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>