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FAQs on Betta Diseases: Nutritional

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Betta Success
Doing what it takes to keep Bettas healthy long-term

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Betta constipated? Please reply! :) 2/20/12
Hello! :)
I really want help in curing my Betta fish - Bluebell.
I recently went abroad for 2 months and I let a friend take care of my fish for 2 months advising him to feed only two pellets a day. but when I got him back i realised that half of the food bottle was empty!
and poor Bluebell stomach is so bloated!...
I still see him
- blowing bubble nests
- doesn't look like he has dropsy (no pinecone look)
- still active
-eats (i gave him a bit of boiled pea for 2 days)
- fasted him - still bloated
-still putting Betta fix (this helped last time he was bloated - don't know why)
<Of no use. This product is a scam>
I just want to know if i should start on Epsom salt baths?
<I would, yes>

can his stomach be filled with fluids? i kind of see a bit of pea i fed him yesterday as feces hanging.
will it develop into dropsy if i don't get the fluids out? <-- if it is fluids that has made his stomach bloat.
please give some advice soon!
thanks :)
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Re: Betta constipated? Please reply! :) 2/21/12

Thank you. I will stop using Betta fix and start on Epsom salt baths today, should i give him 1 or 2 baths a day?
and thanks for the early reply! :)
<I would actually go w/ permanent immersion. Please read Neale's piece here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/SaltUseFWArtNeale.htm
BobF>

Sickly Betta    11/25/11
Good afternoon WWM Crew,
<Now AM here Steph. Howsit?>
First, thank you for providing and maintaining such an excellent resource on the web. I've found information on your site for all of my previous questions, but haven't found anything fully applicable this time around. So after extensive reading, I'm writing you with yet another Betta question in hopes that you might be able to help.
Here's some contextual information:
I purchased my male half-moon Betta in June 2011. He has been kept in a 7 gallon aquarium since I brought him home. The tank is heated to 80 degrees with a submersible heater, has a small hang-on-back filter running on the lowest setting, and an in-canopy light set on a timer (it's on for 8 hours a day). The tank was cycled before I put him in, and has a small-grade, smooth river gravel substrate. There is a mix of porcelain ornaments, plastic plants, and a fast-growing live plant in there (I don't know what it's called, but the stems are covered in short, narrow blades from base to tip and the plant spreads across the water surface -- I wanted something to break up the water re-entering the tank from the filter). Ammonia and nitrite are 0, nitrate is less than 10ppm, pH is 7.0, and I test them once or twice a week. I do water changes weekly, alternating between 30 and 50%, and use water conditioner with each change (the water temperature of the new water is the same as the tank temperature, verified with the tank thermometer). When I first introduced the Betta to the tank there was a 3-year-old clown Pleco (2 inches long) living in the tank, but after a couple of months of intermittent 'not getting along' (they both seemed to want to hang out in the same ornament, regardless of how many other ornaments were unoccupied, and would attempt to intimidate the other without actually touching each other) I relocated the clown Pleco to my 30 gallon community tank so they'd both be able to live in peace. The Betta is fed every other day with freeze-dried blood worms, which until recently he ate voraciously.
<Mmm, the only "thing" that appears of concern to me is the use of the FD bloodworms. These have proven problematical in recent years>
The situation:
Approximately five weeks ago, my Betta started to act and look sickly.
He began to spend long periods of time on the bottom 'lounging,' he became less interested in food, and his colours paled slightly. After a couple of days, I noticed the edges of his dorsal fin and tail looked ragged and there were a few small patches of white fuzz on the edges as well. His eyes started to pop out and they got a bit of a milky-grey sheen to them. As I was going out of town for the next two nights and my LFS was closed for the holiday (Canadian Thanksgiving) I did some research and used what I had on hand - I did a 50% water change and left the water level a little lower so he could swim to the surface more easily, raised the temperature up to 84 degrees, turned off the filter,
<Don't do this>
added a few teaspoons of Epsom salt, and put the appropriate dose of "Jungle Buddies Fungus Clear" in the water. When I came back two days later he looked a little better and was much more active. I did another 50% water change (since the filter was off) and went to my LFS the next day. After describing his symptoms, the manager gave me some erythromycin and directions for treating him for 6 days. I went home and did a full water change before adding the erythromycin and salt again, and restarted the filter (to help keep the water aerated more than anything else). By the end of the 6 days of medication the Betta's eyes were less bulging and there was no sign of fungus anywhere. He was more active and eating a bit again. I did another full water change, and restarted the filter with some carbon to get any lingering medication out of the water before re-cycling the tank (with seeding from my other tank and Seachem's Stability product). I've continued to use regular aquarium salt, though only at approx. one teaspoon for the tank volume. Since the erythromycin improvement, he has still not returned to his usual activity levels, does not eat as much or as vigorously, and his colouration is still duller than it was. His fins aren't getting shorter but they don't seem to be growing out at all either, and his eyes are still not as clear as they were before he got sick. Over the last week he has only eaten once, and spends all of his time on the bottom of the tank.
Yesterday he started to curl his body into a C shape when resting on the bottom (I've never seen him do that before), and when he swims it looks like he is holding his head up higher than the rest of his body (in an awkward, strained fashion). He looks thinner, and his forehead seems more pronounced than it did before (though perhaps it's because the length of his body looks thinner?). This morning I tried to coax him to eat some food by defrosting from frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, etc (usually they are a hit) but he wouldn't come to the surface, even after turning off the filter for a few minutes to eliminate all water movement. There are no signs of fungus, patches, or raised scales, and his gills are the same colour they've always been. His respiration rate looked a little fast this morning but he was alert enough to notice my fingers near the side of the tank where he was resting.
So here are my questions: What can I do to improve his health?
<Enlarge the diet; even give up on the bloodworm/insect larvae, and pre-treat and store change-out water between uses. I don't think your Betta has or had a biological disease... so no treatments are advised>
Does this sound like any particular disease or sickness to you?
<Nutritional/deficiency and possibly environmental (some aspect of new water)>
And would you recommend changing anything about how I've been caring for him?
<Just the change-out water>
If a photograph would help, I'll send one in--just let me know.
<Not necessary or useful>
Thank you for taking the time to read my lengthy letter!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Stephanie.
<Thank you for writing, sharing. Bob Fenner>

Betta with problem can't find on your site   1/8/11
My daughter's male Betta overnight developed a small (pebble sized) growth hanging off below his neck but in front of his front fins.
<Possibly "gout" a tumour...>
Earthworm colored (light pinking-beigeish) except where very narrow spot attached to him where it is his color of blue. Eating and swimming fine - just this little thing dangling down. (Looks like it could just be pinched off with fingers - except attached to him.)
No sign of it yesterday. Added some water yesterday, treated with Betta water conditioner (as we usually do). Filter seems to be fine - no cloudiness or algae in tank. Had heater on for a few days and temp got up
to almost 80 degrees yesterday before we realized it was so warm. Added the treated water right after turning off the heater - but water still quite warm when added water. (Added water because level was getting quite low.)
What could it be and how should we treat it?
<Perhaps w/ the addition of a bit of Lugol's Solution to the water>
We got him 2 years ago.
Thanks! Katrina and her Mom
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/BetDisViralF.htm
Bob Fenner>

Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old  11/18/09
Hello CREW AND RMF,
<Hello Elizabeth,>
Thank you for the link but I have been communicating with The Crew for eleven days now. My posts are on that link.
<Indeed they are.>
Pixy has now begun to humpy swim (after TWELVE DAYS of not eating) to the front of the tank and then hightails it back to the safety of her plants to rest.
<Oh.>
My important question is, how do I get her to eat?
<You probably can't if she's not well. Here's the thing. Is she losing weight or is she still chunky? If she's underweight, force-feeding is an option, but it's difficult and stressful. While I have done this with small fish, and successfully, it's a last resort. If you feel this is required, let me know and I'll explain more. If though she's still swollen and doesn't seem to have lost muscle mass around the tail, then feeding isn't a prime concern.>
She is still swollen on both sides. I am running the filter and keeping the tank at 80 degrees. Should I dose the tank with another Epsom salt change?
<It does sound as if we're dealing with a bacterial, dropsy-like infection.
Medicating dropsy is very difficult, often pointless, though some success has been ad with a Maracyn/Maracyn II combination. Essentially you use both at the same time, and hope for the best.>
Please help, we are very sad.
<Indeed.>
Thank you,
Elizabeth and Pixy
<Good luck, Neale.>
Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old  11/18/09

Hi Neale,
<Hello Elizabeth,>
Yes, she is still chunky.
<Good.>
I am thinking I am still on the wait and see?
<To a degree yes. Though the Maracyn/Maracyn II combo is worth a shot. I'm not a huge fan of adding antibiotics on the off-chance, but if you can try this, it won't do any harm, and may help.>
Thank you very much Neale, you've been a good friend throughout.
<Happy to help.>
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
<Cheers, Neale.>
RE: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old
Hi Neale,
Pixy is laying on the bottom of the tank now. I will get the medicine tomorrow morning.
Say a prayer for her!
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<Hello Elizabeth, I certainly do hope things resolve themselves. I shall sacrifice a fattened calf to the Fish Gods forthwith! Cheers, Neale.>
RE: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old
Hi Neale,
I just got back from Petco, I bought Maracyn - Oxy. That's all they had. I followed the directions and the package says NOT to treat for longer than 5 days.
Do you agree?
<I haven't personally used this product, so I honestly can't comment from experience. But generally, yes, it is a very good idea to go along with the instructions!>
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old :: Neale  11/20/09

Hello Neale,
<Good morning, Elizabeth,>
Pixy died this morning.
<Ah, too bad. I'm sorry to hear this.>
I have emptied the tank of its water and plants. My plan is to refill with water and replant tonight. Cycle the water and get it ready for its new Betta. How soon can I put the fish in?
<Tough call. Now, you might decide to sterilise everything, in which case you'll have to dispose of the plants (sterilising them would kill them) and then re-cycle the filter from scratch. Alternatively, you can leave the filter running, keep the bacteria well fed by adding a pinch of flake to the water every day or two, and then add a fish whenever you want. There's no real middle ground, since anything you do to "clean" the tank without killing the filter and the plants would be inadequate to ensure no pathogens are left behind. What would I do? I'd probably take the chance, and keep the filter and plants alive. But as I say, there'd be no
guarantees of any kind.>
The reason I ask is because since I medicated the water, I am basically starting from scratch. Right?
<Not as such, no.>
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old :: Neale  11/20/09

Hi Neale,
<Hello Elizabeth,>
I decided to keep the filter and plants. The filter is running and it will be ready for a new fish perhaps tonight! By flake do you mean fish food flake?
<Yes. Ammonia is ammonia is ammonia, and filter bacteria couldn't care less where it comes from. By adding a small pinch of flake, you feed the fungi and saprotrophic bacteria resident in any aquarium, and these release ammonia, and that's used by the nitrifying bacteria.>
With this fish I promise to keep her tank warm and filtered and to never, ever overfeed her.
<!>
I also want to thank you so very much for taking the time to walk me through this. Losing Pixy was sad, she is buried under the pear tree in the backyard.
<Mine get buried in the herb garden. Kind of a "Circle of Life" thing when they end up as the oregano and bay leaves I used in pasta sauce...>
You helped make this an endurable loss just by answering all my emails:)
<My pleasure.>
Thank you again and bless your heart.
<Well, that's the kindest thing I've heard all week!>
Cheers,
Elizabeth
<And cheers to you, too! Neale.>
Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old :: Neale  11/20/09

Hi Neale,
<Hello Elizabeth,>
I agree with you about the Circle of Life. I swear these are the best pears in town:)
<!>
And I bet your pasta sauce is excellent!
<It's not bad at all. Sometimes a little fishy... or is that my imagination?>
Love ya,
Elizabeth
<Have a good weekend, and hope *not* to hear from you too soon (at least, not with a sick fish story!) Cheers, Neale.>

Severely constipated Betta not responding to treatment...  11/13/09
Hello,
<Hello Michelle,>
My male Betta had been living in a 5 gallon heated/filtered tank with three zebra Danios.
<Too small for Danios, and Danios should be kept in groups of 6+.)
I test the water parameters weekly and do weekly partial water changes.
The tank is always at proper ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels.
<By "proper" I hope you mean zero ammonia and zero nitrite; some mistakenly below "low" levels are safe, they are not.>
Previously I was feeding him six Betta bits once a day.
<Would not use dried foods all the time. Such fish tend to be more prone to constipation. Dried foods are fine once in a while, but augment with wet-frozen foods like bloodworms and mosquito larvae. Live brine shrimp are an excellent source of fibre. Last but not least, cooked peas should be offered on a regular basis.>
Of course I now know that may have been too many. Well, a few weeks ago I noticed he was getting a little bit pudgy, but unfortunately didn't think anything of it (this is my first Betta fish).
<I see.>
Well about a week ago he was definitely much bigger than he used to be, so I moved him into a 3 gallon quarantine tank which I do daily water changes.
<Why move him? A smaller tank will usually contain worse environmental conditions, so what's the point? Moving a fish stresses it, and unless there's a darn good reason to move a sick fish, they're often best left in the tank.>
It is heated to 80 degrees and its filtered. I check the water every other day and everything is as it should be. He is very swollen in his chest area and has begun losing color.
<Is this the white skin showing through?>
He is not pineconing though. I fasted him for two days and then tried the blanched pea thing which he ate. He did not poop at all. After contacting my local fish store I tried the recommended Epsom salt bath (1 Tbs per 1 gallon for 15-20 minutes).
<No, add Epsom salt to the aquarium. 1-3 teaspoons per 5 US gallons should be adequate. Harmless to healthy fish, so feel free to add this to the tank with the Danios. Epsom salt is a muscle relaxant, that's all. The idea is that by relaxing the muscles on the gut, while also providing a lot more fibre, any constipation can be dealt with.>
Still no poop. I have tried a small amount of frozen daphnia as well as another Epsom salt bath, but still nothing. It has been a week since he has been in the hospital tank, but he seems to be looking worse every day.
He does still get excited to see me and is eager to eat even though I am fasting him again. He doesn't seem to be having swimming troubles yet though I notice him being a bit more lethargic than usual. When I put a mirror to the tank to try to get him to flare up he does not do it at all.
His abdomen is not transparent. His scales are just stretched out and faded in that area. I'm sure it started out with constipation and I stupidly didn't notice, but now I'm afraid it may have led to something worse. Today I noticed there seems to be a couple pieces of what look to be skin floating in his tank. I'm not sure what that could be.
I just don't know if there is more I should be doing at this point. My local fish store told me to continue the Epsom salt baths and fasting, but I'm afraid that at this point he may have other problems. Should I try treating him with anything to be safe?
Please help, I'm not ready to give up on him yet.
Here are some pictures...
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0679.jpg<mhtml:{1
DBA5276-DA11-4EF8-BF37-518AE8858172}mid://00000000/!x-usc:http://i152.photob
ucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0679.jpg>
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0680.jpg<mhtml:{1
DBA5276-DA11-4EF8-BF37-518AE8858172}mid://00000000/!x-usc:http://i152.photob
ucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0680.jpg>
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0682.jpg<mhtml:{1
DBA5276-DA11-4EF8-BF37-518AE8858172}mid://00000000/!x-usc:http://i152.photob
ucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0682.jpg>
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0686.jpg<mhtml:{1
DBA5276-DA11-4EF8-BF37-518AE8858172}mid://00000000/!x-usc:http://i152.photob
ucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0686.jpg>
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0678.jpg<mhtml:{1
DBA5276-DA11-4EF8-BF37-518AE8858172}mid://00000000/!x-usc:http://i152.photob
ucket.com/albums/s187/michellerenee3/DSC_0678.jpg>
Thank you!
<Hope this helps. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Severely constipated Betta not responding to treatment...  11/14/09

Thank you for responding!
<Always happy to do so.>
So just to verify what you had recommended, I should remove the Danios from the 5 gallon tank (I have other aquariums in the house),
<What I would do. But as always when moving fish, don't expose them to sudden changes in temperature or water chemistry.>
put the Betta back in his home, and try adding Epsom salt to the tank?
<Yes and yes.>
Should I resume feeding him the more varied diet even though he is still big?
<Either don't feed at all, or else feed high fibre foods (ideally cooked peas, else live daphnia/live brine shrimp).>
Also in response to the question you had asked about his white skin showing thru, if by that you meant transparent then no it is not which is why I'm really hoping it is just constipation.
<What I mean is that when Bettas swell up, you often see the white skin showing through in between the colour scales.>
Again, thank you for responding. My Betta is a fighter and hopefully he will pull thru this.
<I hope so too.>
Michelle
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Severely constipated Betta not responding to treatment... Now eating Danio fry   11/14/09

Holy cow! So I just moved everybody around. I put the Danios in another tank and put the Betta back in his old home. Temperatures and water parameters were all the same. Anyways, when I put the Betta in I was looking closely and saw something very very tiny move in the tank. It looks like a microscopic tadpole. I think my Danios had babies. Yikes!
Oh well, Betta just ate one. So question about that. Will the Betta eating the Danio fry harm him at all? I'm going to try to somehow round as many up as I can see, but he actually hasn't moved this much in a while.
He's chasing them down. Sorry to keep emailing you, but you have been very helpful. Thanks in advance for this one.
Michelle
<Will not harm your Betta in the least. Bob Fenner>
Re: Severely constipated Betta not responding to treatment... Now eating Danio fry   11/14/09

Holy cow! So I just moved everybody around. I put the Danios in another tank and put the Betta back in his old home. Temperatures and water parameters were all the same. Anyways, when I put the Betta in I was looking closely and saw something very very tiny move in the tank. It looks like a microscopic tadpole. I think my Danios had babies. Yikes!
<Could well be! Danios will spawn quite readily, and the fry are not difficult to rear. Finely powdered flake food and hard-boiled egg yolk should be adequate, but liquid fry food better. Lots of fun!>
Oh well, Betta just ate one. So question about that. Will the Betta eating the Danio fry harm him at all?
<Yes, will eat them, and no, won't harm him. Get a breeding net or a floating trap into which you can place the fry. Rear them in that trap or net until they're big enough to put with the parents (i.e, about 15 mm or
so in length).>
I'm going to try to somehow round as many up as I can see, but he actually hasn't moved this much in a while. He's chasing them down. Sorry to keep emailing you, but you have been very helpful.
<One tries...>
Thanks in advance for this one.
Michelle
<Cheers, Neale.>

Constipated female Betta - 2 years old  11/6/09
Hello Crew,
<Hello Elizabeth,>
Thank you as always for the incredible job you do helping us keep our fish happy and healthy. Pixy lives in a filtered 10 gallon, heated tank.
<What a fantastic home for this fish! Music to my ears. Well done.>
I went away for 5 days and I think she was overfed during my absence.
<Yikes! Remember, instead of scheduling others to feed them, most (adult) fish are best left without food for up to two weeks. This does them no harm at all if they're in good health to begin with.>
She is swimming vertically sometimes and has a small bump on her left side. I did some reading on your web pages and it would seem that she is constipated.
<Can, does happen... especially where dried foods are used.>
I treated the tank water with two tablespoons of Epsom salts, gave her ¼ of a pea and she has not been fed now for over 24 hours. The feeding stopped on November 4.
<Good.>
My questions are:
Is there anything more I can do for her?
<Time, afraid, is the great healer here.>
Do you have any idea of when she will start swimming normally again?
<Should clear up within a week.>
Of course I do not want to starve her so I thought I should start feeding again (her regular amount or less) on November 7 or 8.
<Don't worry about starvation! Don't feed the fish at all until she's better, or if you do want to feed her, stick religiously to foods that have a laxative effect, i.e., peas, live (or wet-frozen) daphnia, and live (or wet-frozen) brine shrimp. Do not use any freeze-dried, flake or pellet foods; this include freeze-dried daphnia and brine shrimps. It's the drying process that makes foods more likely to cause constipation, which is why I recommend they be used as part of a balanced diet, alongside wet-frozen, live, and/or green foods.>
Can you help me to help her?
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<Happy to help. Good luck, Neale.>

Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old   11/6/09
Hi Neale,
<Elizabeth>
After reading your replies I have a really good feeling that she will be fine. That is a great idea about the feeding, I will remember that when I leave town.
<Cool.>
After my girl recovers I will vary her diet more with the live or wet-frozen brine shrimp and the daphnia. I started her off on pellets but once she tasted the freeze dried blood worms she would NOT eat nothing else, except the occasional quarter of a pea.
<Ah, that happens. I guess flake food isn't all that tasty. Many of my fish won't eat it, or at least, only grudgingly.>
Right now she is 'perched' in her bed of grass and since it is difficult for her to swim, she doesn't always come out to see what's going on. When she realizes that she isn't going to be fed, she 'humpy swims' right back over to her sleeping area.
<Sounds like she's on the mend.>
Thank you Neale.
<Happy to help.>
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
<Have a good weekend, Neale.>

Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old -- 11/10/09
Hello Crew,
<Hello Elizabeth,>
It has been a long six days that I have not been feeding my constipated female Betta. She swims in that humpy style which looks ever so painful then immediately rests in her plants near the top of her tank.
<Oh dear.>
I am checking in to see that I am doing everything right and not overlooking anything. Should I dose the tank water with Epsom salts again?
<You can dose with Epsom salts, but remember the maximum safe dose is 3 teaspoons per 5 US gallons. So if you add more, or do a water change and want to add more, bear this in mind. Don't keep adding more and more Epsom salt. While not especially toxic, if you add too much, it will stress the fish. At the safe doses, it's a laxative, and if a laxative is going to help, it will.>
Dare I give her a pea?
<Yes!>
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old -- 11/10/09
Hi Neale,
<Hello Elizabeth,>
Dang it, she won't eat the pea.
<Viable alternatives are *live* daphnia and *live* brine shrimps. Note that freeze-dried versions have the opposite effect. Wet-frozen foods of these types should work though.>
I am standing by to see if the Epsom salt and water swap helps. She is swimming around but she is relying heavily on her plants.
<I see.>
I am keeping hope that she will get better.
<As am I.>
Thank you, I'll keep you posted.
<Cool.>
Cheers,
Elizabeth
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old -- 11/12/09
Hi Neale or other helpful Crew member,
<BobF this time>
Update: My female 2-year-old is continuing to reject all food. I purchased the wet frozen brine-shrimp and she ignores them as well as the 1/4 pea.
She is still bloated. It has been 7 days since I stopped feeding her.
<... have you dosed with Epsom/MgSO4?>
Is she in pain? She sees me at the tank and she comes over for just a moment then she humpy swims back to her plants.
My question is this. How long do I let this go on? I dosed her tank with the Epsom salt yesterday so I imagine I'll have to wait it out for a few more days. I just hope I am not being cruel to her, she is a good fish.
<Oh... these treatments take time... What is the water temperature? I would have it in the low to mid 80's F.>
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old  11/13/09
Hello Bob!
<Elizabeth>
Yes, I dosed her tank according to Neale's specs. First dose was on the 4th, then I did a 2 gallon water change and re-dosed the tank on the 10th.
<I see>
Right now her tank temp is 76, I will raise the heat.
<Good>
Also, I have been running the filter intermittently, should I keep it on all day?
<Yes, I would>
She lays on the bottom when it is on, even when she was healthy so I am guessing she doesn't really like the filter!
<Better to be rid of the metabolites it will remove>
Ok, so I will raise the temperature and wait for a reply regarding the filter.
Thank you Bob.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
<Welcome! BobF>
R: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old
Hi Bob,
Ok, I have turned on her filter and raised the heat.
I'll keep you posted.
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<Real good. B>

Re: Constipated female Betta - 2 years old  11/16/09
Hello Crew,
It is now the 15th and the female is resting at the top of her tank in her plants. Food is no longer an exciting part of her day. Her body is less inflated but now the question is - How do I get her to eat? It seems as if
she is in a hibernation.
Thank you,
Elizabeth
<...? Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/betfdgfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. RMF>

Betta constipation, dropsy, or tumor?    2/16/07 Hi, <Hello - Jorie here!> I have grown very attached to my Betta fish called Gil. <I understand - Bettas are wonderful pets, aren't they?> Within this last week I have noticed his stomach has swollen quite large. You can see two even sized lumps sticking out from both sides on the upper half of his body when looking at him face on. His scales which are usually dark plum are very pale around these swollen lumps. The fish himself is still very active - swims backwards and forwards and acts chirpy as usual. He has not lost his appetite and still rapidly consumes his fish pellets. It is only the swollen lumps on his body that are concerning. <Three possibilities come to mind: constipation, dropsy, or a tumor.  Are Gil's scales sticking out when you look at him from above, sort of "pine cone" like? If so, this would likely indicate dropsy. Take a look at this link to see if Gil looks this way - http://www.fishjunkies.com/Diseases/dropsy.php > I think that maybe he has a blockage. A man at our local aquarium took a look at Gil but was unsure about what was wrong with him. The man said that it doesn't look good - yet Gil's behaviour still seems to be perfect. <I agree.> The man said that he may have some sort of blockage. He said to try feeding him worms and gave me some sort of antibiotic tablet (I can find out the name if nec.). I put 1/4 of this tablet in his water. He also said that worms are good for there digestion. I have tried feeding Gil worms before but he took no interest in them. I tried to feed him some worms again today and he ate them. The difference is that I fed them to him one at a time. <If this is plain ol' constipation, you could try feeding Gil a cut up frozen, then thawed pea - if he'll take it. Seems to be a bit "hit or miss" with regards to Bettas accepting this as food.  You could, also, soak the pea with in a drop or two of garlic - I like to use Kent's Garlic Xtreme to help stimulate appetite.  I don't agree with the shopkeeper that worms will help relieve constipation - in fact, it is my understanding that feeding a diet too high in protein (incl. black and bloodworms) can cause all sorts of health problems.  What do you generally feed Gil? I like to alternate between Betta pellets (only 3 once per day), frozen, thawed bloodworms (4-6 worms per day) and Mysis shrimp (1-2 shrimp once per day).  If you can't get Gil to accept the pea, you could also try Epsom salt - this is magnesium sulfate and does a good job relieving fish constipation.  The proper dosage is 1 tsp./5 gal. of water.  That's my first suggestion.  If his size doesn't shrink after a days of pea feeding (even possibly a day or two of fasting) and/or Epsom salt, then likely we aren't dealing with constipation. Again, if the fish looks like a pinecone, then we are likely dealing with dropsy, a term that's used for a wide array of issues that the link provided above does a very nice job summarizing.  Generally speaking, though, improving the fish's water conditions, coupled with an Epsom salt treatment will relieve this condition. The other alternative is that the fish has one or more tumors, which, to the best of my knowledge, aren't treatable.  I've found that Bettas are quite susceptible to developing tumors in their older age (which, for a captive Betta, is somewhere around 2-3 yrs.). How long have you had Gil?  More than 50% of my Bettas have developed a tumor in his aged years, and sadly, there's nothing you can do to help.  So long as the fish is swimming and eating, and otherwise behaving normally, all should be well and he can live a good deal longer with the tumor.> Do you have any other advise or information about his illness? I really love this fish. I would be most grateful! <Hope I've helped.> Some information about his environment: Gill is a sole fish in a tall 'flat sided' - round bowl. In his tank there are large rocks (no gravel) some crystals and two bamboo shoots. I found an internet site that said it is safe to put bamboo shoots with Betta fish. The shoots have been in his tank for the past 6 months - since we bought him. He lives in the bathroom next to a window. His tank gets dirty very quickly - probably because there is no gravel. I change his water at least once a week sometimes twice. I use Chorine Neutral, Seachem Stability (aerobic, anaerobic and facultative bacteria), Ph down and salt. I feed him 3 pellets morning and evening- but not by the clock. <Well, the one thing I would suggest you can improve upon is this fish's environment. Bowls are not a good way to keep any fish, and I recommend keeping a single male Betta in a minimum 2-3 gal. tank, with a filter and a heater.  The Marineland 3 gal. Eclipse is perfect - it's big enough to house a 25 watt submersible heater, and has mechanical and biological filtration.  Doesn't run more than $45 or so.  When a Betta is cold (ideal Betta temp. is a stable 80-82 degrees F), or otherwise stressed due to poor environmental conditions, this can, and likely will, compromise its immune system, rendering it more susceptible to disease.  Best thing you can do for Gil is move him into nicer digs - his health will likely improve with the stable temperature and improved water quality. Also, I'd suggest cutting down to one feeding per day...if it is constipation, that will help. Do mix up the pellet regime with worms and shrimp, though - Gil will be thrilled!> Thank you, Jade & Gil <You're most welcome.  Best of luck! Jorie>

Very bloated Betta   6/16/06 Hello, I'm in desperate need for your help with my little opaque Betta, Sonya. I've had her for a month in a 29 gallon tank with 3 other female Bettas, all of whom were purchased from the same PetSmart store.  I have no idea how old they are.  The 29 gallon has a 50 gallon AquaClear power filter with multi-stage filtration.  Sonya was the alpha Betta until last Saturday night when she suddenly ballooned after feeding.  I immediately moved her into a 5 gallon hex with a BioWheel filtration system.  She is alone in the 5 gallon. Neither tank has fully cycled as they are both new.  Aside from a high pH, ranging from 7.8 - 8.0 (city well water), the readings are normal (ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0) and are the same in both tanks, which makes sense since neither has cycled. <Dangerous> The temp is 80 degrees.  Believing she was constipated, I fasted her for 3 1/2 days and put in 2 teaspoons of Epsom salt.   <Good moves> There is no pinecone effect, so I don't believe it's dropsy, but I can't be sure.  The bloating is symmetrical, so I think I can rule out a tumor. <Agreed, likely not tumorous> I'm very nervous about losing her and I want to be sure I'm doing what's best for her.  She is acting normal, swimming about, coming to see me, etc.  After the 1st dose of Epsom salt, I've done a 70% water change.  I left the water totally clear for 36 hours and then I fed her some pea yesterday which she ate eagerly.  Nothing seemed to happen, so I added another teaspoon of Epsom salt hoping to draw out the feces.  About an hour after that, she had a small bowel movement which literally hung from her for several hours.  When I checked this morning, it was gone.  She is still bloated, perhaps even more so now.  She's still active but now it seems she's having more difficulty getting around.  I was worried it still might be dropsy, so today I added Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 to the tank and removed the carbon from the filter.  I fed her a few more bits of a pea this evening and now I can see a very dark internal u-shape on her right side which winds just behind her ventral fins.  Are these her intestines? <Yes> Is this an obvious case of constipation? <Does seem like some sort of gut blockage, yes> It looks like it leads right from her throat, down towards her bottom right side and then back up again.  It's very odd.  I wish I was able to photograph it for you.  I haven't been able to find anything describing something quite like this on your site, or any others. I can't find anything showing me specifically where the intestines are either.  It's been 5 days since she first became bloated.  Are the antibiotics the wrong route? <I might try different antimicrobials... Furan compounds, maybe Nitrofuranace> Could 1 dose of have already killed any tank cycling that has begun? <Not likely with the Minocycline and Erythromycin, but possibly>   I have treated water ready to be put in the tank to flush out the meds and can put a new carbon filter in if need be.  My other 3 fish are doing fine in the other tank and have already re-established the pecking order.  I hate to be so wordy; I just want to get all of the information in that I think you may ask so as not to waste anymore time. Please help. Christine <I would try the Nitrofuranace and continue with the Epsom Salt. Bob Fenner>

Is my Betta sick? To whom it may concern, I have had a lot of success over the past few years raising Bettas. The last one I had "Frankie" lived for 5 1/2 years. <Wow! That's a very long time for this species> I usually place them in a Betta tank, but when I got the new Betta "Reggie" my mom's boyfriend put him into the 10 gallon tank with the tropical fish. I have now noticed that his upper torso is bloated. His appetite is fine and he's swimming around like it's not bothering him. A few days ago the bloating started to go away, now it's back again. I have read the other posts about other people's Betta's but this seems different. The bloating is on both sides of his upper torso behind his head, and it ends behind his front fins. The water in the tank is changed regularly once a month. The temperature is always at 78 and there is a filter that runs continuously. I don't see what could have caused the problem and it's never happened to any other Betta's that I have owned. Help me please??? <Don't know exactly what may be happening here... What is this Betta fed? Might it just be gorging itself in competition with the other livestock? I would isolate this fish in a breeding net, a glass "chimney"... so it can still get to the surface to breath, but not over-eat when the other fishes are fed... try some sort of laxative foods like brine shrimp, Daphnia... and see if the bloating decreases. Bob Fenner>

HELP!! my Betta can't swim I received my Betta from a pet store for Christmas and he was fine to begin with. Although he was raised on brine shrimp and wouldn't eat the flake food I got for him so I switched to brine shrimp. he lives in a small glass bowl about 1/2 gal to 1 gal in size and has small blue flat marbles on the bottom. he would eat regularly and I would have to clean his bowl about every other day cause of the size. HERE'S THE PROBLEM!! for the past week he has been having more and more trouble swimming and staying upright. he flips over easily and when he comes to the surface to eat he rolls upside down and swims away side ways in a panic cause he cant control it.. he's beginning to not want to eat cause its such a task to come up to the top. PLEASE what can I do? is there something seriously wrong with him? I don't wanna loose him he is great, by far the best fish I have had. < You Betta has eaten too much and has some food rotting in his gut. It is easy to overfeed our fish especially Bettas. You bring home all this brine shrimp and he only needs a little bit. So well keep putting it in until he is very full. The left over brine shrimp dies and begins to rot. Later he gets hungry and eats the rotting brine shrimp. The food gets stuck in his gut and the bacteria in the gut start to take over and grow. The gut swells with gas and the fish lose their equilibrium. Now you have to treat. Get some Metronidazole and place 125 mg in a 5 gallon bucket. Use this to do a 100% water change. Do not feed. Repeat every other day until the Betta starts to eat. If it looks like it is getting worse than add the entire capsule 250mg to the water. Treat the bucket every other day. The medicine will break down in the bucket after the second day so a new batch needs to be made up every time. This is difficult to treat, all you can do is try.-Chuck> thank you Jessica

Constipated Betta Hello, <Hi Sandra, Sabrina here> Is there anyone there who could lend me some advice on my constipated Betta? I posted the situation on the forum board here, but would appreciate any expert help your crew could offer. <Well, since this email got put in my care, and I've already been communicating with you on the forums, I think you've pretty much got all I can tell you thus far.  For the benefit of our readers, though, and to have this archived for anyone else with similar issues to be able to search and find it, I am happy to go ahead and address this again - who knows, perhaps some tidbit that I forgot to mention on the thread will fall out of my head as I go.> Here is my post: <For reference, the thread can be found at:   http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?forum=31&thread=15081&tstart=0&trange=15 .> I have a 1-year old male Betta who is constipated. I first noticed this last week and immediately recognized the signs, as we lost a Betta to constipation earlier this year. <I'm sorry to hear that.> I am very careful not to over-feed, and I vary the diet as much as possible, but somehow Bernie still managed to become constipated. <They are extremely easy to overfeed, with their humongous appetites and tiny little Betta tummies.  It may be possible that he's just plain fat - but the fact that your other Bettas aren't bloated probably disproves that.> Now he is swollen on his sides, and there is no poo in his tank. We have two other Bettas and they are both fine; the only thing I can think that might have caused this is that I was in mid-cycling of his tank and had not done any deep-cleaning on his gravel until a week or so ago. I'm wondering if he may have eaten bits of food that were stirred up when I cleaned his tank recently. <I'm sure that's possible, but I think it unlikely.  Fish can get constipated for no apparent reason, sometimes; it can happen when they eat too much at once, or are offered an inappropriate diet (probably the reason we see this so much in goldfish).> I don't want to lose another Betta to constipation; I had to watch as our first Betta suffered for several weeks and died a terrible death from it. I am resolved not to let him eat anything until I see improvement. <Fasting, along with offering *only* foods of high roughage content (bits of pea, adult brine shrimp, daphnia) should help clear him up, along with adding Epsom salt to the water at a rate of 1 to 2 tablespoons per ten gallons water - that comes down to about 1/3 to 2/3 of a teaspoon per gallon, or a touch more.  The Epsom salt will help relieve pressure in him, and may help him pass any blockage in his gut.> It is day 4 of fasting, and he is still pretty swollen. <Try the Epsom salt, and keep fasting him - he can go quite a long time without food.> I ordered Pepso food, which someone recommended to me because it contains cod liver oil. It should arrive today. <I don't think I'd use Pepso food, as it contains medicines that I think are quite unnecessary in your Betta's case.> I tried feeding him a bit of pea two days ago, but am nervous about it this since it seemed to make the constipation worse in Horatio (the Betta who died). <If the pea doesn't/didn't help, perhaps try a brine shrimp or two.  Your local fish store would probably give you a couple, as these are usually sold by the ounce - which is a *lot* of little shrimp.  I'd try the Epsom salt first, see how that goes.> Can anyone offer any other advice here? Am I correct in not feeding him for days or even weeks if necessary? This is bringing back awful memories, and I don't know what to do!!! <I don't think he could go more than a couple weeks without eating, and even that might be a stretch - but many days is fine.> I can't believe I'm going through this all over again; after Horatio died, I become almost obsessively careful about feeding, so I'm at a loss as to how this happened. Any help would be greatly appreciated. <As above, it can "just happen".  And again, Bettas are so easy to overfeed.  In any case, try the Epsom salt, and failing that, in another couple days or so, try offering him a brine shrimp or two, or a tiny bit of daphnia.> Sandra <Hope all goes well!  Wishing your Betta a speedy recovery,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - II Sabrina, Thanks again so much for your help.   <You bet, Sandra.  That's why we're here.> I wanted to let you know that Bernie is still very bloated today; the swelling seemed a bit worse this morning, although he had not been fed anything.  This is day 5 of fasting.   <You might want to consider other possibilities besides constipation.  There is the possibility that this is a tumor, and no amount of fasting can fix that.  Most importantly, are his scales sticking out, pinecone fashion?  This can be a sign of internal bacterial infection.> I went ahead and did a 40%+/- water change with about 3/4 teaspoon of Epsom salts added. When I do a water change, should I add the recommended dosage for the gallon of water that I replace, or put enough salt for the full 2.5 gallons in his tank? <I believe you can do another full dose a few days after the first one, and after a good water change.> He is swimming normally, his color is good, and I gave him 2 very small bits of pea this morning (how much do you recommend feeding?   <Not much at all - just a tiny bit.  Perhaps about half the size of a pin head or smaller?> Also, is thawing a frozen pea sufficient, or better to microwave first?  I nuked it for a few seconds).   <Either way will work.> He ate this readily. <Mmmm....  peas....  Really though, I am quite impressed that he's eating them.  I've had Bettas turn their noses up at far yummier things than peas.> As for the brine shrimp, I don't have any at my disposal.  What I do have, though, is Nature's Delica preserved foods, in both Daphnia and Brine Shrimp.  Will this work just as well? <Possibly, if you rinse the "goo" off of a shrimp or two.  You might want to see if frozen brine shrimp are available.  Even most large chain pet stores carry them now.> Many thanks again; I will keep you posted.   <Yes, please do!> In your experience, how long does it sometimes take for a Betta to fully recover from a bad case of constipation?   <Gosh.  That's a tough one.  It can be as little as a day, or as much as a few weeks.  Keep up with the Epsom salts, and feed extremely sparingly with the foods we've discussed, and hope for the best.  Beyond that, that's the best you can do.  If you begin to suspect bacterial infection, antibacterial flake food may be a good way to go.> Happy holidays, Sandra <And to you, as well.  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - III Hi, <Hi, Sandra!> I may see if I can take a digital photo this weekend so you can view the swelling and see what you think.   <That would be excellent.> There definitely is no pine-coning; that's the first thing I checked.   <Whew!> What would be the other symptoms of a bacterial infection?   <Stringy, white poo would strongly indicate internal bacterial infection, or internal parasites.> How is it contracted?   <If bacterial or parasitic, it could be something he's had all along, and has only become noticeable now.  I do feel that it's more likely constipation, though.> What kind of food treats this? <For internal bacterial nasties, I've had good luck with food medicated with Oxytetracycline; for internal parasites, like worms and such, Piperazine or Levamisole in food would be my suggestion.  Again, though, I think it more likely that your fellah is just constipated - though these other possibilities are, well, possible.> The reason I believe(d) it to be constipation, is the lack of poo in the bottom of his tank, and the fact that he swelled up so much when I fed him the Pepso food.   <Yeah, I really am thinking it's more likely constipation.> Too, it started as a small bulge on the side in the exact same manner as our Horatio, who also suffered from constipation.  But the swelling has me concerned; I would think it should be diminishing by now.  Could it be because he's so young, and the swelling is just more noticeable on his small body?   <That could be, perhaps.> He is otherwise behaving normally now, but almost looks like a pregnant guppy.  :-( <Yikes.> I am glad he is eating the pea; I guess if they get hungry enough, they tend to be less picky, although Bern has always been the less finicky of the three. <and therefore more likely to overeat, probably.  It seems those that tend to eat anything tend to get constipated more often.  I have one female Betta like that, but I honestly don't think she'd take peas!  I'm still amazed at that.> Many thanks again,  Sandra <You bet.  Best wishes,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - IV Hi, Here are two pictures of Bernadotte that I took yesterday: http://www.members.aol.com/nmmnp/Pets/sick_bernie1.jpg http://www.members.aol.com/nmmnp/Pets/sick_bernie2.jpg As you can see, the swelling is still very pronounced.  I am a little afraid to feed him the shrimp, given the bloating, and think maybe I should stick with the pea for now.  Do you agree? <Either item will help, but do be extremely sparing in feeding.  Maybe feed a bit every few days.> Do you think the bloating could possibly be weight gain?   <This is possible indeed.  I have seen fatter, to be honest, from sheer overeating alone.> There is no stringy white poo.  The other day after feeding pea, there was a single bit of poo that hung briefly from his anus, but it was not stringy and it was definitely brown.   <Poo is a wonderful sign at this point!> He is still swimming normally (actually, it is a little wobbly because of the bloating), active, color looks good.   <A good sign, of course.> I plan to do another partial water change this afternoon and add Epsom salt again. <Seems like a sound plan, to me.> Please let me know what you think of the pictures... <He is pretty big, that's for sure.  Be extremely sparing in feeding.> Thanks so much; have a good weekend,  Sandra <You as well, thanks!  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - V Sabrina, Thanks; I am hoping some of the swelling is weight gain. It just seemed to come on so quickly.  One day he looked fine, and the next he had this little "bump" on his sides.  A day or so after that -- boom.  He had ballooned to the size you saw in the pictures, even though I had discontinued feeding by that time.  It was quite shocking. <It can happen fairly quickly, that's for sure - but that also does not rule out the possibility of a tumor or bacterial issues.  Still sounds like constipation to me, though.> Agreed; I need to be *very* careful with feeding at the point. The piece of pea I have been feeding him would fit on a pin head.  He's not very happy with his new restricted diet, but if it saves his life it will be worth it. <Agreed, absolutely.> One last thing:  Can you give me an opinion on this product?  I ordered the Freshwater formula, and am wondering if this would be a good thing to feed Bern once he is closer to recovery - or even now?  http://www.petdiscounters.com/aquarium/foods/misc/rs_zooplankton.html <Though I haven't used this, I have heard good things about it.> It contains daphnia, which I've always heard has a natural laxative effect.  Do you know if this is true?   <The fact that daphnia are high in roughage (low in real nutritive value, kinda like eating popcorn) does make them a good laxative, of sorts.> Do you think it would make a good supplement for my other Bettas as well, or can it be fed as a primary food? <Absolutely a good supplement, yes.  You might like to try feeding this once a week as kind of a "clean out the fish" day.> Many thanks, and best wishes for the New Year -Sandra <And to you, as well!  Keeping my fingers crossed,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - VI Thanks.  It could be my imagination/paranoia, but the swelling almost seems worse today.   <Yikes.> I tried to take some pictures of him earlier this evening; they are very blurred, but maybe it will give a better idea of where he is with this swelling: www.members.aol.com/nmmnp/Pets/sick_bernie3.jpg www.members.aol.com/nmmnp/Pets/sick_bernie4.jpg www.members.aol.com/nmmnp/Pets/sick_bernie5.jpg www.members.aol.com/nmmnp/Pets/sick_bernie6.jpg You can tell in one picture in particular, that his abdomen almost has a "see-thru" appearance when he swims against the light....like a balloon.   <He is big, indeed.  I would begin to suspect a tumor, or an internal bacterial or parasitic infection.  Another person on the WWM forums ( http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/index.jsp ) had a very similar problem with her Betta, Mo, and had success once with treating with an antibacterial medicine.  Unfortunately, the fish did have a relapse months later and did not make it.  I think in your case I would try food medicated with Oxytetracycline, perhaps.> Is there any possibility that this could be a tumor, and the tumor is causing the digestive troubles?? <This is perhaps possible, yes.> Also...I'm almost afraid to ask this, but do you think Bernie is in any pain with this? <That can be very, very difficult to answer, as I am not, nor have I ever been, a fish ;)  However, I think it is safe to say that if he's still eating and generally being himself, you should not give up on him.  If he's trying to keep going, it's worth trying to help him.  You'll know when he's too uncomfortable to go on.  It sounds to me like he's doing alright, for now.> Sandra <Tell Bernie I'm rootin' for him!  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - VII Sabrina, I just posted an update on the WetWebMedia forum.  I tried sending a note to you the other day, but it came back saying to re-send with all the original correspondence, but I didn't have access to my Sent items at the time.    <No problem.  It got to me, and I believe I just responded.> Anyway, I feel that Bernie is really getting worse.  I posted more pictures to show the swelling....he looks like he's about to pop.  In desperation, I launched a dose of Spectrogram.   <I have seen the pictures that you linked to in the previous email.  Spectrogram (Kanamycin and Nitrofurazone combination) may help, if this is a bacterial issue.  Oxytetracycline in food might be a better option, if you see no improvement with the Spectrogram.  Kanamycin and Nitrofurazone are both great antibiotics.> I'm so worried that he is now in some discomfort, but it's impossible to know.  He is still quite active, but has to rest frequently. <If he is active and not refusing food, I think it's safe to assume he's not feeling too bad.> If the little guy doesn't pull through, is there anyone I can send his remains to have them autopsied?  I really want to know what this is, so that I might be able to prevent it from happening again. <A good idea.  You might ask around at any very, very good local fish shops in your area if they have someone capable and knowledgeable to do so, or you might find out at any local colleges or universities if they have anyone in a biology department who is capable and would know what to look for.  A veterinarian may be able to do this, or help you find someone who will.  I have only just begun learning how to dissect - yucky and fascinating, all at once.> Also.....I'm a little paranoid about my other two Bettas becoming infected.  They all used the same eye dropper (for water tests), same siphon and same algae cleaner.  I typically rinsed these items in warm water before re-use, but who knows if I was thorough enough.  At the time, I thought I had three very healthy Bettas.    <For now, just keep your eyes open with the other two, and use any equipment used for Bernie as strictly "quarantine" equipment.  You may need to look into getting a second set of equipment for use with the healthy fish.> Did I do the right thing, giving him the antibiotic? <I think so, yes.  I might've used medicated food instead, but the Spectrogram may very well do the trick (provided it is bacterial and not just constipation, and not a tumor).> Sandra <Still (and always) hoping for the best,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta -  VIII Thanks.  Is Tetra Medicated Food a good brand to use?  Its ingredients are listed as: Tetra Medicated Food: bacterial and fungal TETRACYCLINE HYDROCHLORIDE 50% OXOLINIC ACID 5% <I haven't used this, myself, but I spoke with Ananda, who has/uses the Tetra medicated flake.  She says it works pretty well; I think it's certainly worth a shot if he's not improving right now.> I don't have access to a decent LFS, so anything I buy will have to be online. <Understandable.> If this is constipation, then feeding him anything is probably not a good idea, right?   <Well, it seems you've been fasting him quite a while, been feeding with roughage-y foods, and tried Epsom salt; if that's not working, then it's certainly time to consider other things.  He may have issues that aren't constipation.> Would you say to try the medicated food if 2 rounds of Spectrogram aren't effective?   <Two rounds meaning, two doses, or two complete treatments of three doses each?  If you don't see any improvement whatsoever after the first three doses (one full treatment, as outlined on the package), I think I'd try the medicated food, if it were me.> Should I plan to fast him the whole time he is being treated? <I think feeding him very sparingly every few days is probably necessary at this point.  I fear that fasting him isn't going to help his situation any further.  I would suggest, though, to be very careful how much you give him, as I don't know if too much food might cause him farther harm at this point.> (directions say to dose every other day for a total of 3 treatments; then wait 3 days and repeat the treatment if needed), with maybe a little pea between the two rounds?   <A bit of food every few days is probably okay.  Just be very cautious - and of course, if it exacerbates his problem, stop.> Also, do you know if I can use Epsom salt and Spectrogram together?   <Should be safe.> If so, does 1 tsp. for a 2.5 gallon tank still sound reasonable given his situation? <tsp. = teaspoon, yes.> I did a partial water change prior to adding the Spectrogram but did not add Epsom salt back in.   <There shouldn't be any problem with the two together.> Thanks; I'll let Bern know you are thinking about him.  He just keeps looking at me like, "Why aren't you feeding me?"  :-(  Sandra <Poor fellah!  Hoping for the best,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - IX Hi, I can't seem to get a hold of Florida Guppies-Plus; apparently they don't return calls or emails.   <Might just have been out for the weekend....  I know one of our forum users had great customer service from them.> I was hoping to place an order first thing this morning for those medicated flakes, but now it's another day wasted.  Do you know of any distributors I could contact for this product? <In all honesty, I believe they manufacture them themselves....  Not positive, but I think so.> Growing more frustrated by the minute.  Tetra medicated flakes have been discontinued.   <Indeed they have.  I had thought/hoped that you already had some :( > I found them listed on *one* website, but after calling the company (and actually getting a real person), they told me they no longer carry it.   <*sigh*!> I put a note at the end of my post asking if anyone who might have a sample of either product would be willing to share but I haven't heard anything back yet.   <I have responded on the thread, as I'm sure a couple others will.  Don't fret, not yet!> It was a long shot, but thought it was at least worth a try since I'm running out of options.  Getting the feeling that I'm fighting a losing battle here...  Bernie is going to die, I just know it.   <Don't give up.  He's still acting well, yes?  If he hasn't given up yet, you've still got a chance, don't worry.> Anyway, if you happen to think of any online sources that sell either product, can you let me know?   <I will do some looking around and see what I can find.  You might try contacting Aquatronics  ( http://www.aquatronicsonline.com/contact.htm )  regarding their product "Oxymanna" (I'm not sure if it's still made or not), or try to find their product "Oxytetracycline" (should be available from many online sources), which is mixed into food and then fed to the fish; they have great instructions on the package to do this.  That's basically making your own medicated food.> Thanks again for all of the help you have provided,  Sandra <Any time, Sandra.  Wishing you well,  -Sabrina> Constipated Betta - X Sabrina, I stand corrected; FGP sent me a response last night, saying he had gotten in late and missed my message, but would post the flakes first thing in the morning and ship Priority for no additional cost.   <Wow!> I take back my comments; they are obviously very service-oriented. <Indeed!  I am quite impressed.> Anyway, I should have the flakes in a day or so, but appreciate your kind offer.  He's shipping from Florida, which isn't all that far from Indiana.  He is also sending another flake (I forget what it is) and said to mix the two and feed twice daily.   I might start out feeding once a day - a tiny amount - at first, and go from there. <Mm, with antibiotics, in food or otherwise, it's really best to use as directed - too low of a dose can cause bacteria to grow an immunity to the med.  If you've been seeing any Betta poop coming out, I think you might be better off to go with a tiny amount twice a day.  Perhaps not as much as he would normally eat, but enough to get the meds in there.  Also, it might be a good idea to find out what the other medicated flake is - I'll wager a guess it is either Metronidazole or Levamisole and/or Piperazine - the first, Metronidazole, would probably not do anything for your Betta, as it is for protozoan parasites, but Levamisole and/or Piperazine would help with large-type parasites, if that's what's making his belly so huge.> Bernie is still hanging in there.   <Great!> Last dose of Spectrogram (final in the round of 3), and I will do a large water change before starting the flakes. <Sounds like a plan.  If you have trouble getting your Betta to accept them, try spritzing them with garlic juice or clam juice to make them more appealing.> Thanks again,  Sandra <Sure thing.  Hope all goes well,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - XI Sabrina, When I got home from work this evening, I discovered that Bern had a long trail of stringy, light-colored poo.  This is the first time I've ever seen this.   <Excellent that you've got a symptom to go off of, now!> Thinking this might in fact point to parasites, I gave him a tiny bit of the Pepso Food that I mentioned before, since it is for internal parasites.   <It may help, but probably won't eradicate them in and of itself.  Depending upon whether you're dealing with Protozoans or worm-type bad guys, you'll want to use Metronidazole (for the former) or Piperazine or Levamisole (for the latter).> He ate this, and so far has had no bad reaction to it.   <Certainly a plus.> Too late I remembered that I also have Tetra brand flakes for internal parasites, and it contains Metronidazole, which I understand to be the drug of choice for certain types of parasites.   <For Protozoans, yes.> I hope I didn't do the wrong thing with the Pepso food, but he seems to be okay.  Does this new turn of events seem to point to parasites or some sort of bloat in your mind? <Well, "bloat" is kind of a general word like "sneeze".  If you sneeze, it could mean you have allergies, the flu, or an ant crawling up your nose.  Your fish is certainly bloated, it's the cause of that that is the problem, and will need to be treated, as above.> Thanks again, Sandra <Sure thing.  Best wishes,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - XII Sabrina, <Hi, Sandra> Sorry to shoot you a separate email, but I wanted to try to reach you before I head to the LFS today.  I posted this on the web, but thought this might reach you sooner.   <It's usually easier to answer quickly on the forum, as it doesn't require any preparation, etc., and if you're on and see the post, you can respond faster, and so on.> (Are you located in Idaho?  You mention it in your profile; my husband and I lived in Coeur d'Alene between 1998-1999.  Beautiful, beautiful place).   <I used to be!  Town of Bonners' Ferry, up on the Canadian border.  Oh, how I miss the place!  I used to go down to Coeur d'Alene and Spokane for saltwater needs.  Three hour drive for live rock.... sheesh!> This morning I saw what I believe to be a worm inside Bernie.  When he drifted past the tank light, I took a good, close look and saw a long (possibly 1/2") object up around his intestines.   <EWW.> At first I thought this might be his intestines or maybe poo, but it isn't visible from the other side.  It is in the shape of a C.  Does this sound like a worm of some sort?   <Without seeing, well, you'll be able to tell better than I, but it certainly sounds possible.> If so, is there a way to tell what kind of worm it is?   <That could be quite difficult.  You might try browsing about on http://www.fishdisease.net/ .> Our LFS doesn't carry a whole lot in the way of meds, but they do carry some of the more common Aquatronics products.  I doubt that they carry Discomed, but possibly they could order it.  Do you think this product would be my best bet?   <Likely, yes.  Something with Levamisole or Piperazine is probably the best thing for you; there are certainly manufacturers other than Aquatronics that sell medicines containing these; the reason I usually suggest Aquatronics brand is because it is typically the most commonly available, and they offer a wide selection of medicines that most other manufacturers omit (e.g.., "Discomed" Levamisole, and "Pipzine" Piperazine).> Do you really have to administer it w/ live food? I have no access to live food of any sort.   <Is not necessary.  There are instructions on how to use it with frozen and dry foods, as well.> You also mentioned Levamisole and Piperazine on the post, but I can't find Levamisole anywhere on the web -- <Discomed contains/is primarily Levamisole.> the info that I found on this product says that it is inert in PHs above 7.0, and ours is around 7.8.   <I've not heard that, to be honest, but I can't say that I know one way or the other.  I would imagine administering it via food (as it should be) would be safe in that case, though.  You can also, over a couple of days, lower the pH in your Betta's house if you're concerned.> That could also be a problem, but I couldn't find a place that carries it.   <Discomed can be found at many good local fish stores, as well as at online stores.> I do have the Parasite Clear fizz tablet that Jungle makes.  Would that be useful at all?   <I do not believe so.  This is for Protozoans, like ich and velvet.> I also know that our LFS carries Parasite Guard.   <Also not geared toward worms, unfortunately.> In fact, I may just run up there in a little while and make a list of what they have and see if anything there would be at all helpful.  How long can Bernie go with something like that inside him?   <That's something I couldn't even begin to answer, I'm afraid.  He's gone weeks, so definitely weeks, and he's still acting well, yes?> And would this explain his HUGE size? (I believe he has gotten bigger in the last couple of days).   <I would think so, yes.> What is the mortality rate for this, if it is treated?   <Another one I really don't have an answer for.  I can tell you, though, that many fish that are treated for worms do survive.> I wish I could send a picture of this, but it's very hard to get the right angle.  Bernadotte is still active, but rests a great deal.  I lowered his water level last night so he would have less trouble reaching the top, <An excellent idea!> and did a large water change to make sure it is clean.  Is there anything else I can do to make him a little more comfortable? <Frankly, I think you're doing the best anyone could.> Many thanks again,  Sandra <You bet.  Still got my fingers crossed!  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta - XIII Sabrina, Thanks!  I posted this follow-up on the board this morning, as I am a little baffled by something: <For those following, the thread can be found at: http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?forum=31&thread=15483&start=0&msRange=15&tstart=0&trange=15 > Bernie was very spunky over the weekend, and as I mentioned in my post on Sunday, he is building a huge bubble nest.  I think this is very significant, because Bernadotte never built much in the way of bubble nests before he became ill, and this one is massive!  So I'm hoping this means he is feeling better.   <Certainly sounds good, to me!> More (possibly) good news is that his feces are back to normal color and less segmented, but they are still extremely long.  Before, they were very light and very stringy-looking.  This morning, he had about 1" of fecal matter hanging off him, but it was brown.   <This does sound to be an improvement, as well.> Okay, this is where the problem comes in.  I noticed that after he had this large poo this morning, the dark "mass" that I noticed inside of him earlier was no longer visible.  This makes me wonder if I have gotten it wrong in thinking this is a worm, and instead this was just feces coiled up inside on him.   <Sounds likely.> If I look a picture of fish anatomy, it totally throws me off because the stomach and intestines appear to be located more toward the "bottom" of the fish, whereas the "object" I saw extended up and around.  Here is the drawing I am referring to: http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/anatomy.html#internal <Well, with the humongous swelling in him, I assume that's shoving things a bit out of whack - and also, you might try to compare with a more Betta-oriented diagram.  Here's one I found:  http://www.webvortal.com/bubblenest/anatomy.html > Here are the pictures of what I was seeing: http://www.psci.net/dchs/Other/Images/sick_bernie1.jpg http://www.psci.net/dchs/Other/Images/sick_bernie2.jpg http://www.psci.net/dchs/Other/Images/sick_bernie3.jpg Is that where you would typically see poo?   <Well, it does look kinda out of place.... but sort of tough to see in the pictures.> On the other hand, if this truly was a worm, could  1) it be moving and not always visible; or 2) Bernie be expelling it in his feces?   <On both counts, I don't really know.> If it WAS feces that I saw and mistook it for a worm, then what would be causing the long (previously light and stringy) poo?  He obviously isn't constipated, so that brings me back to bacterial infection.  Is long, stringy feces common with bacterial infections?   <It can be, yes.  As it can be with internal parasites, as well.> I don't know what to do.  Should I just continue treating as I have been?  I have been feeding him 2-3 tiny bits of Zooplankton that is briefly soaked in Discomed.  Then I give him 1 flake of the Florida Guppies Plus Oxytetracycline medicated food, and 1 flake of the medicated food for parasites.  He gets fed 2x day.  <Sounds good - especially if you're seeing improvement.> Apparently he is feeling better -- his color looks great, he is very active, bubblenesting, good appetite (he loves the Oxytetracycline flake), spunky and interactive.  If his abdomen weren't swollen up about 10 times the normal size, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with him. <LOL!  One tough little, fish, that's for sure!> Thoughts?  I really need to know if I'm on the right course.  Thanks,  Sandra <So far, it sounds good to me - again, especially if you're seeing improvement.  I would keep going as you are.  Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Constipated Betta Hello, <Hi Sandra, Sabrina here> Is there anyone there who could lend me some advice on my constipated Betta? I posted the situation on the forum board here, but would appreciate any expert help your crew could offer. <Well, since this email got put in my care, and I've already been communicating with you on the forums, I think you've pretty much got all I can tell you thus far.  For the benefit of our readers, though, and to have this archived for anyone else with similar issues to be able to search and find it, I am happy to go ahead and address this again - who knows, perhaps some tidbit that I forgot to mention on the thread will fall out of my head as I go.> Here is my post: <For reference, the thread can be found at:   http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?forum=31&thread=15081&tstart=0&trange=15 .> I have a 1-year old male Betta who is constipated. I first noticed this last week and immediately recognized the signs, as we lost a Betta to constipation earlier this year. <I'm sorry to hear that.> I am very careful not to over-feed, and I vary the diet as much as possible, but somehow Bernie still managed to become constipated. <They are extremely easy to overfeed, with their humongous appetites and tiny little Betta tummies.  It may be possible that he's just plain fat - but the fact that your other Bettas aren't bloated probably disproves that.> Now he is swollen on his sides, and there is no poo in his tank. We have two other Bettas and they are both fine; the only thing I can think that might have caused this is that I was in mid-cycling of his tank and had not done any deep-cleaning on his gravel until a week or so ago. I'm wondering if he may have eaten bits of food that were stirred up when I cleaned his tank recently. <I'm sure that's possible, but I think it unlikely.  Fish can get constipated for no apparent reason, sometimes; it can happen when they eat too much at once, or are offered an inappropriate diet (probably the reason we see this so much in goldfish).> I don't want to lose another Betta to constipation; I had to watch as our first Betta suffered for several weeks and died a terrible death from it. I am resolved not to let him eat anything until I see improvement. <Fasting, along with offering *only* foods of high roughage content (bits of pea, adult brine shrimp, daphnia) should help clear him up, along with adding Epsom salt to the water at a rate of 1 to 2 tablespoons per ten gallons water - that comes down to about 1/3 to 2/3 of a teaspoon per gallon, or a touch more.  The Epsom salt will help relieve pressure in him, and may help him pass any blockage in his gut.> It is day 4 of fasting, and he is still pretty swollen. <Try the Epsom salt, and keep fasting him - he can go quite a long time without food.> I ordered Pepso food, which someone recommended to me because it contains cod liver oil. It should arrive today. <I don't think I'd use Pepso food, as it contains medicines that I think are quite unnecessary in your Betta's case.> I tried feeding him a bit of pea two days ago, but am nervous about it this since it seemed to make the constipation worse in Horatio (the Betta who died). <If the pea doesn't/didn't help, perhaps try a brine shrimp or two.  Your local fish store would probably give you a couple, as these are usually sold by the ounce - which is a *lot* of little shrimp.  I'd try the Epsom salt first, see how that goes.> Can anyone offer any other advice here? Am I correct in not feeding him for days or even weeks if necessary? This is bringing back awful memories, and I don't know what to do!!! <I don't think he could go more than a couple weeks without eating, and even that might be a stretch - but many days is fine.> I can't believe I'm going through this all over again; after Horatio died, I become almost obsessively careful about feeding, so I'm at a loss as to how this happened. Any help would be greatly appreciated. <As above, it can "just happen".  And again, Bettas are so easy to overfeed.  In any case, try the Epsom salt, and failing that, in another couple days or so, try offering him a brine shrimp or two, or a tiny bit of daphnia.> Sandra <Hope all goes well!  Wishing your Betta a speedy recovery,  -Sabrina>

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