Blind betta

[Crazykat]

Well, after much confusion on my part, I think I've finally figured out what's wrong with a female betta I got over break. Today, as I was shining a light on her to check for velvet, I noticed that her eyes are opaque. After I moved the decorations in the tank, she couldn't find her way around and was running into things. She never seems to notice when the other fish are coming at her and the one time I've seen her flare, she flared in the direction she was nipped from, even though the other fish wasn't there. All things point to her being blind. So, she's coming out of the sorority and going into her own tank right now.

I know some members have had blind fish, so I was hoping for some pointers to make things easier on her. Good or bad substrates or no substrate at all? No floater plants? And food is an issue. The only time I've ever had her eat is when she was in her little betta cup and the food sank to the ground; she found it by swimming around with her belly on the bottom. So, any ideas?

[fleetfish]

I've had two or three blind bettas.

- Make sure the water is shallow, you can use a rubbermaid tub for this. This should help her find the surface easier.
- Always feed in the exact same place at the exact same time. She will eventually get used to where her food is. Let it sink and it will be easier for her to find.
- Substrate - it really doesn't matter, but there is the risk of her bumping into some sharp gravel. I left my tanks bare. Also it will be easier for her to find her food.
- Deco - Again, iffy. so long as it isn't sharp, she should be okay.
- Plants - Silks are preferable, so they can float on the surface.
- You might also want to reduce the light a little by covering the tank since her eyes could be extra sensitive.

Hope these help!

[dramaqueen]

Aww, poor little girl! +1 what Fleetfish said. If ADF's can be "trained" to find their food in a particular spot I would think you could do the same for bettas.

[YoshesMom]

try a feeding ring it keeps the food in the same little area she can certianly smell it!