10 Gallon Tank Is my fish constipated or just fat?

So I went on vacation and had placed someone in charge of feeding my fish. My giant female betta I'm sure has been overfed, as she's rotund. I've fasted her for week or so, broken up with a mouthful of mysis after three days within that week, but her roundness has not receded.

She's not pineconing and not showing other symptoms of dropsy or organ failure/fluid retention so I don't think it's an infection. I've tried flaring her to try to help her push things along but she's very passive and gives only the most half hearted of flares. My next step would be epsom salt baths, but I don't want to subject her to that if she's just a bit over weight and needs a strict diet. Also please ignore the fin rot, I know it's an issue and I'm treating it with water changes at the moment.

 

She looks like she might be a little bit bloated or constipated. Try boiling frozen peas, and only feeding the meat inside the pea, or feeding Frozen blood worms. Feed only one a day, is medium portions, including at least one fast day per week. Also try soaking her pellets before feeding them to prevent further blockage. She is most likely just bloated from the over feeding. If you have kanaplex, I have tried that before. It definitely helped, but before using it, make sure to look at her poop. Is It in terd form/pellet form(healthy), or is it fuzzy/ stringy? If it's stringy or fuzzy, that's a sign of constipation. You should treat with kanaplex, and peas/frozen daphnia.
Good luck! Hope your little girl can get better!

 

She looks like she might be a little bit bloated or constipated. Try boiling frozen peas, and only feeding the meat inside the pea, or feeding Frozen blood worms. Feed only one a day, is medium portions, including at least one fast day per week. Also try soaking her pellets before feeding them to prevent further blockage. She is most likely just bloated from the over feeding. If you have kanaplex, I have tried that before. It definitely helped, but before using it, make sure to look at her poop. Is It in terd form/pellet form(healthy), or is it fuzzy/ stringy? If it's stringy or fuzzy, that's a sign of constipation. You should treat with kanaplex, and peas/frozen daphnia.
Good luck! Hope your little girl can get better!

Welp, we tried the peas, even soaked in garlic guard, and she's refused them. Unfortunately, the only lfs here that sells daphnia has made my fish sick before in the past, so I've stuck with frozen mysis for these cases. Right now she's taking a long soak in an epsom bath which she's handling well. I'm leary about kanaplex at the moment only because of using antibiotics unnecessarily in the past has done more harm than good in my experience, but I do appreciate the suggestion and support. Hopefully she's just fat, and she'll just be on a rationed diet.

 

She can be fasted for a week & more without coming to harm but I'd keep eyes on her for evidence of anything parasitic. Fin rot, or any illness, can leave them open to other opportunistic 'infection' as you seem to get entirely. Thumbs up on the salt bath rather than antibiotic route. As a side note, which you may already know, as she's being fasted any stringy, white poop may just be a reflection of an empty gut rather than illness. Best of luck with her. Hope she returns to good health soon.

 

She can be fasted for a week & more without coming to harm but I'd keep eyes on her for evidence of anything parasitic. Fin rot, or any illness, can leave them open to other opportunistic 'infection' as you seem to get entirely. Thumbs up on the salt bath rather than antibiotic route. As a side note, which you may already know, as she's being fasted any stringy, white poop may just be a reflection of an empty gut rather than illness. Best of luck with her. Hope she returns to good health soon.

I've also read about that from an aquatics veterinarian's website in regards to the stringy poop, that it's like a casing that they make for the poop. She has been flashing every now and again, which I wasn't sure was due to her water just being changed as she doesn't do it frequently. I was considering taking out the carbon and dosing her tank with paraguard in that instance.

 

Following to see what happens, Pandurs....

Hope your little sweetie gets better soon!!!

 

Following to see what happens, Pandurs....

Hope your little sweetie gets better soon!!!

Thank you! I'll keep the thread updated. Her behavior hasn't changed, so I'm thinking she's just overweight at this point, but I'm no stranger to dropsy and am keeping an eye on her regardless.

 

Yeah, that dreaded word...dropsy...just hate it!!! I guess there are a lot of betta owners who find out about that the hard way, me included...

The only other thing that I have seen in females is that when they are overfed, they can sometimes become full of eggs. Contrary to what many, many internet sites will say, they don't need to see a male for that to happen. Just the conditioning for breeding alone can make it happen, especially if the temperature is warmer than usual, lol!

But I think you are right...that she has just been very well-fed! It's hard to tell people to not over feed them when it is so much fun to do so!

Sending good thoughts your way!

 

Yeah, that dreaded word...dropsy...just hate it!!! I guess there are a lot of betta owners who find out about that the hard way, me included...

The only other thing that I have seen in females is that when they are overfed, they can sometimes become full of eggs. Contrary to what many, many internet sites will say, they don't need to see a male for that to happen. Just the conditioning for breeding alone can make it happen, especially if the temperature is warmer than usual, lol!

But I think you are right...that she has just been very well-fed! It's hard to tell people to not over feed them when it is so much fun to do so!

Sending good thoughts your way!

Honestly I haven't even considered her holding eggs! I've only had one other female with eggs. She released them and then was a busy girl picking them up to put in her own bubble nest. I'm not equipped with the space nor time to breed so the eggs went unfertilized and she had a whole meal and a half afterwards. We shall have to see what happens if that's the case. Thank you again!

 

An update on my round little girl. She's still round after about five fasting days. I'm thinking it's an infection of some kind, and have started kanaplex dosed frozen food. She hasn't been very active, but has certain bouts where she seems to be trying to shake something off. The fin rot seems to be progressing as well despite water changes. There is also a lump on one side that might be a tumor. All this aside, there still isn't pineconing.

 

It could be genes. It's a good thing you have taken the advice above, that's always a great step. I feel bad saying this, but she could be getting old. How long have you had her (can't remember if this was said above or not). Have you been quarantining her?
Poor girl...

 

It could be genes. It's a good thing you have taken the advice above, that's always a great step. I feel bad saying this, but she could be getting old. How long have you had her (can't remember if this was said above or not). Have you been quarantining her?
Poor girl...

She could be over a year, but I've had her for little over two months. The tumor I know could very well be genetics, I've had one giant before that developed over his swim bladder and compromised his quality of life. As for quarantining, it's unnecessary since she hasn't any tankmates. I'll keep this post updated on progress or lack there of

 

An update on my round little girl. She's still round after about five fasting days. I'm thinking it's an infection of some kind, and have started kanaplex dosed frozen food. She hasn't been very active, but has certain bouts where she seems to be trying to shake something off. The fin rot seems to be progressing as well despite water changes. There is also a lump on one side that might be a tumor. All this aside, there still isn't pineconing.

I'm so sorry it's progressing but for what it's worth it sounds like you're doing the right things for her. Fingers crossed the kanaplex does the job & she never gets to pineconing. Thanks for updating.

 

She could be over a year, but I've had her for little over two months. The tumor I know could very well be genetics, I've had one giant before that developed over his swim bladder and compromised his quality of life. As for quarantining, it's unnecessary since she hasn't any tankmates. I'll keep this post updated on progress or lack there of

Well, a quarantine tank isn't just for separating the fish from other fish. Maybe I should just refer to it as a hospital tank. A hospital tank consists of warmth, condensation, almond leaves, suggested medication, 0 substrate, lowered water level of around 6-7 inches, a couple plants, and quiet. That is what my hospital tanks look like, and I prefer the half gallon reptile containers for a hospital tank. I have used these setups to completely cure velvet, dropsy, severe fin rot, and first stage columnaris. It works for me, but others may use a different setup.
If she hasn't progressed thus far, but hasn't gotten any better, you could try a quarantine tank. Just keep her on the same diet, but move her to a different tank.
All my luck! I/we all hope she can get better, for she is adorable!

 

Well, a quarantine tank isn't just for separating the fish from other fish. Maybe I should just refer to it as a hospital tank. A hospital tank consists of warmth, condensation, almond leaves, suggested medication, 0 substrate, lowered water level of around 6-7 inches, a couple plants, and quiet. That is what my hospital tanks look like, and I prefer the half gallon reptile containers for a hospital tank. I have used these setups to completely cure velvet, dropsy, severe fin rot, and first stage columnaris. It works for me, but others may use a different setup.
If she hasn't progressed thus far, but hasn't gotten any better, you could try a quarantine tank. Just keep her on the same diet, but move her to a different tank.
All my luck! I/we all hope she can get better, for she is adorable!

Oh, yes I have the same kind of critter keeper tank, which will be the next phase if/when she starts to pinecone. I've found that removing them from their homes can put more stress on them. I only do it if the treatment will put live plants in danger, or the fish needs to be closely monitored/needs 100% water changes during the treatment period. Right now she's comfy with her various nesting spots and she gets to watch TV with my mom/her grandma, her favorite thing to watch being NFL football. Thank you for the suggestions and the well wishes, she is as adorable as she is sweet and silly.

 

I want to say that I appreciate everyone who has offered their support and well wishes for my girl. While I know it is a forum to help others, it's truly very heartening to know that there's others who want to help and be supportive.

Unfortunately, Persephone passed away either last night or very early this morning. I had spotted pineconing happening on Thursday. It was very slight, and only visible when looking at her from underneath. She was immediately put into the critter keeper that serves as a hospital tank and was dosed with kanaplex and epsom salt and received 100% water changes every 24 hours. She was steadily getting weaker and weaker, which I suspect is because of an infection that progressed more than I realized and more than likely shutdown parts of her system. While I had my suspicions that she was more worse off than she seemed, I was too slow with giving her the needed treatment which I believe sealed her fate. She will be wrapped in almond leaves and kept in the freezer (in a baggy) till we cremate her.

Thank you all again.

 

I want to say that I appreciate everyone who has offered their support and well wishes for my girl. While I know it is a forum to help others, it's truly very heartening to know that there's others who want to help and be supportive.

Unfortunately, Persephone passed away either last night or very early this morning. I had spotted pineconing happening on Thursday. It was very slight, and only visible when looking at her from underneath. She was immediately put into the critter keeper that serves as a hospital tank and was dosed with kanaplex and epsom salt and received 100% water changes every 24 hours. She was steadily getting weaker and weaker, which I suspect is because of an infection that progressed more than I realized and more than likely shutdown parts of her system. While I had my suspicions that she was more worse off than she seemed, I was too slow with giving her the needed treatment which I believe sealed her fate. She will be wrapped in almond leaves and kept in the freezer (in a baggy) till we cremate her.

Thank you all again.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I doubt you were too slow in treating her tho. Without degrees in piscene disease & lab equipment we simply do the best we can with illnesses we can only guess at. Re-reading the thread, you worked hard & yes, quickly, for Persephone. Again, I'm very sorry that she lost her battle & you have this grief.

 

It's always good to try. Very sorry you and her had to go through that, but I bet she had lived a great life you.

 

So, so sorry for your loss!!! Unfortunately, once the pineconing happens, it rarely ever ends well. No matter how much you try, there is just no bringing them back from that. It is not your fault. Bettas are so over bred and so genetically weak (especially the big chain pet store fish), that many things that come along are often fatal.

Again. so sorry. You did the best you could for her and gave her a great little betta life!!!!