Bloated Betta

Tank

What is the water volume of the tank? 5.5 Gallons
How long has the tank been running? 4 Months
Does it have a filter? Yes (Marina SlI'm 10)
Does it have a heater? Yes
What is the water temperature? 78
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.) Just 1 male betta

Maintenance
How often do you change the water? Once a week
How much of the water do you change? 25-30%
What do you use to treat your water? Seachem Prime
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? Vacuum

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Yes
What do you use to test the water? API Freshwater Master Kit
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.

Ammonia: 0.0
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 10-20
pH: 7.8-8.0

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? Twice a day
How much do you feed your fish? 1 or 2 granules
What brand of food do you feed your fish? Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? Not Yet

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? A little over a week
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? 3 days ago
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? Bloated, pineconing
Have you started any treatment for the illness? Epsom salt baths 2 times a day
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? Not that I noticed, his fins were a littls clamped
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? He was very active when I first put him in the tank now not so much.

Explain your emergency situation in detail. I got this Betta last Tuesday. He was very active for the first 5 days then he became a little listless. I noticed on Monday night that he looked a little bloated so the next day I bought some peas. I tried feeding him about a quarter of a pea and I thought he ate it. I have never seen him poop though so I started to get a little more worried. I went out Tuesday night and got some Epsom salts and a couple of containers. I gave him a salt bath on Tuesday night and then again this morning, when I put him in the salt bath on Tuesday night he spit out the pea he had been apparently chewing for a couple of hours. This is what he looks like tonight (Wednesday) during his third salt bath. I still have never seen him poop. I don't think he's getting any better. He seems to be swimming alright (maybe a little slow but upright). I'm ready to try medicine but I'm not sure what to use. I have API General Cure, Metroplex, Kanaplex, Polyguard, Focus, Garlic Guard, Stress Guard, and Prime. My water parameters are PH 7.8, ammonia 0.0, nitrite 0.0 and Nitrate 10. I did a 25% water change on Saturday. Please help I really want to save this guy if it's possible.

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• phillips66
• Sep 5, 2019

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• phillips66
• Sep 5, 2019

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• phillips66
• Sep 5, 2019
• 1

 

I'm not actually seeing any pineconing in the s and video so I'm assuming that it's not too bad at the moment. To me it just sounds like hes constipated. I had a very similar situation when I first got my betta where he just wouldn't poop for days. Try fasting him for another 2-4 days. You can keep up with the baths as long as he doesn't show signs of stress. You can try another piece of pea in a day or so too if you'd like- he may be more tempted to eat it if you soak it in garlic guard first.

In the future you can usually avoid bloating by soaking the pellets for 10-30 seconds so that it expands or softens up. I like to use garlic guard but you can also just use tank water.

 

Are his scales sticking out when u look at him from above?

 

Yes and he looks almost white when he is swimming away.

 

If his scales are sticking out its dropsy and he prob won't make it. U can keep up with salt baths and see if it helps but numerous people hear have dealt with dropsy and the majority end up losing the fish. It might go away but usually comes back. Do a little research on dropsy and ask around here, ive never treated it myself so I can't help. I have heard of people doing the epsom salt baths to help with the bloating part.