How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas

[Roadman]

My betta's been acting sketchy lately, like rubbing against stuff and looking dusty. He's in a 10 gallon, heated to 80, with a sponge filter. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Could this be velvet? How do I stop it before it gets worse?

[OceanBloom]

Sounds like velvet to me. It's a parasite, so you gotta act fast. Raise the temp to 82, add aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon), and dim the lights. Velvet hates light and heat. Also, do a 50% water change and vacuum the substrate. What's your water change routine?

[belleora]

Sounds like velvet to me. It's a parasite, so you gotta act fast. Raise the temp to 82, add aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon), and dim the lights. Velvet hates light and heat. Also, do a 50% water change and vacuum the substrate. What's your water change routine?

I second this. I've had success with salt and heat too. Just make sure to dissolve the salt in water before adding it, or it'll stress your fish more.

[whimmo]

Yo, Roadman, my dude had the same vibe last month. I cranked the heat, added salt like OceanBloom said, and threw in some Indian almond leaves. Cleared up in a week. Also, keep an eye on tankmates, they can carry the parasite without showing signs.

[Roadman]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try the salt and heat combo. I do weekly 30% changes, but I'll bump it to 50% this week. Should I quarantine him, or treat the whole tank?

[buzzybee]

Treat the whole tank. Velvet spores are everywhere once it's present. Quarantine won't cut it. Also, if you've got other tanks, wash your hands between them. This stuff spreads easy.

[dusk42]

My betta got velvet last year, and I used copper meds after the salt didn't fully work. Just be careful with copper if you've got snails or shrimp. They can't handle it.

[Lavent]

Man, velvet's the worst. Had to nuke my whole setup once because of it. Now I always quarantine new plants and fish. Learned the hard way, lol.

[OceanBloom]

My betta got velvet last year, and I used copper meds after the salt didn't fully work. Just be careful with copper if you've got snails or shrimp. They can't handle it.

Good point. Copper's a last resort, but it works. Just test your water daily if you go that route, it can build up fast.

[creek7]

Prevention's key. I keep my tank clean, avoid overcrowding, and don't introduce new fish without a quarantine. Stress weakens their immune system, making them more prone to parasites.