Please help! Sick betta in need!

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vallen25

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Jun 22, 2012
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Hello,

I noticed that my betta was beginning to bloat last week. I've never had a betta bloat on me, so I have no clue how to go about treating the fish. I keep her in an unheated 1 gallon tank. She was in the tank with two ivy vines, but I've removed them now as I think she was getting some sort of fungal infection from them. I've been fasting her the last couple of days, to see if the bloat is diet related. I haven't seen any improvement yet. I feed her Tetra Bettamin if that helps. She still flares and her feisty behavior and swimming hasn't changed.

What do you folks think the problem is?
 

BettaFishMommy

finkids make me happy :-)
Mar 17, 2008
5,354
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Deadmonton, lol, Canada
Real Name
Sherry N.
the number one problem is the 1 gallon unheated environment. no filter either, eh?

how often do you change the water? bad water conditions can cause many health problems in fish. just because bettas can breath surface air, this does not mean they can be put into a bowl. a proper sized tank (my bettas will never live in anything less than a 2.5 gallon filtered tank) is essential.

daily water changes of 100% for now, until you can get a larger tank (with filter and heater!). fasting is a good idea for now, to see if the bloat is related to overzealous eating.

are the scales on her side sticking out at all, like a pine cone? posting a good quality close up photo of your betta can help us help you.

and fungal infections are usually not due to plants being in the tank. but plants that are not meant for underwater can cause bad water conditions, because the plant matter rots underwater and causes ammonia spikes. ammonia spikes can bring down a fish's health, and then bacterial infections can set in. very often what people think is fungus is actually a bacterial infection.
 

vallen25

AC Members
Jun 22, 2012
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I'll have to look into a new tank. I'm not sure where to find a heated tank without buying it online. She's a pretty hardy eater, so I felt I had just overfed her on accident; she hasn't been excreting much lately.

She hasn't started pineconing yet, luckily. I tried to take the best pictures I could, but she doesn't like the flash on my phone.

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20120622_195434.jpg 20120622_195211.jpg
 

Nepherael

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May 11, 2012
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Warsaw, IN
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Brandon
You don't need to buy a "heated" tank necessarily. You can just go to any store and grab a tank heater.

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real

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May 28, 2012
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Cyrus Javan
I would reccomnd you do 100% daily water changes which is just removing the old water and adding all new dechlorinated water. Also at any local pet supply store you can find a 2.5 gallon tank and purchase a 50 watt heater and also some gravel and fake plants and that's all you need. Should not even be that expensive.


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BettaFishMommy

finkids make me happy :-)
Mar 17, 2008
5,354
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62
Deadmonton, lol, Canada
Real Name
Sherry N.
a 50 watt heater is WAY too much for a 2.5 gallon tank! 50 watts is the recommended heater wattage for a 10 gallon tank.

i personally would go with a 10 gallon, as it is a nice size tank for a betta (and maybe a few small tankmates), without breaking the bank. the larger volume of water will be very much appreciated by your betta, and you'll see her much more active than before.

now that i've seen a photo, she looks full of eggs, combined with being a piggy about her food. it's hard to tell with the lighting, but she may be starting to 'bar up' as well (vertical dark bars that run along her sides. this is her saying 'I'm ready to mate'. but don't go out and buy a male and start breeding bettas. it is a time consuming effort and pet store bettas make for not so great genetics being passed on to the babies.

take a frozen pea, nuke it for a few seconds or until warm, pop the inside out of it, and feed little bits of that inside. this will help her poop, and will bring down some of the bloat.

your shopping list:

10 gallon tank (with lid/light)
50 watt heater
soft fake plants (the fabric ones are best)

API freshwater liquid testing kit (no fishkeeper should be without one!)
 

JamieMonster

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Mar 16, 2012
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Chicagoland, USA
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Jamie
I don't know where you're at, but the Walmart down the street from me sells a 10 gallon starter kit for $21 (tank, lighted hood, and filter)- they also sell a heater for that tank size for another $14- 2 bags of gravel (enough to cover the bottom adequately) would be another $6, and then another $6 for a pack of 4 fake plants- TAA DAA, all done. Read up on the nitrogen cycle on this forum, before throwing her in there, if that is the route you decide to go with. That tank would be big enough for her, and a few friends to do a small community tank. She looks about like my chubby ladies in my betta sorority- which are just really well fed. Healthy as horses, but a little voluptuous. I agree with the pea suggestion, and cut back on her daily food. She doesn't look "sick" to me.
 

captmicha

Le tired.
Dec 6, 2006
2,052
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38
Maryland, USA
I have a couple of 25 watt heaters by Hagen and they even make 10 watt ones for those gimmicky desktop set setups. The 10 watt ones are flat.

Just saying.

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captmicha

Le tired.
Dec 6, 2006
2,052
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38
Maryland, USA
Oh yeah, I concur. 10 gallons with gentle filtration and a heater will make your betta really happy. Mine have always used the entire tank.

Some nice soft fake, or real plants near the top will make a nice bed for him to sleep on.

I'm not a fan of feeding dry foods because I find they're really prone to bloat and constipation. Soak first and meaty foods.

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