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How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2025 9:44 am
by 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?
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2025 10:09 am
by 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?
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2025 3:08 pm
by belleora
OceanBloom wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 10:09 am
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.
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:04 am
by 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.
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:27 am
by 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?
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:17 am
by 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.
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 2:20 pm
by 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.
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 4:36 pm
by 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.
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:17 pm
by OceanBloom
dusk42 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 2:20 pm
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.
Re: How to prevent velvet outbreaks in Bettas
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:04 pm
by 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.