Betta is constipated or has dropsy

Dante is either constipated or suffering from dropsy. I think he is constipated. I now have him in isolation so that he gets 100% one-on-one attention from me, and I've been trying to feed him small pieces of peas every couple of hours, but he won't eat.
Please keep Dante in your thoughts! I've grown so attached to my little guy. :'(

S.

By the way.... can eating fry cause constipation in Bettas?? I know he's eaten quite a few of them.

 

I'll be thinking of Dante. Sorry to hear he is under the weather.


Best wishes to you both!

 

Sorry to hear he's not doing too well. He might just need some time to rest, you're probably doing the best you can do. I'll have you both in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Any radical change in their diet can cause constipation and eating fry would qualify. I know how close that you are to Dante. I have no problem keeping him in my prayers, some may find this strange but I believe that fish deserve everything that can be done for them and I do and have prayed to mine on several occasions.

Maybe you will need a combination of medication and the vegetable fast to bring him out of it, Furan-2 has been listed as being affective on Dropsy and perhaps if he is getting over his bloat he will feel more like eating. You are wise to have him in isolation as it would take less medication. What size is the isolation tank and can it be heated and fitered. These are essential. The carbon should be taken out of the tank and 1 capsule of the above medication for 10 gallons. It is not hard to divide for 5 gallons. Then in a couple of days he can have the pea reintroduced but do not feed him anything not even his betta food in between as it will only cause a more potent blockage and it will also make him more acceptive of the peas when they are offered againl

I hope this has helped. I am so sorry that you are having problems.

Rose

 

Too much protein can cause constipation and fry definitely qualify as high in protein. Try fasting him for 24 hours, do a water change and then offer him a small piece of pea. His little tummy may need a rest from trying to digest food for a bit. Hope that helps.
Carol

 

He seems to be feeling better tonight. I finally got him to eat some pea, and he is swimming around acting almost normal, except for his poor distended belly. He even let me touch him after he had eaten some pieces of pea, which is a good sign, because he was always a very affectionate fish.
Here are some pics of him from just a little bit ago, when I was cleaning his "isolation chamber" (sorry they are blurry and a bit dark.)

 

He looks like he is feeling like swimming but I wouldn't push the feeding of regular food for a couple of days yet. Usually when they get that bloated and constipated it takes them a few days to get cleaned out and the Betta foods for some reason just compound the problem. He can get by for a few days on small pieces of pea and it will get his system cleaned out. He will not like it much that he is not getting his regular nummies but he will feel better for it in the long run. It is time for some "tough love". It nearly killed me to do this with my little Marty piglet but he came through it fine. It is a combination of eating too much protein and gulping it down too fast and whole. His little bottom is probably going to be sore for a few days after he is cleaned out so please be sure you keep his water very clean so he doesn't develop a fungal infection. You probably know all about this but just in case...

I hope this helps him some more. I am so glad he is better, I know how much you love him.

Rose

 

He will get nothing but pieces of pea from me, you can count on that! I am just so very happy that he is feeling better and acting more like his old self. Tough love is hard, but it IS love. I'd much rather be tough and have him live, than be a softy and lose him. He is my darling little inferno

S.

Dante is better!! He took a BIG poo today, and is no longer looking bloated. I fed him some more pea, and am hoping to be able to reintroduce him into his home tomorrow.
Thank goodness he is once again his normal feisty self!!

S.

 

I would still wait a couple of days before putting him back on his regular food for good. He is vulnerable for a little bit yet. (and probably a little sore) It won't hurt him to have pea for a couple more days if you are willing. It seems that once a betta has been in this shape, they relapse very easily. And I believe he is not the youngster some of the others are so we have to be especially aware with him. I am so glad that he is better. You are such a good Betta mommy and I know you love him very much. It is almost like having a sick child except that they cannot tell us where it hurts and we cannot yell at them when they do something stupid. (but we do love them anyway, don't we? ;D)

Again, I am so happy that he is better.

Rose
;D

 

I'm glad to hear that he's okay as well. I agree, let him take it easy for another day and then feed him slowly up to your former standard.