Help Please!

[squirrel]

I have had my betta since Easter of this past year. Tonight I noticed that he kept swimming to the bottom of the tank (struggling) and then he would float back up to the top, as though he didn't have the strength to stay closer to the bottom. He also just has a certain something about him that just doesn't seem right. He has been doing it continuously and I have no idea what is wrong with him! I really don't want to wake up in the morning to a dead Neptune. Any ideas on what could be wrong or what is making him unable to swim properly would be greatly appreciated! hopefully he makes it through the night to hear your responses. Thanks tons. Meaghan

 

[divakeeks]

I am sorry to hear about your baby. My Lilex went through something similar and his problem was constipation. I feed him pieces of pea for a few days with no regular food. It took him a bit but he finally came out of it. Then Rose suggested I wait 15 to 20 seconds between pellets and it has made a world of difference.


Let us know how he's doing.

 

[squirrel]

This morning he is swimming much better, but he is spending a lot of time at the bottom of the tank either horizantally or a bit on his side. Is this still a symptom of constipation?

 

[divakeeks]

It could be.. Or it could be swim bladder disease. I don't know much about swim bladder disease though.

 

[chickadee]

How is he eating and what are you feeding him and how much? If the answer to any of these questions are different than the following, then he is probably constipated.

He should be eating one pellet at a time and chewing it between bites instead of swallowing his food whole. If the food is just put into the bowl and he is allowed to eat on his own he is probably eating like a little pig and the food is going down almost whole. Their stomach is only about the size of their eye and it takes so very little to fill it and they will overeat if given the chance. They should have no more than 3 - 4 pellets per meal two times a day or if they eat freeze dried bloodworms then they can have 6 or 7 bloodworms per meal two times a day. This is an either/or situation, they cannot have both. If he is eating something else, please let me know what and how much. I would put him on a fast - no food at all except for a couple tiny pieces of thawed frozen pea. You prepare it by putting it in the microwave oven for 30 seconds (on a saucer) and peel the skin off of it. then chop up a TINY piece the size of his eye into 2 or 3 pieces and feed them to him. He will eat them off your finger or off a plastic spoon.

I hope this helps him. It sounds like he is pretty sick.

Rose

 

[inari]

My TenshI did the same thing except I think her case might have been worse there were times she turned brown, yes brown, I did this diet with her for about two weeks and she came out of it also try to keep ur water a bit warm to comfort them as well altho TenshI died I can assure you that it was not from that she died when I was trying to change her water and transported her into another bowl another story for another time but back on topic, she ate the peas and she got well pretty fast.

InarI on the other hand (little snot that he is) refused to eat if that is the case don't try and force him to just let him do his thing and like I mentioned keep the water a bit warm where they come from the water is very very VERY warm like around 80 F (correct me if i'm wrong please) this will help with comfort anyway

Feed him peas instead of meals, but if he refuses to eat let him be for a day or two (24 hr period not most ppl's concept of a day) he'll be fine if he doesn't eat for a day or so might be **** off but he'll be fine.

Also if it is constipation after it has passed you'll know it u'll see one monsterous turd on the gravel you can't miss it unless ur blind that is how you know it is done (unless others have had a different experience please post and say so) but that is all I can think of this at this hour good luck and I hope he gets well soon!

~Inari

 

[chickadee]

Thank you, inari. It is all true, what you have said. It is especially nice that you added about raising the temperature. They can be raised up to 82 degrees or so and it will help to stimulate their little systems. Any time the water is cooler the whole system of the fish is slower and constipation can come on with a vengeance. Warming the water will help them to eliminate the problem, but it is like you said, the peas are still necessary.

Rose

 

[inari]

maybe that is my problem with inarI since I don't have a heater for him yet huh didn't think of that however I would not advise keeping them w/o a heater bad idea u have minimal control over temp and its harder to deal with issues like ick and constipation huh who knew...