Is my Betta a baby? Does she look pine coney?

I got my Betta 9 days ago and she got very bloated about 4 days ago. I don’t think I over fed her, but she bloated up. I fed her a couple small pieces of freeze dried blood worms the first few days because she spit out the pellets. I did not soak any of it first. Lesson learned. I’ve been feeding her frozen brine shrimp. Literally, one little shrimp by tweezer for the last 2 days so she doesn’t bloat up again. I also started her tank on microbe life Artemiss and herbatana after she bloated and looked kind of like she had raised scales and swollen anus.

I am curious if anyone can guesstimate how old she looks from the pictures and Does she look like she may have signs of dropsy? Pine cone scales?

Today is day 3 of treatment with microbe lift. She has always been active and hungry. Her bloating is not came back in 2 days and she seems over all active.

 

I admit I didn’t cycle. I only just learned all about that so I bought another 10 gal tank, which I am now fishless cycling (day 3). I might possibly move her to that tank if she improves with microbe lift. Her temp is 80. Water was tested again today and all good, 0 nitrate and nitrite, 0 ammonia.

 

When they are shipped to the petstore they are usually around 3-5 months old, as the betta farms they come from know how to grow the fish up nicely, pretty fast.
She looks like a pretty good size for what I’m assuming her age is, keep feeding her nice high-protein foods and she’ll get a little bigger over time.

I admit I didn’t cycle. I only just learned all about that so I bought another 10 gal tank, which I am now fishless cycling (day 3). I might possibly move her to that tank if she improves with microbe lift. Her temp is 80. Water was tested again today and all good, 0 nitrate and nitrite, 0 ammonia.

and don’t worry, many of us have been there. I usually do fish-in cycling, so as long as you’re religious with water testing and changes You’ll be a-ok.

As for the suspected dropsy- I think I might see a little bit of pineconing in your picture but I’m not sure. If the bloat has gone away she could be on the path to recovery from something, so for now I’d say to just keep doing what you’re doing.

 

Do you think I should do a water change? I am getting mixed results on that. I had to take the carbon filter out for the microbe life to work but I stuck an Piece of ammonia filter in there to help keep out ammonia. I read to wait a month to do a water change for a new tank, then read to do a 15% change every week. Being she is definitely suffering from some type of affliction would a water change help rid parasites/ Bad bacteria or will it just rid the good bacteria and stress her out more?

 

Do you think I should do a water change? I am getting mixed results on that. I had to take the carbon filter out for the microbe life to work but I stuck an Piece of ammonia filter in there to help keep out ammonia. I read to wait a month to do a water change for a new tank, then read to do a 15% change every week. Being she is definitely suffering from some type of affliction would a water change help rid parasites/ Bad bacteria or will it just rid the good bacteria and stress her out more?

A small water change couldn’t hurt. Even if it’s just 15%, it’s always good to water change.
if you have airline tubing you can siphon some of the water out of the tank than gently pour some back in, which would be the least stressful way for your betta girl.

 

Hi. I responded to your other post about this fish. You must do water changes and refill with treated , temperature matched water. Water is NOT good/safe/acceptable until ammonia and nitrate are 0 and you get nitrate readings of no more than 20-aim for 5-10. Cycling takes time. Please research the nitrogen cycle and proper betta fish care. You can do this!

 

I just want to say good on you for getting her what looks like a 5 gallon and then buying ANOTHER tank and doing a fishless cycle on it. Seriously kudos.

 

Hi. I responded to your other post about this fish. You must do water changes and refill with treated , temperature matched water. Water is NOT good/safe/acceptable until ammonia and nitrate are 0 and you get nitrate readings of no more than 20-aim for 5-10. Cycling takes time. Please research the nitrogen cycle and proper betta fish care. You can do this!

I did a 10% WC for now. I have two jugs of water which I use seachm prime.. I check all the water and ammonia was 0 so was nitrates. I heated it up by putting a bucket full of her water in a bath (filling hot water around the bucket) to reach 79 faster. Her red cover seems to becoming a bit more vibrant again. Fingers crossed.

 

I just want to say good on you for getting her what looks like a 5 gallon and then buying ANOTHER tank and doing a fishless cycle on it. Seriously kudos.

Thanks, she is in a 10 gallon. And I screwed up so I couldn’t make her pay for it. I dont know how anyone can put them in anything less..