# Is my betta sick?



## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

I got a new betta about 2 weeks ago. Just a baby, maybe 1inch nose to tip of his tail. When I saw him swimming happy and flaring I saw what looked like poka dots in the coloring of his tail and fins. Thought it was part of his coloring. Recently I noticed the same coloring on his head. Almost like black freckles. They are not raised. Is it part of his coloring or illness? I will try and get a picture to show.









He looks just like that but smaller and his head isn't dark. Could his head be turning dark?


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## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

I think as they become comfortable in their new home they tend to get more coloror change, stress from being in those little cups tends to make them dull looking, but I cant rule out illness, best to get a good pic.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

You can click to see a bigger image

This is my betta. Can you see the "freckles"?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Just his color.He is still a baby and his color will get more intense steel over a few weeks time.Feed him good and he will be awesome looking!


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Ok good, I was worried. What are some good food to feed him? My last one I fed dried bloodworm and flakes. She was with us for 2 years.

Do you think he will end up looking like the first picture in the first post?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

He very easily could!

I would feed him frozen bloodworms instead of dried.And pellets instead of flakes.Mine really enjoy the attisons betta pellets.Pro is for breeders,pink bottle,but the blue would be just perfect for him,as well as some new life spectrum grow.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

I'm going to prep my 10g for him. I was going to get rid of it, but I think it would be better than the 1 1/2 gal he is in now(which is a newcomer/sick tank) he is a happy fella though  bettas have great personalities.


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## Tiari (Apr 25, 2012)

I would take a guess that likely those spots will fade over time. Some Betta when stressed for too long in the small cups at stores will get "black marks" some even get bands of stripes in dark colors on their body. These are stress marks, and often people are completely shocked to find their blue-pink-green-whatever color Betta ends up something else in a few weeks in a well established tank!

Most stress marks appear black, although I've seen gray as well, pale patches that look like ashes, which seem to fade over time in a good healthy tank.

Keep an eye on them, but it is doubtful they are anything to worry about.


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