Betta may have constipation - tried peas

Can some of you betta lovers look here sounds like it's constipation and I advised the pea method as I know it can't hurt him even if I'm wrong but I'm not a betta expert so could somebody else help out here, thanks.

 

Already done.

Thank you, Austin.


Rose

 

thanks for responding, don't like seeing empty posts and didn't seem like anybody was seeing it, thanks for replying.

 

Hello everyone,

 

Hello everyone,
     I left a post regarding my beta's situation where I first posted, sorry about that. I am looking into equipment for my lil guy. Would anyone have a good starter kit they would recommend as I don't want anything bigger than 2.5 gallon tank, I haven't the room for anything bigger. What would be the ideal heater for a small tank and what would be a good filter. If there is a starter kit that includes these items pls let me know, I would like to get him on the road to recovery a soon as possible. I am thankful for all and any suggestions. When I say I don't have room for a bigger tank I'm not intending to sound stubborn about it, I really just don't have it. Jimmy is living in the middle of our home where he can see everyone and he is on top of my desk. Thanks.

Bronx mom

 

I would say if you have room for a 2.5 then you have room for a 5 gallon hex from wal-mart for35$ that comes with a good filter, chickadee could give you the measurements. if you scroll down there you will see where to buy a heater, they plug into the wall. Chickadee will give you the rundown on what to get along with some other people, would write more but I need to get to bed, somebody should stop by soon.

 

Hey Bronx Mom

Nice to see you here at the Betta Board. Ignore my post to you where you first posted suggesting that you come here. I see you have, heh.

I'm curious, how did you find this website (fishlore)? I'm glad that you did.

Jimmy is in my thoughts!

Karyn

 

Check out the 5 gallon Hex tanks. I have one and it's not that big. It sits on my small nightstand. It is a Hexagon shaped tank measuring 13" L, 11" W, 16" H


If this is still too big there is the Eclipse 3 gallon.


Both are excellent kits with great built in BioWheel filters and lights. You need to buy the heater separate. You'll need a 25 watt heater.

Most of the other smaller tank kits are no good. Almost all I've seen come with Under Gravel filters which are useless or no filter at all, just lights. Definitely don't buy anything made for Bettas!  All companies seem to make for Bettas are tiny plastic containers too small for filters or heaters.

 

Thanks for all the helpful info. I orderd a 3 gallon tank with heater and food and plants and gravel and ect.................... in other words I dropped a good 75 bucks on jimmy. My husbands thinks I'm nuts spending so much on what he calls a 2 dollar fish, wutever. Believe it or not he does like his fishy, I guess he just never thought it would cost so much to maintain. In reality it's not too bad, if anyone has ever kept parrots they would agree this is only a lil bit. So for now Jimmy is chilling out, he did not touch his peas, so I scooped them out. I did notice a lil bit of poop on the bottom of his tank, I scooped that out too :-\ I took out some of the water and put in some fresh water , it sat out for 48 hrs, just about 6 ounces. for now I have him in a little bit of water so he doesn't have to over do it getting to the top to breathe. Well that's it, it's the best I could do for now I hope my efforts are not in vain. I was glad to see he pooped at least. He hasnt eaten for 3 days now, so maybe Mon morning he will be ready for a bite of those peas. I wish they wouldn't sink so fast tho. So thanks again everyone, will fill you in on his progress.

Bronx Mom

 

Best way to get him to eat the peas is to make sure you have his attention and let it sink in front of him so he sees it. If he's hungry, he will instintively chase it. Once he tastes it you will never have a problem getting him to eat it again. They LOVE peas!

If he is in a small container he will need a bigger water change than 6 ounces. Dangerous ammonia levels will build up in less than 24 hours even in a 1 gallon tank (even faster in a smaller bowl). It's good that he's pooping even a little bit. Just keep fasting him and trying to give him peas. Once he is in the new tank with warm water he should feel a lot better. Please make sure you read the section on this site about cycling the tank if you do not already know how. He needs to get in a warm, filtered enviroment asap so IMO you could cycle it with him in it as long as you do lots of water changes. Others may have a different opinion...

Please do keep us posted and if you can, post a pic of him in his new tank! 

 

oh boy! ok so when I get his tank and set it up and get his temp at the desired 80 degrees, he can't just go in? It has to be better than sitting in his quart amount of water, I would think. So what am I having to do then when his tank gets here? Do I still put the salt and the blue solution the pet store gave me as well as this water conditioner? Do I add the water he's sitting in or put him in the freash water. Do I let his tank sit for 24 hrs before I get him in there? I think I bit off more than I can chew here. Thanks for any info you can give. Also when I change his weekly water do I keep some of the old water or clean it out completely place him back in? ???

clueless Bronx mom

 

Hello,
Don't be too discouraged, please. The cycling process is a bit of a hassle, but after that it gets easier. I agree that even an uncycled tank will be better for him than what he has now. Just keep checking ammonia levels, and you will probably have to change like 20-30 % of the water, every other day if not daily. I had to do this daily in my 50G (!) tank, when I cycled it, since I had fish in there.

The water changes are basically so that he doesn't swim around in his own waste and die in it. There is a product called bio-spira that is supposed to allow you to immedietely add your fish and has the live bacteria to jump the cycling, but I'm not sure how available it is. Keep us posted, and soon as you fill your tank (you will need to remove the chemicals from your tap with a water conditioner of some sort)and the temperature is right, I would put your little friend in there. Could be he was just a sick fish when you baught him, though. They often are.

Izabela

 

Here is the information on the Bio-spira...once you add the Bio-spira AFTER shaking the pouch you turn about and add the fish. Took longer to type than to do. Then you do not change the water for a week (7 full days) and then you do your regular water change and the tank is cycled, (it is actually cycled the first moment the Bio-spira hits the water but the bacteria will be all settled into the filter and on the gravel in a week) You will have a small ammonia spike while the bacteria is settling in but that is normal and will not hurt your fish.

They are going to ask you to send it 2nd Day Air, but unless you live where it is warm, I would ship it regular shipping this time of year as it will not get WARM shipping in the winter. If you live where the temperatures are over 65 degrees now then maybe if you order it you need to get the enhanced shipping.

I know that you did not say that you were ordering this but I thought you would like to have the information and make the choice yourself.

It is also available at: but it is more expensive.


Rose

 

HI Bronx mom and Jimmy!

Good to hear Jimmy's input/output system is coming around.  The green pea treatment is quite a life saver.

Though it has a cost to it, the Bio-Spira method is probably the fastest route to go.  If time is a factor, Drs. Foster and Smith can get it to you overnight, if ordered by midweek. 

Don't know what the salt and the blue solution are that the pet store gave you to use, but I'd hold off on both and use Aqua Plus, Stress Coat, or any other dechlorinater in your replacement water to prevent Jimmy from exposure to chlorine and chloramine.  The products Amquel and Amquel+, while good dechlorinators, also neutralize ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.  Though that's okay for Jimmy in his uncycled container, these and other similar products will interfere with the cycling process, which needs ammonia to get started.  So be on the lookout for dechlorinators that neutralize ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, you don't want to use those dechlorinators in the tank you are cycling.  Not yet, anyway.  (The blue solution you got from the pet store might be a dechlorinator, idk.)

One thing I did not see mentioned so far is aeration.  Warm water holds less oxygen than cool water and Jimmy, being a tropical fish, is going to need to be in warm water.  If you don't already have an aeration system, you'll need an air pump, air line, air stone, check valve, and probably a gang valve.  The air pump feeds the air stone through the air line.  You cannot submerge the air pump, thus, the airstone and airline.  In the event of a power failure, which would shut down the air pump, the check valve will prevent water from flowing back through the airstone and into the air pump, thus emptying your 3 gallon tank and wrecking the pump.  The gang valve gives you control over the amount of aeration.  Some air pumps can get noisy.  Our Top Fin pump is.  The Rena air pump was recommended to us as a quiet pump.  I can't verify that, but I did order one yesterday at:



Until your 3 gallon tank is set up and you are ready to add the Bio-Spira (or if you decide to cycle the tank via other methods), Jimmy should get a 50% water change daily.  Try to add dechlorinated replacement water that is at or a degree higher than the water Jimmy is in.  I guess now's a good time to mention that a couple of inexpensive floating thermometers would be a good investment.  (They usually come on a bubble-pack card and have a suction cup attachment.)

Betta's are jumpers.  If the surface of the container's water is near the rim, you might want to consider some type of top for the container.  One poster here (sorry I can't recall who it is to give credit) puts slices in a paper plate (for air to get in) and covers the container with it.

While I'm mentioning things, you'll want a good water test kit.  The one recommended here is the API Master Test Kit.  For the most part, you'll be keeping an eye on ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.  The Seachem Ammonia Alert is also a pretty handy device to give you a quick visual alert to high ammonia levels.

If Jimmy's container is not heated and you have a warm spot in your abode for his small container, you may also want to move him there until the 3 gallon tank is ready.  (While I'd never recommend placing a water-filled container on top of electronics, we had our Betta in an armoire on a shelf above our cable box, which emitted a lot of heat even when it was off.  We didn't want him under a forced-air heating duct because of dust.)   

Illness aside (and you're aware with Jimmy's constipation that illness can strike at anytime), once the tank is set up, the hard part should be over.

Good luck and keep us posted on how things are going.

Mike

 

HI EVERYONE,
        I ORDERD JIMMY THE MARINELAND AQUARIUM WITH A BIO-FILTER THAT SOMEONE RECOMENDED, IT'S A 3 GALLON VERSION. THE FILTER IS SUPPOSE TO BE GENTLE FOR BETAS. THE PRODUCTS I USE FOR HIM IN HIS TANK IS METHLYENE BLUE, AQURIUM SALT, AND A WATER CONDTIONER CALLED AQUA PLUS. I LOOKED INTO THE PRODUCT RECOMENDED FROM FOSTER AND SMITH BUT IT IS COSTLY AND I ONLY NEED A LITTLE BIT SO IT WOULD GO TO WASTE AS I SAID HIS TANK IS ONLY 3 GALLONS. I HAVE THE HEATER A 25 WATT ONE. I PURCHASED SOME FAKE PLANTS, I NEED TO KEEP THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. SO WHEN THIS TANK COMES IT HAS TO RUN FOR HOW LONG BEFORE HE GETS INTO IT? I GUESS I NO LONGER NEED TO USE THAT METHLYENE BLUE AS HE WILL HAVE A FILTER TO KEEP THE WATER CLEAN. I HAVE THE THERMOMETER AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THE WATER IS AT 79-80 DEGREES. NOW WHAT ELSE? SORRY IF I SOUND IGNORANT, BECASUE I AM WHEN IT COMES TO THESE THINGS.
   SO AS FOR JIMMY HE STILL HAS NO INTEREST IN THE PEAS, IT WILL BE GOING ON DAY 3 THAT HE HASNT EATEN. I HAVEN'T NOTICED ANYMORE POOPS IN THE TANK SINCE YESTERDAY, HIS BELLY LOOKS SO SWOLLEN HE JUST LOOKS UNCOMFORTABLE, I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM. HE LAYS AT THE BOTTOM AND COMES UP FOR AIR QUICKLY AND GOES BACK TO THE BOTTOM. HIS FINS AND SCALES STILL LOOK GOOD AND CLEAN, NOT SLIMY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT HE IS WHITE SO I HAVE TO LOOK AT HIM VERY CLOSELY, HIS HEAD HAS A BIT OF BLUE AND RED AND ON HIS TAIL HE HAS A FEW STREAKS OF RED AND BLUE. HIS BELLY LOOKS SO DARK WHERE THE SWELLING IS, IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S JUST IMPACTED WITH WASTE. LOOKS PRETTY PAINFUL AND IM NOT AT EASE WITH IT. I HOPE HE DOESNT DIE, BUT I FEEL BAD BECASUE HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S SUFFERING A BIT. I WOULDNT WANT TO EAT EITHER IF MY TUMMY LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GONNA POP, I HOPE THE PEAS GO OVER WELL ON TUES MORNING. THANKS AGAIN.

BRONX MOM
   

 

QUICK QUESTION, CAN'T I JUST PUT A COUPLE OF DROPS OF AMONIA IN HIS WATER TO CYCLE IT? JUST WONDERING AND IS THERE ANTHING ELSE I COULS DROP IN THE WATER TO GIVE IT THE BACTERIA IT NEEDS? THANKS AGAIN.

BRONX MOM

 

Just make sure he is not in the tank that you put ammonia in. It will kill him!
The ammonia method takes weeks. IMO I would cycle the tank with him in it and do daily 50% water changes. The best method is with the BioSpira but if you don't want to order that cycle it with him in there. He will create his own ammonia through waste. If you have put ammonia in teh tank while he is in there PLEASE remove him right away and change all the water before putting him back.

 

Sorry, I just reread your message and I think you were asking if you should put ammonia in, not that you already have. I was worried.
There is no product other than BioSpira that will instantly add the bacteria. Don't bother with products like Cycle. They are useless.
Again, best method is get BioSpira, second best (because he is in such a small cold container) cycle with him in it but do not use ammonia, just do daily 50% water changes until it's cycled.
If you know of anyone who has a tank that is cycled you could borrow some used filter media or gravel (it must be kept wet with used tank water until you put it in your tank) and that will speed up the process.

 

No you cannot put ammonia in the tank, but he will do it for you when he is in there. If he is so miserable, he is probably too cold to have a good metabolism and cannot poop even if he ate. For right now don't try to feed him. Just give him a few days with nothing in his tummy and maybe he will go on his own. He needs to have more than 80 degrees when he is sick. More like 82 degrees. Then his metabolism will go back to normal. I hope your tank gets there soon so he can move into a nice warm tank.

No you would not waste the Bio-spira..it would give you a cycle and you use the whole packet even in a small tank. If you choose not to use it, that is okay but you will have to do 50% water changes every day until he has cycled the tank for you or he will die from the uncycled tank. Just keep doing the testing and when your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are in limits you will have a cycled tank. Unfortunately, it does take 4-6 weeks with doing it this way. I believe he can live through it but it is a lot of work.

I am hoping that Jimmy is doing better in the morning but I think until he gets warm and has some peas, he is going to be uncomfortable. When he gets into the tank and is warmer, I would feed him peas for the first few days or so until his tummy gets cleaned out.

Good thoughts and prayers your way for the health of the little guy.

Rose

 

Very good on the 3-gallon aquarium, fake plants, thermometer, and the heater, Bronx mom.  I don't know what plants you got, but they may need gravel to hold them in place.  If you didn't order gravel, you may want to get some.  Wal-Mart has it, and a 5-pound bag would be more than you need.  Before putting the gravel into the tank, though, rinse it off to wash away the dust.  (We used a colander for the rinsing.  But you don't want to use anything plastic that has had soap or any other chemicals used on it as that stuff can be absorbed by the plastic and then leach back out onto the gravel and contaminate it.)

As far as adding anything to give the new tank the bacteria it needs, the only product I know of is Bio-Spira.  Other tank-cycling methods have a lesser cost attached to them, but they do take time to get the tank cycled.

As for his current container and the new tank, I'm in full agreement with Rose and Phloxface, Jimmy will need 50% water changes daily (at least until the new tank is cycled).

We're in a similar situation as you.  Our fish, GB, has been in an uncycled (though heated and filtered) 5-gallon tank for almost a month now.  He's had two afflictions that caused us to forgo the cycling of the tank while his treatment was implemented.  For us, it's been the same thing, daily 50% water changes.  We started out using Aqua Plus for a dechlorinator and it worked well.  We've never used salt, nor Methylene blue, and GB is doing fine without it.

When you set up your new tank, don't fill it all the way to the top with the dechlorinated water (you'll need room to acclimate Jimmy - explanation below) and let the tank's heater and filter run for 24 hours before introducing Jimmy to it.  Make sure the temp is 82 degrees and holding steady.  I like to run anything new like this for 72 hours to make sure all is working right.  I think Jimmy needs the warm water a lot sooner than that, though. 

To get Jimmy into the new tank, he will need to be acclimated to the tank's temperature.  If you just dump him from water that's at room temperature into an 82-degree aquarium it'll be a huge shock to his system and cause him a lot of stress, something he doesn't need right now.  Most of the posts I've seen have recommended a one-degree rise in temperature every few hours.  I'm going to tell you what I did and if anyone has a better suggestion, I hope they'll share it.  When I put GB into his new tank, I first put him and a couple of cups of his water into a brand new Ziploc freezer bag.  Once he was loaded into the bag, I floated the bag in the new aquarium to let the bag warm to the tank's temperature.  I let him sit like that for about 1/2 hour to make sure the temperatures were equalized before putting him directly into the new tank.  At that point, I "opened the door" and let him leave on his own.   

I have concerns about Jimmy's current condition, and concur with Rose that he's probably too cold and his metabolism has slowed to the point where he's impacted.  A warmer environment will do him a lot of good.  Until the tank is ready to go, all I can suggest is that you put him in the warmest place you can.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and Jimmy.  Keep us updated.

Mike

 

First I would like to thank all of you who took time out to respond to my situattion. I am so sorry to say that Jimmy didn't make it. At about 1:30 today my hubby came home and found him very still :'(. I tried my best to make him well and was hoping he would hold on till his tank came. I kept him in the warmest room in the house where I felt the water would not get chilled, but I guess it wasn't enough. I feel really bad about all this, but like I said yesterday he did not look too good, his belly looked even bigger. It really gets me upset that every pet shop I called told me the same thing, he doesn't need anything more than a little fish bowl and tried to sell me a bunch of junk I didnt need. Now I have a fish tank on it;s way with a bunch of other things I purchased at Petco and no Jimmy I don't know what I will do at this point, I don't like having animals and taking care of them half-a@#ed. I have dogs and a Parrot who all get the very best my knowledge of them would provide and I feel guilty as heck about Jimmy. I am glad that I found this site tho , it taught me alot, there is still much to learn obviously about these cute lil fish. I guess with everything I purchased maybe I will give it another shot, but now that means to begin again. I will post with some questions about setting it all up I'm sure. Thank you again, you all have been most helpfull.

Bronx Mom

 

I'm so sorry about Jimmy! :'( You did the best you could and cared enough to come here and try to get help.
You will make a caring Betta mommy to your next fish.
Now you will have time to cycle the tank when it comes and when it's ready, there is a poor Betta in a cup somewhere that will need a good home. Feel free to ask all the question you need here about cycling the new tank.

 

Really sorry to hear about your losing Jimmy, Bronx mom.

I'm sure you did all you could for him.  Buying the aquarium, heater, and plants for Jimmy, and finding your way here is indicative of your intent to help him.  And the way you talk about your dogs and parrot, I think you really care for the pets in your life.

I hope you do consider getting another Betta.  There is a lot to learn about keeping them.  But there are a lot of Bettas who need homes.  And, I think you'd make a great Betta parent.  So, post with all the questions you want, there are a lot of folks here who will be more than happy to help out.

RIP, Jimmy.

Mike

 

Thanks to you all. I guess that there is time to set up my aquarium. As I read about cycling and all that is invovled, is settin up my tank going to be easier now? Since there is no urgency, what should I do first? When I read dechlorinated water, is that to say I should let it sit somewhere with the aqua plus and then add it? Now that there is no fish how can I get the bacteria needed in the water? Right now I can't afford to buy the bio? bacteria sold at foster ans smith. Any suggestions? I'm goin to give it another shot since I have all this stuff on the way. I do need to get something to check the ammonia and nitrites and nitrates....who knew????? In other words when will it be safe to give it another shot and drop a new baby into my family and his or her new home?
you folks have been most cool and I thank you.

Regards,
Bronx Mom

 

:'( I am very sorry that you lost Jimmy.  You did everything you could and you will make a great betta mom.  I can't give you advice on the best way to cycle a tank, but from what I've heard using ammonia is the way to go.  It is still a lot of work and involves patience, but is quicker than any method other than the Bio-Spira.  There is a sticky note in fresh water beginners about the nitrogen cycle that explains how to do it.  I'm sure that others more knowledgeable than me can give you more help.  I am glad that you are going to go ahead and get another betta.  He/she will be in a very good home.

CherryRose 

 

The first thing to do is to get all of your products together and read up on the <a href=" Care</a> and the <a href=" cycle</a>.  Another good source for info is the <a href=" Tropical Fish Beginner's Guide</a>.

In response to some of your more specific questions, most water has chlorine or chloramine in it.  Chloramine is more stable than chlorine and won't burn off as quickly, if it ever does.  The Aqua Plus breaks the chlorine and chloramine bonds effectively neutralizing these chemicals and making the water safe for fish to be in.  Once dechlorinated, the water's conditioned.  The claim is that dechlorinators work instantly.  Nothing works instantly.  I usually dechlorinate the water I'm going to use the day before I need it.

You might want to start off with 3 gallons of Spring Water from the grocery store.  That way you'll have containers to use to make your water up in.  No containers that have ever been washed in detergent or exposed to other chemicals should be used for the aquarium.  Plastic can absorb these chemicals and then leach them back into the water you're trying to use for the fish.

From the threads here on the Betta forum, cycling the tank w/o fish is easiest if you do not use Bio-Spira.  Adding small amounts of pure ammonia to the dechlorinated water in a fish-less tank is probably quicker than trying to cycle the tank with fish food.  If you know anyone with a cycled and healthy tank who is willing to share with you some of it's gravel or filter media, that, too, can be helpful.  As a person with Bio-Spira in the refrigerator, though, I can't tell you any of this from experience.  So, feel free to ask when you decide which approach you want to take.

You will need something to test the water to see when it's safe to introduce any fish.  The API Master Test Kit is the one recommended here.  You can get it at one of the local pet stores (lps) or from places like Drs. Foster and Smith.

It will be awhile before your tank is cycled and ready for fish.  The test results you will ultimately aI'm for is: ammonia = 0, nitrites = 0, and nitrates less than 20.   

Getting the tank ready for the fish is a good way to do it.  That gives you a chance to do some of your own research before having to make any of the decisions. 

Good luck and keep us updated on how it's going. Once again, I'm really sorry to hear about Jimmy.

Mike

 

(((((Bronx Mom)))))

I am so sorry for the loss of Jimmy. You bent over backwards to try and help him! You have not a single thing to feel guilty about. When Jimmy needed help, you got right on it. You are and will be an excellent Betta mom. I'd personally love to know that a Betta gets to live with you.

It's unfortunate that you didn't have the chance to research before getting Jimmy but you sure learned as much as you could as fast as you could when you needed to and you plan to continue learning. How about your husband...is he learning along with you? Tell him I'm sorry for his loss please? Does he want another Betta? I hope so. Maybe you guys will have to get another tank so you can each have a Betta?

I don't know if anyone has told you yet, I haven't read the rest of this thread yet, but there's a place here where you can post a Memorial for and about Jimmy. Here's the url

Bettas are such special lil creatures with such personality. Jimmy may have given you the Betta bug I think he did and I'm glad. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences with Betta. Again, you made and you'll make an excellent Betta mom. Heart is 90% of it, imo.

Karyn

 

Thanks again for all the usefull info. I can make a more informed decision as to when I will be ready for another Betta. Yes I guess you can say I got a bit of the "Betta Bug" lol. I have never thought of fish as having personalities, my earliest fish memory was when my neighbors big scary oscar jumped out of his tank and under the couch while I was standing right there, EEEEEEEEEECK is all I have to say about that . From then on I was a bit scared of fish. My cousin who ironicaly enough is named "Jimmy" had a huge tank of Pirhana and always threatend to feed my dog to them, so as far as fish and fish tanks were concerned, I have never had any interest in EVER having one. But yes Jimmy Blanco for the Bronx, my betta's name changed that, because he was cute and I could not believe he actually did have a personality, who knew! So yes I will go forward and get another Betta once I get my tank up and ready for one. I will start a new thread when I have more questions, as I know I will. Now that there is no urgency I have time to learn all I need to know for the next lil guy or gal we bring home. So again you are a most cool group of folks with loads of helpful info, thank God for the internet. Take care all and have a great nite.

Bronx Mom

 

I am so sorry for your loss. It is a sad day when we lose a pet we love and I especially think that it is sad to lose a betta because of their personality. I am so glad that you are going to try to give a home to another little betta. He will be the perfect tribute to Jimmy, as I really believe the best compliment we can give to our little friends who leave us is to give another betta a home. It means that we loved them so much that we cannot imagine life without another in our lives.

Rose
:'(