Bettas are the most beautiful freshwater creatures, especially male bettas. They have long, flowing, colourful fins that attract many owners to have them as a pet. However, sometimes we notice that our betta fish is losing its colour and becoming pale.
Such issues show the signs of betta fish suffering from problems, which worries us. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the cause behind betta fish losing colour and treat it at its early stages. So, why is my betta fish losing colour and turning white? So, let us find out.
Stress due to poor water conditions and inadequate parameters is the primary reason your betta loses its colour. Illness, injury, and poor feeding are other causes. Ensure good water conditions and adequate and stable parameters, and feed them high-quality food regularly to prevent such issues.
This article will discuss why your betta fish lost its colour and turned white. Also, we will discuss how to prevent our betta fish from such issues. So, let us get into it.
Contents
My betta fish is losing colour and turning white.
There are numerous reasons behind your betta fish losing its colour or turning white.
Bettas are easy to take care of, but a slight change in water parameters and conditions can make them suffer from issues.
Bettas can easily become stressed, resulting in them losing their colour.
There can be various other reasons for your betta fish losing its colour.
Your betta fish turning white shows signs of them suffering from diseases and parasites.
Let us discuss in detail all the reasons behind your betta fish losing colour and turning white.
What are the reasons behind my betta fish losing colour?
All these are the reasons behind your betta fish losing colour:
- Your betta fish is under stress
- Your betta fish is living in poor water conditions.
- Old age is the reason behind your betta fish losing colour.
- Your betta fish is suffering from illness.
- Your betta fish is suffering from physical injury.
Stress
Stress can be the primary reason behind your betta fish losing colour.
There can be various stress causes in your betta fish, like a small-size tank, poor feeding, a non-heated tank, and inappropriate parameters.
Keeping your bettas in a poorly maintained tank will also make them stressed.
Betta fish, under stress, will start losing their colour and getting weak.
Also, you must know that being stressed for a long time, fish will become prone to various diseases and parasites.
Poor water conditions
Betta fish living in bad water conditions will start losing their colour.
Poor water conditions lack oxygen and also contain a high risk of ammonia and nitrite spikes in the tank.
Ammonia spikes can result in betta fish suffering from ammonia burns and getting into high-level stress.
Your betta fish will lose their appetite in poor water conditions and become weak.
Weak betta will start looking pale and losing colour.
Old age
Old age can also be the factor behind your betta fish losing its colour.
A healthy betta fish have a lifespan of an average of 5 years.
So, age is the issue if you have a betta fish for a time and detect them losing colour despite proper tank condition and adequate parameters.
Some bettas start losing their colour because of the age factor from 2 years of age.
Illness
It is also possible that illness is the reason behind your betta fish losing colour instead of environmental factors.
Some bacterial infections and parasites make your betta fish body turn white.
Your betta fish can also develop other colours because of illness, and you should know about the colour-changing symptoms of your betta fish.
Your betta fish fin getting white or pale is something you should worry about.
Physical injury
Your betta fish suffering and recovering from physical injury will also lose its natural colour.
When betta fish get injured, the body’s injured part recovers and develops dark colour in that area.
Most of the time, they will develop blackish colour when recovering from the injury, which is normal, and there is nothing to worry about.
Your betta fish also change its colour during maturity and develop darker shades, which is normal.
What are the reasons behind my betta fish turning white?
All these are the reasons behind your betta fish turning white:
- Your betta fish is suffering from ich.
- Your betta fish is suffering from fin rot.
- Your betta fish is suffering from a bacterial infection called columnaris.
- Your betta fish is under stress.
Ich
Ich, also known as white spots disease and ick, is a disease in which an external parasite attaches to the fish’s body, causing irritation and itchiness.
Your betta fish will show symptoms like losing appetite, white spots all over the body, rubbing against objects and plants, and lying at the bottom of the tank.
Ich reproduces and expands very quickly over the tank, harming all your fish.
It is necessary to treat ich as soon as possible as the disease reaches a further stage, and your betta fish will be at risk of passing away.
Also read: Why Is My Betta Fish Not Active?
How to fix it?
You can treat ich in two ways, one is using aquarium salt, and the second is using copper sulfate medication.
Salt can harm many aquarium plants and other fish in your betta tank.
So, see first if your betta mates and plants are salts resistant before using salt medication.
Salt medication is the best option to cure ich for your betta fish.
We recommend using the API freshwater aquarium salt to help your betta fish recover quickly.
You can use chemical medication if your betta fish’s present mates and plants are not salt resistant.
We recommend using the API super ick cure as it will help treat your betta from ich disease.
Read the proper instruction before using any medication, as a higher dosage can do worse than good.
Fin rot
If your betta is developing pale colour or is suffering from frayed or damaged fins, fin rot is the issue.
If not treated at the early stages, it can expand all over the body of your betta fish, and they will suffer from a life-threatening condition.
Antibiotic medication by consulting your vet is necessary to cure such issues.
Columnaris
Columnaris can also be one reason your betta fish turns white.
Columnaris is a bacterial infection that will cause white spots in your betta fish body.
Columnaris can also cause ulcers and frayed fins to your betta fish.
If you notice your betta fish being fluffy with developing white spots, columnaris is the reason here.
Stress
Stress can also be the reason behind your betta fish losing colour and turning white.
Poor water conditions, injury, illness, inadequate water parameters, and a small size tank can make your betta fish come under stress.
Betta fish is under stress and will lose their appetite and become weak, which will affect their colour, and they will lose their colour.
How to prevent my betta fish from losing colour and ensure enhancing colour?
Ensure all these things to prevent your betta fish from losing colour and enhancing their colour:
- Ensure good water condition.
- Provide adequate water parameters.
- Feed your betta fish regularly with a high-quality carnivorous diet.
- Provide your betta fish with good living conditions.
Good water conditions
Providing your betta fish with good water conditions will help in their colour enhancement.
Your betta fish will live comfortably and happily in a well-maintained tank, which will help them in their good health and development.
To ensure good water conditions, perform a weekly water change of at least 30%.
Make sure to treat the tap water with a water conditioner while performing a water change to dechlorinate the water.
We recommend using the API water conditioner as it will help you eliminate chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, nitrite, and heavy metals from the water.
Consider adding a good filtration system to your betta fish tank to prevent the tank from excess waste and harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.
Perform a weekly check on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and make sure to maintain ammonia and nitrite at 0 ppm, whereas nitrate should be below 20 ppm.
We recommend using the API freshwater master kit to check your tank’s ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH, as it shows an accurate result.
Adequate water parameters
Even a slight change in water parameters will affect your betta fish’s health and make them under high-level stress.
Providing your betta fish with their ideal water parameters will keep them happy and healthy, which will help them maintain their beautiful colours.
Betta fish require a heated tank with a water temperature between 75-80 °F.
Maintain the water pH level between 6.5 and 8.
Consider adding a heater to your betta fish tank to keep the tank heated and ensure stable water temperature.
High-quality diet
Food is crucial in keeping your fish healthy and ensuring their faster growth and development.
Also, feeding your betta fish with their proper diet will help them in enhancing their color.
Feed your betta fish regularly, one to two times a day, with high-quality food.
Bettas are carnivore fish and require meat-based high, protein food in their daily diet.
The staple part of your betta fish diet will be betta pellets.
You should also feed them with live, freeze-dried, or frozen food like brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, daphnia, bloodworms, and tubifex worms as a treat for one to two times a week.
Also read: Can Betta Fish Eat Earthworms?
Good living conditions
Providing your betta fish with good living conditions will prevent them from losing color and also help in their colour enhancement.
Keep your betta fish in a minimum size 5-gallon tank to ensure enough space for them to swim.
Your betta fish tank should be heavily planted so they can feel safe, and it will also help you mimic their natural habitat.
Don’t keep more than one male betta together, as they are aggressive and territorial.
They both will fight each other until one of them is dead.
Clean your betta fish tank monthly and perform a water change weekly to ensure good water conditions.
Conclusion:
There can be numerous reasons behind your betta fish losing colour and turning white, of which stress and illness are the primary reasons.
Other causes include inadequate water parameters, injury, poor water conditions, and poor feeding.
Providing your betta fish with a regular supply of food, adequate water parameters, and good water conditions will prevent them from losing colour and help them enhance their colour.