Maryke

Hey, I have another betta now and he's constipated! I can't believe it, because I gave him the minimum amount of food! What should I do? I already gave him chopped up peas, but it doesn't seem to work, he's just getting more bloated! Please help, don't want to lose another one to constipation...

heather84

Are you sure its not dropsy? I would continue to try the pea, alot of fish wont take it right away but he will when he gets hungry. After doing the pea fast him for a day.

Lucy

HO many gallons is his tank?
What are the reading for ammonia nitrite and nitrate?
Any tank mates?
What is his normal diet (what kinds of food)?
Can you post a pic?

I agree with Heather. Alternating fasting and a couple bits of pea.
Too much pea at one time isn't good for him either.
How long has he been bloated?
How many times have you given him peas? Have you fasted him at all?

Sorry for all the questions, the answers will help the members help you further.

Maryke

Every time he eats the tiny pea pieces, but his stomach doesn't get smaller. It is as if it gets larger and larger... Should I keep giving him just pea pieces and no other food, or should I give him nothing or what? I tried to upload a photo, but it didn't work... I always gave him one tetra flake in the morning and a small amount of blood worm in the evenings. Now I'm too afraid to give him anything, because his stomach just gets larger and larger... I don't know how many gallons, but his tank is large enough because he's the only fish in the tank. I don't know the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings because our pet shop doesn't have anything you can use to check it.

I think he has been bloated about 2 or 3 days...I gave him a few pieces of pea last night and a few this afternoon... should I fast him now? For how long?

Lucy

It would be a good idea to pick up a test kit.
If the parameters are off, the water can cause all kinds of problems.
Being the only fish doesn't make the tank size correct, he should be in at least 5g's.
How often are you changing the water?
Is the tank heated? Filtered?
Are you giving freeze dried blood worms or frozen?
Sometimes flakes and freeze dried foods can cause bloat.

For now, it would be a good idea to fast a day or two then offer him just a couple bits of pea on the 3rd day. Continue that, see if it helps.

Try re-sizing the pic. It might be too big.

Maryke

The tank is 36 x 22 X 22 cm. Once a week I add 2 litres water to the tank. I have a heater and a filter. I give him frozen bloodworms and expensive flakes. We really don't have anything else at the pet shop...including the test kit. I only have a pH test kit and my pH is fine. Recently I added a few ammonia remover stones just in case.. The pic is only 64kB and it still doesn't want to upload.

alicem

22cm x 22cm x 36 cm = 17.6 liter
8.7" x 8.7" x 14.2" = 4.65 gallon

hth,
alicem