Who Gives A Fish Forums

What's the best way to keep my betta from getting sick? I've got a 5-gallon tank with a sponge filter, heater set to 78, and do 25% water changes weekly. Noticed some fin clamping last week, but params are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Wondering if I'm missing something.

Fin clamping could be stress or early signs of infection. How's the flow from your sponge filter? Too strong can stress them out. Also, what's your water change routine like? Maybe bump it to 30% if you're seeing issues.

Yep, flow's a biggie. My dude was stressed till I baffled the filter with a sponge. Also, you using any tannins? Indian almond leaves can help boost their immune system, kinda like a natural chill pill.

TimberOak wrote: ↑Mon Aug 25, 2025 6:32 pm Yep, flow's a biggie. My dude was stressed till I baffled the filter with a sponge. Also, you using any tannins? Indian almond leaves can help boost their immune system, kinda like a natural chill pill.

Agreed on the tannins. I've seen fewer issues since adding catappa leaves. Also, make sure your water conditioner treats chloramines if your tap has them.

My fish had similar issues till I started using stress guard during water changes. Not sure if it's the fix, but he's been way more active since.

How often you feeding? Overfeeding can mess with water quality even if params look good. I stick to 3-4 pellets twice a day, skip a day weekly.

Tankmates? Even snails can stress some bettas. Mine flares at everything, so he's solo.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try the almond leaves and check the flow. He's alone in the tank, so no tankmate drama.

desertfox wrote: ↑Mon Aug 25, 2025 11:14 pm Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try the almond leaves and check the flow. He's alone in the tank, so no tankmate drama.

Cool, keep us posted. Sometimes it's just tweaking small stuff till you find the sweet spot.

Yeah, and don't stress if it takes a bit. These guys can be finicky, but once you dial it in, they're solid.