The most painful thing the fish owners face is the death of their pet fish. When such a situation takes place, the fish owners usually want to understand the reason for the death of their fish. The most common fish species that people keep as their pet is Betta fish because it is considered a beginner friendly fish and easy to take care of. Lets understand and figure out the possibilities behind the death of the pet betta fish.
Reasons for the Death of Betta Fish
There can be various possible reasons for the Betta fish to die. Let’s discuss some common factors that lead the Betta fish to die:
Improper Diet
Improper diet is a very common problem that leads the Betta fish to eventually die. Many fish owners make mistakes in providing a proper diet to their pet Betta fish. The mistakes made in providing proper food to the Betta or any other kind of fish is probably expired or wrong food. It is important to check the food before feeding the fish for if they are expired or not.
Some kinds of fish are herbivores that eat plants and some are carnivores that eat insects or the meat of living things. So, providing all kinds of fish with the food having the same types of ingredients is discouraged. Betta fish are carnivores that eat insects and meat of living things. So, the food they are provided should contain the ingredients necessary for the Betta fish to grow healthy. Similarly, overfeeding and underfeeding are also the factors responsible for unhealthy Betta fish living patterns.
Stress
Like human beings, other creatures including fish also experience stress. Betta fish is especially known to be prone to stress and mental illness because of their aggressive and competitive nature. Stress does not cause sudden death but it takes weeks or months to end the life of a betta fish.
There can be various reasons behind this life threatening stress, for instance, frequent tapping on the glass can create unrest in betta fish, poor water conditions makes breathing difficult for the betta fish, changing the water frequently or changing the environment of the betta fish can also lead to stress in them and introducing new betta fish to the existing betta fish can also cause anxiousness in betta fish because of their aggressive and quarreling nature.
Keeping all the above aspects in consideration, it is recommended for the owners of the betta fish to try to minimize the stress for the betta fish to the level as high as possible. It is recommended to not disturb the betta fish again and again and keep the environment for them as clean as possible and also take notice of the behavior of the betta fish under certain conditions for example noticing their behavior over a certain period of time when a new fish is introduced to the betta fish.
Unhygienic Water
It is also possible that poor or hygienic water conditions become the reason for the betta to die. Fish can survive between a certain level of temperature and a major increase or decrease or decrease in the level of temperature can be hazardous to the fish. The water with the increased level of temperature has a decreased level of oxygen that makes breathing very difficult for the betta fish. Similarly, a decreased water temperature can also be harmful to the fish.
Moreover, when the pH level of the water is unstable, it is also a red signal for the heath of the fish. The ammonia present in the water when it exceeds a certain amount can also be a reason for the death of the betta fish. Ammonia increases in water when the water is not cleaned or replaced over an extended period of time.
Age
Different species of fish have different numbers of years as their estimated age. So, age is also a very important factor to consider while talking about the possible reason for the death of the betta fish. Betta fish are known to live for almost four years normally.
So, when the betta reaches or crosses the age limit of four years and starts showing the symptoms of aging like if they stop nesting or interacting with fellow fish in their surroundings, it might be an indication that your betta will not live for a longer period of time. Age is one of the factors that is considered a natural reason for the betta fish to die.
Injury
We often observe that pets, whether they be birds or animals or fish, mostly do not survive much after a major injury. Similarly, when the betta have an injury, it may not survive if the damage caused by the injury is difficult to be cured. Betta fish are famous for their quarreling nature and they are mostly seen engaged in fighting with other fish. So, an injury caused during a fight with another betta fish can be a cause of their death.
Disease
It is also possible that the betta fish is attacked by a disease. The disease may be caused due to the poor water condition, unclean environment, overfeeding or underfeeding, expired food etc. Like other creatures, betta fish can also be attacked by different types of diseases. For instance, overfeeding a betta fish causes their stomach to bloat and this may lead to trouble for the betta fish to eat anything. Similarly, underfeeding can also make them sick physically and mentally.
So, it is very important to monitor the betta fish to see if there is any unusual pattern that may be a sign of their disturbed routine.
The Bottom-Line
There can be various factors that cause the betta fish to die, for instance, aging, overfeeding, underfeeding, unhealthy diet, use of expired food, injury, diseases, poor water conditions and stress. The reason for the death of the pet betta fish can be understood by observing the symptoms they show before they die. It is hence better to try to cure the betta fish as early as possible even if they show minor symptoms.
