In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Why did my betta fish die suddenly?” and provide information on whether overfeeding betta can cause them to die, whether a filter should be present in the tank, why a water heater has to be present in a tank, and other factors that can end up killing betta.
Why did my betta fish die suddenly?
Your betta fish might have died suddenly because of untreated tap water. Tap water needs to be treated with a de-chlorinator. Chlorine can help in killing bacteria present in water. However, chlorine can kill bettas as well as other microbes present in the tank.
As a result, it would be recommended to treat the water with a de-chlorinator. This can prevent the betta fish from dying.
Apart from this, it is important to make the betta accustomed to the environment of the tank. You can do this by checking the pH and temperature of the water present in the tank before opening the bag in which the betta was bought.
The betta would move around in the tank. After 10-15 minutes, add aquarium water to the tank. Keep doing this, after every 15 minutes to allow the fish to get accustomed to the water.
Can overfeeding betta cause them to die?
Yes, overfeeding betta can cause them to die. Unlike humans, betta might not know what is satiety. As a result, they can end up eating too much and appear hungry even if they have been fed properly.
This can increase the risk of betta suffering from constipation or swim bladder disease. If the foods are not eaten on time, it can cause the food to rot in the tank.
This can increase the levels of ammonia in the tank. It can cause ammonia poisoning. Ammonia poisoning can kill betta within a few hours. Do not feed betta more than 2 times a day.
Should a filter be present in the tank?
Yes, there has to be a filter present in the tank. If you change the water regularly, there is no need to keep a filter in the tank.
Filter present in the tank can reduce ammonia levels. This can prevent ammonia poisoning and the fish would not die prematurely.
Why should a water heater be kept in a tank?
The temperature of the water needs to be around 76 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. You can install a heater in the tank so that the temperature of the tank becomes appropriate for betta fish.
Fluctuations or changes in water temperature can affect your betta’s health. Even if the temperature around is warm, slight fluctuations in temperature can change the temperature of the water. This can even cause your betta fish to die. Thus, install a heater if possible.
What are some other factors that can end up killing betta?
- If your betta fish suffers from a disease, it can die quickly. Some diseases might not show any symptoms in your fish. This can make it harder to diagnose and treat them. Tuberculosis can be one such disease that cannot be easily detected in a fish.
Even if you frequently clean your aquarium, harmful bacteria can still be introduced into your tank. This can occur by the addition of plants or other new fish to the tank. They can be carriers of harmful microbes and affect betta.
As a result, buy new fish or materials for your tank only from a reputed seller. You can also quarantine the fish or other materials for a week before introducing them to betta’s tank.
- Poor conditions of water can be another cause of betta fish dying suddenly. You can even use a filter to clean water.
If you do not clean your water for a long period of time, the lifespan of fish can be reduced. The quality of water can be reduced which can cause the fish to die suddenly.
- An overcrowded tank can reduce water quality too. Some bettas are territorial and do not like it when other fish come into the tank. They can become aggressive and assault other fish. This can stress out other fish and betta too.
Another issue is that bettas can stress out when there is less space to swim which is often observed in an overcrowded tank. This can cause them to die suddenly too.
- A smaller tank can be another cause for betta fish to stress out. A tank’s size has to be around 5 gallons for betta fish to live.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Why did my betta fish die suddenly?” and provided information on whether overfeeding betta can cause them to die, whether a filter should be present in the tank, why a water heater has to be present in a tank, and other factors that can end up killing betta.
