Exploding Betta

[roper930]

Hey guys! My manager has a betta in a 2 gallon tank here @ work and he has a serious problem! His belly is "exploding"!.... He isn't just bloated from over feeding or anything, it's more protruding downward and and I believe it's his "anal" opening seems to be very swollen and almost wrong side out. It looks very "raw" ....I've never seen this or heard of something like this before! Anyone know what this is or what we can do to fix it??? He's acting normally, BTW, very active and wiggley....

Beth :eek:

[slipknottin]

has he been fed quite a bit of flake food?

[roper930]

No, he's fed Aqua Culture Betta Bits...He was given a little after lunch...they are very little bits....

Beth

[slipknottin]

see if you can get it to eat some greens such as cut peas.

Its either a digestive problem or a virus (pathogen, disease, whatever)

[Ranger]

The Beta most likely has DROPSY a condition were the internal organs quit functioning and bloat do to an internal bacterial infection. If treated in time with an appropriate antibiotic (gram + or - I forget which) the fish can recover. But, with the severity of the symptoms you described it might be to late, not to mention the medication would probably cost more then a new Beta anyway.

[Shibbies]

Originally posted by slipknottin
see if you can get it to eat some greens such as cut peas.

Its either a digestive problem or a virus (pathogen, disease, whatever)

I thought Betta's were Carnivores :confused:

[slipknottin]

they are... but greens are good laxatives.

[Pisces]

Here's some information on Dropsy.
Dropsy is a symptom of other illnesses, either viral or bacterial. The fish becomes so bloated with fluid that the scales stand out like a pine cone. It is incurrable and affected fish should be humanely killed.
This book is copyrighted 1995. If they've got a cure that works on Dropsy now, I don't know. I just know I've used several different medications for Dropsy in the past and they never worked. Sorry about the fish.

[NJ Devils Fan]

That happened to a Zebra Danio I had. He was like that for about 2 weeks and then he died. I don't know how it happened, and no other fish were harmed.

[roper930]

Well, we gave the fishie some BettaMax, the only antibiotic I had handy...We'll cross our fingers and see what happens!
Thanx for the replies!

BTW - Betta's are omnivores. (both meatie & veggie eaters) But the majority of their food is meat.

Beth :)