Female Betta With Sbd

I've had my female VT Betta for almost 3 weeks and she's been a feisty little chunk since day one. However, 7 days ago after her feeding of frozen bloodworms, she immediately began having symptons of Swim Bladder Disorder. I fasted her for 3 days, nothing. Gave her a pea, nothing. Fasted 2 more days, nothing. It's gotten less severe but she sadly spends quite a bit of time chilling out beside the heater or behind the filter because she hasn't gotten much else to do. I'll be coming out with something that can float at the surface she can enjoy in the meantime.

Yesterday I gave her a 10 minute epsom salt bath and gave her a few minutes in her cup around 1/4 epsom salt water and 3/4 tank water before releasing her back into her tank. Because she went so long without eating anything with protein that's actually nutritional for her, she got some frozen mysis shrimp which she accepted gladly.

Should I expect it to ever go away? Should I begin feeding her 6 days a week again?

 

I'd start up with daily waterchanges(25%) and see if you can get your hands on some live daphnea. Whats the temp and water parameters(do you have a liquid test kit?), also how much do you usually feed her? It should go away eventually, but hopefully it'll be gone quickly. I wouldn't, continue with the fasting and feeding a pea every 3 days.

 

Soak your food first. It works wonders.

 

I do a 50% change every other day as her tank isn't cycled, it has been up and running for about 4 weeks though. I've fed her pellets a couple times but only 1 at each feeding (I know that typically is not enough) but I've also fed frozen bloodworms and mysis shrimp and will buy some brine shrimp soon.

 

Pellets are a staple food. Frozen food is only for treats.

 

Pellets are a staple food. Frozen food is only for treats.

I think your thinking more so if freeze dried, where there’s no nutritional value. There’s been quite a few who have fed primarily frozen or live food(especially in prepping for breeding) for their bettas(I try to feed mine frozen several times a week). The most I believe you’d need to worry about is them getting chubby from having that kind of diet.
What’s the temperature?

 

Right now it's at 80 degrees F.

 

In that case, it really does sound your doing everything you can... how close till the cycle is finished? Do you think you could get some Tetra Safe Start and finish it quicker?

 

I haven't tested my water yet. I think I'm gonna continue feeding her in small amounts each day because the fasting doesn't seem to work too much and last week she didn't really eat at all.

 

If your thinking she needs to eat a bit more, I’d suggest doing bi-daily feeding weeks alternating with 2-3day fast and pea weeks. You think you could post a photo of her? It’s really strange it’s staying as long as it is.

 

The link to her Instagram account is:

 

Is she floating? What are her symptoms?

 

Yeah, she's floating. She goes kinda on her side sometimes, but sometimes not. She rests a lot because she doesn't know what else to do I guess, but she will follow her feeding tongs around and I let her bite them sometimes just to give her something fun to do. She looks pretty chunky and sometimes she tries to swim down but it's short lived.

 

UGH, STRINGY POOP! I'll be starting a PraziPro treatment for her tomorrow...typically I'm very cautious of fish meds, but PrazI is very safe and gentle and can be used as a preventative for a completely healthy fish. If it is something internal, at least it's caught pretty early and the PrazI should work! I'll continue feeding her frozen mysis and bloodworms for now (don't have access to brine shrimp or any other frozen foods right now unfortunately) to make sure she's getting nutrition. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.