# Sticky  Symptoms and Diseases Triggered by Poor Habitat Maintenance



## RussellTheShihTzu

Betta and other fish can be the victims of a wide variety of disease. Did you know most can be prevented with good habitat maintenance? That means regular water changes and keeping parameters at 0ppm Ammonia and Nitrites and under 20 Nitrates. One 25% water change per week with substrate vacuum should keep most water quality where it needs to be. Weekly water changes also keep the water "fresh" while merely doing top-offs concentrates anything bad in the water.

If you don't have a filter use a turkey baster to daily remove food and waste and do two 25% water changes per week.

Overfeeding, buildup of waste and dead and dying plant material can cause poor water quality. So watch what you feed and remove dead and dying plant material as soon as you notice it.

Every aquarist should have the equipment to test Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. These can either be testing strips or liquid tests. Liquid test give you more bang for your buck as you can do so many more tests than if using strips. An API Master Test Kit can be found under $25 online, it is usually around $30 in a pet store. Or, if the entire kit is not in your budget at least get a liquid Ammonia test.

The following list contains the diseases which are triggered by poor water maintenance. Note we say "triggered" and not "caused." That's because poor water is responsible for weakened immune systems which, in turn, leave the fish open to disease and provide an environment for bacteria and fungus to thrive.

Be honest with yourself: Are you doing the maintenance you should? If your Betta becomes sick, fill out the sticky and don't fudge on your water changes. We all have times when we can't maintain our tanks as we wish so no one should shame you for your lapse.

This was developed by RusselltheShihTzu with input from Rachel O'Leary (msjinkzd).

*Symptoms and Diseases That Can Be Triggered By Poor Habitat Maintenance

Symptoms:*
Lethargy
Loss of appetite/weight loss/stunting
Dull or faded color- Patches of discoloration
Isolation from school/shoal
Irregular fin growth/color, tattered appearance of fins
Flashing


*Diseases:*
Dropsy/organ/kidney failure
Fin Rot
Body Rot
Ammonia Poisoning (Do several water changes to reduce Ammonia slowly; no 100%)
Nitrite Poisoning (Do several water changes to reduce Nitrites slowly; no 100%)
Nitrate Poisoning (Do several water changes to reduce Nitrates slowly; no 100%)
Ich/Ick
Popeye
Fungal Infections
Columnaris
Septicemia
Saprolegnia
Intestinal parasites become a critical problem in poor husbandry
For shrimp- elliobiopsidae and vorticella are caused from poor husbandry/overcrowding
Arguably HITH/lateral line erosion

Says Rachel O'Leary (Invertebrates by Msjinkzd - Specializing in invertebrates and micro fish from around the world. and MsJinkzd on YouTube): "_IMO, any disease possible can become latent when poor husbandry is the cause. Dilution is key to treating every disease I have ever dealt with, ever, in my entire fish keeping history._"

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Note:* Do not use this thread if seeking advice about your sick Betta. Instead, start a thread in Diseases and Emergencies. Fill out the form linked below and provide photos:

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so we can best help your Betta​


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## Rainbo

> Every aquarist should have the equipment to test Nitrates, Nitrites and Nitrates.


Do you mean Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates?


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