of a blanched, frozen pea that is mostly indigestible to betta fish and can
assist to clear their system out. Feeding boiled, shelled peas is a widely recognised and common
way to clear constipation in many fish species.
There are also some evidence to suggest Epsom salts can assist. Add one tablespoon of Epsom
salts to the aquarium for each five gallons of water.
 Overfeeding: The effective way to cure swim bladder problem caused by overfeeding is to fast
the betta until they begin swimming regularly again but not more than three days. It will regularly
disappear in only a couple hours, if the causes is overfeeding.

After three days fasting, if they don’t return to normal condition, then it is sure that
overfeeding is not the reason for this problem.
 Bacterial Infection: If the betta suffering from a bacterial infection, they will need to be
medicated with antibiotics. Try treatments like Seachem Kanaplex or API Sulfa for an
external infection. For an internal infection, need medicated food or to soak the betta’s
food in medication.Make sure to eliminate any carbon filters from aquarium before
medicating because they will filter out the medicine.

 Injury: Sometimes swim bladder disorder caused by physical trauma will get better with
time, but sometimes the damage will be permanent in some case. Swim bladder disease
isn’t painful or lethal on its own.
 Birth Defect: There is no therapy for a swim bladder disorder caused by a birth defect.
However, it is possible to keep them happy in a appropriate environment.

Supportive Therapy

While the betta is getting treatment for swim bladder disease, there are some supportive therapies
can be used to keep the fish comfortable at the recovery time. To assist the betta’s recovery, give
close attention to the water parameters in tank:
 1. Keep the water clean and free from harmful ammonia and nitrites through maintaining
filtration system appropriately. Ensure nitrate levels remain underneath 20ppm (parts per
million) by carrying out fractional water changes as needed. Avoid sudden changes to
decrease the risk of additional stress and shock.
2. Adding a small quantity of aquarium salt (not table salt) or stress coat to tank can be
helpful to assist decrease swelling, promote healthy slime coat production and improve
the immune system.
3. While the betta is recovering, it can assist to diminish the water level so that it’s easier for
the fish to swim around the tank and get to the surface for air.
4. Make sure that the water flow is kept to a minimum to decrease the effort of betta has to
make to swim.
5. If the betta has a tendency to float with one part of his body continually exposed to the
air, apply a small quantity of stress coat to the influenced location to guard against the
development of ulcers and skin and scale dehydration.
6. Hand-feeding may be needed if the betta is struggling to take food from the surface of
water.
7. Keeping the water clean and the temperature between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the extremely serious swim bladder disorder cases, when the fish shows no sign of recovery
despite extensive treatment, euthanasia may be the most humane course of action.

Conclusion

While swim bladder disease of bettas are somewhat common with numerous causes, it is entirely
treatable. Swim bladder disease might look serious, but in maximum cases it is nothing more
than the result of the betta overeating. Prevention is also the cure in this case. By maintaining
betta warm and clean, swim bladder disease should never be an issue. Apply
melafix or bettafix for infections, or fix the feeding or tank issues causing the condition. Swim
bladder disease or disorder in bettas is rarely fatal if treated quickly and properly.
References:

1. itsafishthing.com
2. thewittyfish.com
3. thesprucepets.com
4. japanesefightingfish.org
5. bettafish.org