Is My Betta Obese?

This might sound like a silly question, but I've noticed he's grown a ton since I've got him and I'm worried he's gained too much excess fat. For food he gets either 3 cichlid bug bites in the AM and 3 in the PM. Or 4 days per week he gets brine shrimp in the AM and 3 cichlid bug bites in the PM. He also gets blood worms once per week. He's never bloated, so I just assumed it was a fine amount of food for him. For all his frozen foods I feed him until I see a slight swell in his belly (not bloated but a little distended). Do you guys think he's overweight?

This was when I got him 3 months ago for reference:

 

He doesn't look fat. If you could get a picture from the top that would help.

 

Looks fine to me. Most bettas when bought are still young, under a year old and still growing that's for sure. He just looks to of filled out and become a big mature male. I've got a big mature male who is quite thick but not in the belly, he's just muscular.

It may be worth cutting back a bit on his food, it sounds like a lot to me. Skip a day here and there to let him fast. Won't hurt him one bit, sometimes I skip feeding for a couple days on all my bettas just to give their systems (and me) a break.

 

I’m pretty sure fish can’t develop “fat” they don’t make fat cells (correct me if i’m wrong) so they only get bloated. To me he looks fine, he’s probably just a muscular fish.

 

He doesn't look fat. If you could get a picture from the top that would help.

This was the best I could get

Looks fine to me. Most bettas when bought are still young, under a year old and still growing that's for sure. He just looks to of filled out and become a big mature male. I've got a big mature male who is quite thick but not in the belly, he's just muscular.

It may be worth cutting back a bit on his food, it sounds like a lot to me. Skip a day here and there to let him fast. Won't hurt him one bit, sometimes I skip feeding for a couple days on all my bettas just to give their systems (and me) a break.

That's one thing I've read but never done. I will implement a fasting day for him now for sure. When I got him he seemed very slim so I didn't want to fast him, I was trying to build him up but I guess mission accomplished xD

 

He does look like a chonker. But he isn't bloated. Some Bettas are more robust than others. Especially Plakats I've noticed.

 

I’m pretty sure fish can’t develop “fat” they don’t make fat cells (correct me if i’m wrong) so they only get bloated. To me he looks fine, he’s probably just a muscular fish.

Bettas don't get fat like we do, but they can develop fat around their internal organs.

Alright so new game plan: 1 day per week fasting. 3 days he'll get brine shrimp AM, 2 bug bites PM. 2 Days just bug bites 4 total. 1 day bloodworms AM 2 bugbites PM.

It's gonna be hard he's already cute enough with the begging every time he see's me y'all. But if he's too big and it'll improve his health I'm all for it.

 

It's gonna be hard he's already cute enough with the begging every time he see's me y'all. But if he's too big and it'll improve his health I'm all for it.

Yeah, they have the cutest little faces.

 

Yeah, they have the cutest little faces.

I tried my best not to fall into the trap but maybe I did since he's now chunky. He was never bloated so I was like it's fine. Anyways new diet, new Mick.

 

He phat.

 

He phat.

I should've saved those images as "mickthicc.jpg"

 

Yasssss.

He's looks great after 3 months rehab. Wotz himz name?

Oh Mick? Duh.

Hilarious!

 

Yasssss.

He's looks great after 3 months rehab. Wotz himz name?

Mick. He did have 2 scale injuries along the way that took a toll but he's finally healed and thriving. In all of his phatness.

 

fat_fish.exe

 

^ Just so much yes. I'll have to rename my files right now.

 

This thread is going to become a fat fish file thread.

 

This thread is going to become a fat fish file thread.

Fat fishes welcome. So inclusive we love a thicc betta.

Looks fine to me. Most bettas when bought are still young, under a year old and still growing that's for sure. He just looks to of filled out and become a big mature male. I've got a big mature male who is quite thick but not in the belly, he's just muscular.

It may be worth cutting back a bit on his food, it sounds like a lot to me. Skip a day here and there to let him fast. Won't hurt him one bit, sometimes I skip feeding for a couple days on all my bettas just to give their systems (and me) a break.

How can I tell the difference between a fat betta and a filled out one? That's what I'm struggling with. I can't actually tell if he's too fat or just phat. I'm being serious, how can I tell the difference?

If anyone has some input that would be great, I want to know how to tell the difference.

 

An obese betta would have fat around their organs, which is especially bad for their liver. There was a study that dissected bettas that died due to obesity, it found the fish were effected by liver disease from all the fat. So I would expect a fat betta to be thick in the belly/middle area even when fasted for a couple days. This can be hard to tell on females though as they are always on the plump side! As with other organisms that are obese, I'd also expect a fat betta to be more lazy and lethargic than the average betta. Again this can be hard to tell with long finned males as they can be rather sedate because of the effort it takes to swim.

I'd like to think I don't have obese bettas so I have no pictures to share

 

An obese betta would have fat around their organs, which is especially bad for their liver. There was a study that dissected bettas that died due to obesity, it found the fish were effected by liver disease from all the fat. So I would expect a fat betta to be thick in the belly/middle area even when fasted for a couple days. This can be hard to tell on females though as they are always on the plump side! As with other organisms that are obese, I'd also expect a fat betta to be more lazy and lethargic than the average betta. Again this can be hard to tell with long finned males as they can be rather sedate because of the effort it takes to swim.

I'd like to think I don't have obese bettas so I have no pictures to share

I have pictures!
There are examples and links of a fat betta in this thread:
Bloated rescue betta | 455726 | Freshwater Fish Disease and Fish Health