Betta first aid kit

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littleking
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed May 18, 2022 11:00 pm

Betta first aid kit

Post by littleking »

What essentials should I keep in a betta first aid kit? My guy's been acting off lately, and I wanna be prepared. Tank's a 5 gallon, filtered, heated to 78F, with live plants. Parameters are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. He's a halfmoon, about a year old.
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floura
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Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:11 am

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by floura »

You'll wanna grab some aquarium salt, stress coat, and kanaplex. Also keep a spare heater and air stone handy. I've got a 10 gallon hospital tank set up just in case, but a quarantine container works too. How often are you doing water changes?
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littleking
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed May 18, 2022 11:00 pm

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by littleking »

Weekly changes, about 20%. Thanks for the tips, gonna order that stuff today. Forgot about the spare heater, that's smart.
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breezo
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Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:19 am

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by breezo »

Yep, floura's got the basics covered. I'd add some Indian almond leaves too, they're great for calming 'em down. Also, grab a pipette for spot feeding if they stop eating. My dude bounced back fast when I could target feed him.
mistyk
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2024 2:30 am

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by mistyk »

breezo wrote: Tue Jul 22, 2025 5:25 pm Yep, floura's got the basics covered. I'd add some Indian almond leaves too, they're great for calming 'em down. Also, grab a pipette for spot feeding if they stop eating. My dude bounced back fast when I could target feed him.
Second the almond leaves. They're a lifesaver for fin rot too. Keep 'em in a ziplock so they don't dry out.
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Oceania
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Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 4:22 am

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by Oceania »

Don't forget a small net and a turkey baster for quick cleanups. Had to emergency remove a dead snail once, and it was messy without the right tools. Also, test strips are faster than liquid kits when you're in a pinch.
foggy_mind
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 5:21 pm

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by foggy_mind »

I keep a tiny bottle of clove oil in mine. Hope to never use it, but it's better than watching them suffer if things go south. Dark, controversial take, but it's part of my kit.
fable95
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:52 am

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by fable95 »

foggy_mind wrote: Tue Jul 22, 2025 10:24 pm I keep a tiny bottle of clove oil in mine. Hope to never use it, but it's better than watching them suffer if things go south. Dark, controversial take, but it's part of my kit.
That's responsible, honestly. I'd add methylene blue too—it's saved two of mine from columnaris. Just be careful with dosing.
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floral9
Posts: 68
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2023 1:17 pm

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by floral9 »

Mine's got epsom salt for bloating, plus a little mirror for stimulation if they're lethargic. Sometimes they just need a pep talk from their reflection, lol. Also, a spare sponge filter's cheap and handy for hospital tanks.
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flux9
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2024 10:20 pm

Re: Betta first aid kit

Post by flux9 »

y'all got fancy kits. i just got salt, water conditioner, and a prayer. works most the time.
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