Betta fish are known for their bright colors and lively personalities. They can be a great pet for any person, but betta fish sometimes die without warning.
This blog post is to help you identify betta fish behavior before death to save your betta if it’s dying.
It will also provide you with 7 signs that indicate when bettas are about to die so that you know what time frame to act within to prevent your betta from passing away.
A betta fish’s lifespan can vary depending on various factors, including the betta species and how well it is cared for.
The bettas that are kept in captivity tend to live shorter than those who can swim around their natural habitat of rice paddies or slow-moving waters.
However, bettas usually only take up to two years to reach maturity and start breeding.
Because betta fish can live in smaller tanks than other fish, they often die before their lives could be considered “long.”
How Long Does It Take For a Betta To Die?
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The betta fish is a popular as well as one of the most beautiful freshwater fish.
They are very easy to care for and can live up to around three years or more if their correct needs are provided.
Sometimes bettas die after being purchased from pet stores, this could be due to many reasons which we will discuss later in this article.
The time taken for a betta to die is dependent on the betta’s health condition before death.
Betta fish are very strong and resilient, so if they were healthy when you bought them then it will take longer for them to die compared to bettas that have been stressed or sickly from being in a pet store tank.
The betta’s length of life is also dependent on the betta’s living conditions.
If you care for your bettas well and provide them with a suitable environment then they will live longer than bettas that don’t have such great care.
Bettas prefer staying at the bottom or middle level of aquariums, but bettas who are about to die often swim on the top of the water.
They are trying to get more oxygen.
Sign 3: Betta Starts Hiding
Bettas will start looking for a place where they can hide, even in betta fish tank decorations.
Bettas may also use plants or other décor as their shelter.
You have to provide bettas with these betta fish tank decorations if bettas are showing this betta behavior.
Sign 4: Betta Starts Losing Their Color
Betta’s body becomes transparent before they die, so you see through to the internal organs of bettas.
Their colors also fade away as well!
You may notice that betta fins become lighter or pale in color too.
Sign 5: Betta Starts Acting Weird
Bettas may become more aggressive or even stop being aggressive before they die.
Their betta temperament will change as well!
If your bettas are showing signs of aggression, you have to move them into separate tanks because bettas can hurt other bettas if their life is at risk.
Sign 6: Betta Fish Start Acting Lethargic
Sometimes bettas become less active before they die, and bettas often stay in a place for hours without moving at all.
Bettas seem to be tired if their life is at risk!
If you notice your betta behaves like this, give him some rest.
Sign 7: Betta Fish Starts Gasping For Air
Bettas may have difficulties breathing before they die.
You will notice that bettas open their mouths and gills like bettas are trying to breathe even though there is no water at all!
When bettas are showing these betta fish signs, you have to pay attention!
Bettas may die if they don’t get any betta care.
These common betta fish behaviors before death will let keepers know that their bettas need some help to be saved.
These activities are betta fish’s way of telling you they are sick.
Abnormal betta fish behavior includes hiding, gasping at the surface for air, or trying to jump out of the tank.
Lethargy clamped fins and sitting on the bottom with little movement could also be symptoms that your bettas’ health is deteriorating.
How Can I Tell If My Betta Fish Is Stressed?
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Stress in betta fish is very common which affects their living condition, and it can even lead to death if not treated well.
Many causes should be taken into account such as temperature changes or water contamination.
However, there are also some signs that bettas show when they feel stressed out: hiding at the bottom of the tank, staying still in one corner of the betta fish habitat, showing unusual betta coloration, or betta fin rot.
All these signs are very important since they can tell if your betta is stressed out due to any factor you might not be aware of.
So pay close attention to them and see how bad their living conditions are.
If betta fish are stressed, they might also show some betta aggression which can even lead to betta death if another betta is in the same tank with them!
So better be careful about how you place your bettas when introducing them into a new home.
There are many possibilities as to why betta fish die.
We will take a look at some of the most common reasons why bettas just seem to stop living and how you can avoid such situations from happening in your betta’s life.
It is not an easy thing to go through, especially if you are very attached to your betta fish.
Betta fish die because of low oxygen levels in the tank water.
Bettas will tend to act differently when they are dying or just about to die.
They behave abnormally when they’re sick and need help.
Bettas might die after a water change because of low oxygen levels in the tank water.
Betta fish can be stressed out and may show some abnormal behavior as well.
If you notice any changes, it is best to take action right away!
There are many reasons why betta fish just seem to stop living.
Some bettas will behave differently while others show abnormal behavior when they are sick and need help.
Betta fish owners must know these things so we can take action fast before it’s too late for our betta friends!
Below are some other common possibilities we discussed and how to prevent them. So, read on!
Is Your Betta Fish Dying After a Water Change?
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The reason why your betta is dying after a water change is that bettas are very sensitive to changes in their environment.
They do not like drastic changes and you should never change more than 25% of their water at one time.
Unless they have been sick for a few days with ich or some other disease causing them harm.
Water change can also stress betta fish and they might start acting differently, have less appetite, or even die during a water change.
If you do not want to stress your betta fish don’t change their water more than once every two weeks.
Bettas are also very sensitive when it comes to temperature changes so if the new water is colder than their old water.
Betta fish might start acting differently, they will be less active and maybe even lay at the bottom of their tank.
You should change bettas’ water to room temperature to avoid any stress or death caused by a sudden drop in temperature!
If you face the same problem every time you change the water then you should read the below-mentioned article. We are sure that you will get the solution!
Is Your Betta Fish Sick and Lying at The Bottom?
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This betta fish behavior is not normal. There are many reasons why your betta could be lying on the bottom, and it’s important to know how serious each case is.
In this article, I will show you what a betta’s natural habitat should look like when they normally nap at different times of day and also some behaviors that bettas do when they are dying.
I bet you have never seen your betta fish lie on the bottom of their tank to sleep, right?
It is even more awkward if you see that betta sleeping at the top but then all of a sudden he or she flips over and lies face down.
This can be one sign of betta fish disease.
There are many reasons why bettas do this and in most cases, bettas will recover when given the correct treatment or medication by their owners.
The second sign of betta illness is when they rest at the bottom of your tank but only with their heads facing upwards instead of lying flat on their stomachs.
Their eyes will be closed and bettas normally stay in this position for a couple of minutes.
When betta fish is sick, they will swim to the bottom or just float at the top trying not to move around much.
Below mentioned is a detailed article on why sick betta fish lies at the bottom and what is that sign. Is it dying or is it hungry? To know it completely, give it a read!
A betta fish’s dying signs are hard to detect. Because of this, it is easy for bettas to die without getting noticed by their owners.
Thus, how can you tell if your betta is sick, and what should be done? Now, that you have read all the dying signs.
Let us understand how to save a dying betta fish when seen.
The bettas are well known to swim at the bottom of their tanks.
This is normal betta behavior when they sleep or seek food around that area.
However, if your betta fish is just lying on his side without moving – he might be sick and dying!
Do not wait until it’s late to save him. Your betta is still alive until you have seen his gills moving.
It can be really hard to revive bettas since they are so small – but it’s not impossible!
But, before doing anything else for your betta fish keep these things in mind:
Never use any soap or chemicals when cleaning the tank. Just clean the betta fish tank with lukewarm water and use a clean towel.
Do not move the betta around randomly, as it might cause him stress even more – this can also make you lose track of where he is!
Try to feed your betta by using tweezers or a feeding tube if needed.
If your betta is still alive but too weak to open his mouth, you can try using betta fish food tablets instead of betta pellets.
When it comes to bettas dying without a reason or cure – this might be caused by not enough water conditioner (such as a dechlorinator) in the betta tank and a change of environment!
It is important to keep betta fish healthy and happy.
As betta fish are part of the fighting fish species, there may be several reasons for your betta to behave unusually before death.
The common signs that you should look out for in a betta fish dying are:
If it has stopped eating and being active.
Its color fades away quickly or is greyish.
Feeling bloated with water just under their scales.
Betta fish are known to be stressed when they are in a smaller tank with no hiding places or betta fish fighting.
If you notice any of these signs on your betta.
You must take them to the aquarium store immediately and consult one of their betta experts.
Ask them for further advice on what might have caused this behavior and how to save your betta fish.
Most bettas live for around two years, though some can live longer.
Several factors will affect a betta’s age such as the size of their tank and whether they have been in fights with other bettas or not which may shorten their lifespan.
If you suspect anything strange, such as betta not eating, gently pick it up and take it to an aquarium store for advice.
So let us know if you have seen any signs on your bettas before they were about to die and what you did to save them.
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