A diamond eye betta seems like a rare breed of a betta fish. As a matter of fact, it is rare, but it is not a breed. Unfortunately, it is a genetic disorder associated with a betta fish. It affects only some breeds of betta fish and results in blindness in your betta fish.
Diamond eye or dragon eye is a genetic-based condition in which there is an overgrowth of scales over the eyes of a betta fish which results in total or partial blindness. It affects only certain breeds of betta fish, and currently, there are no modes of treatment and prevention for the diamond eye, but there are some ways to adapt.
What Is Unique About A Diamond Eye Betta Fish?
As mentioned earlier, a betta fish develops a diamond eye when suffering from a genetic disorder that promotes the overgrowth of scales over the eyes of the betta fish. This condition can affect either one or both the eyes of the betta fish.
The diamond eye condition also results in partial or complete blindness in your betta fish. As it is genetic-based, it is an inherited condition, and its effect grows gradually over a period of time. Fortunately, this condition does not affect the life span of your betta fish but can certainly affect the quality of life.
A diamond eye betta fish can be noticed only in certain breeds of betta, like the metallic betta fish, the dragon scale betta, and the marble betta fish. This condition results from selective breeding of these breeds of betta fish, and it spreads through genes.
Symptoms Of Diamond Eye Betta
The development of a diamond eye in a betta fish is quite rare and is genetically controlled. The most common symptom of a diamond eye in a betta fish is the overgrowth of scales over its eye, thereby compromising its vision.
The type of scales that develop over the eyes depends on the type of betta fish it affects. For instance, if a platinum dragon scale betta fish is affected by this condition, the overgrowth of scales will be in the form of dragon scales.
The time period within which one can observe these symptoms varies. Some fish develop a diamond eye within the first few weeks, while some take years to develop a partial coat. A diamond eye can affect either one or both the eyes of the betta fish.
Treatment And Prevention of Diamond Eye Betta
Being a genetic-based ailment, a diamond eye betta fish cannot be treated. Thus, there are no known modes of treatment for developing a diamond eye in a betta fish. However, this condition does not reduce the lifespan or directly affects the retina of the betta fish.
Some breeders have tried to remove the scales over the eyes surgically. This method is, however, not recommended as chances of failure are high. This does not mean that your betta fish cannot live a happy and healthy life.
Like treatment methods, there are currently no modes of prevention for the diamond eye condition in bettas. While some recommend adding tannins to your tank to thin out the scales over the eyes of the betta fish, we would advise against it.
The addition of tannins can help remove scales over the eyes over time, but it can also thin out the scales over the whole body. Thus, it is not an advisable method of prevention. Thus, there are no effective ways of preventing the diamond eye condition.
Conditioning And Adapting A Diamond Eye Betta
There are, at present, no known methods of prevention and treatment for the diamond eye condition in bettas, but this does not mean that your betta fish cannot live a happy and long life. As stated earlier, this condition does not affect the life span of the betta fish.
To counteract the effects of a diamond eye in the betta fish, you must adapt your betta to the condition. This means conditioning your betta fish in using the other senses to live a healthy life. Here are some ways to adapt your betta to the diamond eye condition.
- Reserve a particular spot in the tank for feeding purposes and familiarize your fish with this spot.
- Use signals like tapping the aquarium glass before feeding everytime so as to habituate your bettta fish.
- Feed foods which are easy to find for the betta fish like betta pellets and bloodworms.
- Try not changing too much around the tank once your betta fish has familiarised itself with the surrounding evironment.
- Make sure the water current in the tank is low. This ensures that the betta fish does not get stressed.
- Do not add decors which have sharp edges as it can harm your betta fish.
Thus, do not lose hope even if your betta fish has a diamond eye. Make sure to start conditioning your fish as soon as you start seeing the slightest of symptoms. This makes sure that the diamond eye betta lives a healthy and long life.
FAQs Related to Diamond Eye Problem in Betta Fish
What is a diamond eye in betta fish?
The diamond eye is a genetic disorder associated with a betta fish which can affect the vision of the affected fish. This results in the overgrowth of scales over the eyes of the betta, thereby compromising its vision. It affects either one or both the fish’s eyes.
Is diamond eye betta fish rare?
YES. The development of a diamond eye in a betta fish is a rare condition. It is a genetic-based condition that flows through the gene pool. It is quite rare, and some breeders actually buy them because of its rare nature.
Is there any way to treat a diamond eye betta?
NO. Owing to its genetic nature, the diamond eye condition in bettas is untreatable. However, it does not affect the life span of the betta fish. You can adapt and condition your betta fish to use its other senses to live a healthy life.
Why do betta fish eyes bulge?
If your betta fish’s eye is swelled and bulged, it could be a sign of popeye disease. This is due to the accumulation of fluid behind the fish’s eyeball. This causes the eyeball of the fish to bulge outwards.
Final Thoughts
A diamond eye betta fish is a rare phenomenon that spreads through the gene pool. Although there are no known modes of treatment and prevention for this condition, you can adapt your betta fish to this condition so that it can lead a happy and healthy life.
