This has been going on for weeks, now. About 2 weeks after I moved him from a bowl to a ten gallon, he started showing signs of constipation. I fasted him, he recovered. Then I added the cories. A week or so later, again with the constipation. Fasted him, fed him peas, saw him poop, all was well. I started to think it was the pellet food, but I'm been feeding him that since I got him almost two years ago, and its never had an adverse effect. I tried soaking the pellets beforehand - same thing, he is bloated the day after. I hardly even feed him anymore, mainly a grand total of two pellets every other day, followed by a fast or a pea if he's bloated. I don't see how it could be dropsy, the water is in great condition and I do weekly changes. When he's bloated, he shimmies along the top and fights to swim to the bottom. It's unsettling seeing him like this, what could be going on?
Betta is bloated for no apparent reason
- Thread starter 1cmarie
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Is he getting some other food source in the tank? Do the cories get something to eat that he has regular access to? I had something similar with a beta I introduced into a community tank. Because of the abundance of pond snails and flake food for his tetra roomates, I never have to feed him directly and he's always one fat monster.
it 'may' be that he's getting old? the lifespan of a well cared for betta is only 3-4 years and as they approach 'old age' they do have a tendency to 'go to hell in a handbasket' so to speak. you could try lowering the water level to perhaps 5-6 inches to make it easier for him to reach the surface ... and try adding 1/8 teaspoon of EPSOM SALT, per 5 gallons of water. also feeding foods soaked in ERYTHROMYCIN 'may' help with any possible intestinal bacteria he might have.
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Bettas are pigs
I can always tell when my female betta has been foraging the bottom and bullying the bottom feeders out of their algae wafer bits.
Try to feed the others sparingly and at night when they are presumably more active than the betta might be. I always wait till her belly goes down and then feed her her favorites: blood worms, both dried and frozen.
You can't feed a betta whenever it's hungry because bettas are always hungry!
I can always tell when my female betta has been foraging the bottom and bullying the bottom feeders out of their algae wafer bits.
Try to feed the others sparingly and at night when they are presumably more active than the betta might be. I always wait till her belly goes down and then feed her her favorites: blood worms, both dried and frozen.
You can't feed a betta whenever it's hungry because bettas are always hungry!
My betta is going on 5 and he is DEFINATELY going to pot...cataracs...and bloating..I had to back off on the feeding to keep it in control..but he swims around and is very responsive, so he appears "happy". This is by far the longest I have kept one....3.5 years is the next longest I have kept. They generally are sold at about 1 year of age, so yours is pushing 3.
TheMightyQueenPixie
Best Invention EVER!
Yofishy is right. Everything tends to go for a proverbial "poop" at once with Bettas. If it was an internal infection he would of been dead by now. Digestive issues are very common with old Bettas. Avoid FD blood worms or low quality food. Frozen mosquito larva are excellent and highly digestible for Bettas.