Swollen Belly

[aimsley_87]

please, does anyone know what this is and if it is treatable. thanks.

 

[Josiee]

Poor guy, I hope whatever it is can be sorted out soon

 

[SlimyReef]

What a shocking picture, I had to sign up to respond! First thing is I'd make sure he or his water
doesn't come into contact with any others. Is the fish still eating? It could be full of eggs that
are stuck or full of bacterial parasites. It's very tempting to lance it and give the fish the relief it
needs to hopefully recover. Squeezing is out of the question unless you know exactly what you are doing
and are using anesthetic. I'm afraid your choices might be to help him pass quickly or watch him pass
slowly.

Hope this helps, sorry for your friend.

 

[aimsley_87]

thanks for your input guys. Im going to my local fish store and see what they think as well(im taking a photo of him, not actually him, too stressful for him!)
do you think its worth treatng for Dropsy or would that make him worse?
I read somewhere Epsom salts might help. Any ideas
thanks.

 

[loraxchick]

epsom salt epsom salt epsom salt!
he is very very bloated. certainly not eggy as thats a male.
go get yourself some epsom salt. you can find it easily and cheaply at any store that sells over the counter medicines. the ingredient is magnesium sulfate.
use 1 tablespoon/5 gal if treating the tank. one teaspoon/gal if you are using it as a dip/bath in a separate container. (make sure you dissolve the salt first in tankwater before adding). if doing as a dip, can leave in there for up to 30 mins 2X a day. DO NOT FEED HIM FOR 5 DAYS- he will not strave. usually when just a little fat, a day or two fast should suffice. this is a reallly bloated guy. he looks to be in otherwise fine condition. just severely bloated as bettas are prone to. very important not to overfeed these guys. one or two pellets a day is plenty.
how is his behavior? is he interested in food? any red or swelling to his anus? have you seen him poo lately and if so what did it look like (white/stringy/mucousy?). any pinholes in his fins or thinning in the membranes? can he maintain his balance in the water?
just some follow up questions to see if it is just constipation. and yes-it CAN look that severe. but is treatable, although in really severe cases can be lethal if you keep feeding them and they are unable to poo. thats where the epsom salt comes in. helps them go.
keep us posted.
cheers

 

[aimsley_87]

thank u i will move him to another tank asap. first thing 2moro, down town to get epsom salts. thanks again for your advice.

o and to answer your questions!

his behaviour is normal, he is very active and still flares. i havent seen him poop for a while and there is no swelling that i can see.
he seems perfectly fine and his fins all look healthy, its just this bloating.

 

[loraxchick]

then id say youd be on just the right track to treat with some epsom salts and no food for 5 days. gotta see him poo before feeding him again. if the epsom doesnt work, ive got a fwe other poo-enducing tricks up my sleeve
also, you could try to make him flare with a mirror. my boys always start pooping if i do this. might be a good thing to try once hes being treated with epsom salt. the salt will also help draw some fluid out of his abdomen and hopefully you will see some results in a few days.
poor guy-that looks uncomfortable.
done be alarmed if you notice mucousy poo at first. often accompanies constipation-especially if it is severe as in this case.
cheers

 

[aimsley_87]

thank u. ive put the epsom salts in so am just monitoring him now will keep u posted on his progress

 

[aimsley_87]

hes not getting any better guys
Hes still very bloated and looks no different. Hes still his usual self behaviour wise. should i add some more epsom salt to the tank or would it be better to dip bath him twice a day? or would that be too stressful for him?
He hasnt pooed yet from what ive seen

 

[roadmaster]

epsom salt epsom salt epsom salt!
he is very very bloated. certainly not eggy as thats a male.
go get yourself some epsom salt. you can find it easily and cheaply at any store that sells over the counter medicines. the ingredient is magnesium sulfate.
use 1 tablespoon/5 gal if treating the tank. one teaspoon/gal if you are using it as a dip/bath in a separate container. (make sure you dissolve the salt first in tankwater before adding). if doing as a dip, can leave in there for up to 30 mins 2X a day. DO NOT FEED HIM FOR 5 DAYS- he will not strave. usually when just a little fat, a day or two fast should suffice. this is a reallly bloated guy. he looks to be in otherwise fine condition. just severely bloated as bettas are prone to. very important not to overfeed these guys. one or two pellets a day is plenty.
how is his behavior? is he interested in food? any red or swelling to his anus? have you seen him poo lately and if so what did it look like (white/stringy/mucousy?). any pinholes in his fins or thinning in the membranes? can he maintain his balance in the water?
just some follow up questions to see if it is just constipation. and yes-it CAN look that severe. but is treatable, although in really severe cases can be lethal if you keep feeding them and they are unable to poo. thats where the epsom salt comes in. helps them go.
keep us posted.
cheers

+one

 

[aimsley_87]

?

 

[loraxchick]

dip would be better as its more concentrated. if hes otherwise acing normally, i wouldnt worry too much about the stress. goal right now is to get some of the fluid out.
how many days have you been trating with epsom and what is the dosage?
for a bath, 1 teaspoon/gal up to 30 mis 2X a day. good idea to do small water changes in the tank too while hes in his bath. keep the water tip top.
keep us posted?
have you tried a mirror yet?
cheers

 

[aimsley_87]

i have tried the mirror but he wasnt that bothered by it at the time, will try again tho.
I will do a slight water change and then do a dip for him. He is in a seperate tank away from other fish while treating. could he get lonely?

 

[Samanthacarly]

My angelfish was just very bloated and when I checked the tank the ammonia was high, I dont know if it was coincidental but when I did a big water change the swelling went away. So maybe check your levels? Also my boyfriend works in an aquarium store and he reccomended removing the shells from frozen peas then chopping them up and feeding a tiny bit to the fish, as it helps them poop.

 

[loraxchick]

he isnt lonely. maybe confused in new surroundings but dont worry about that. peas are a good idea, but if really bloated i wouldnt feed him for a few days before you feed the peas. then a day or so afterward dont feed.
keep us updated.
cheers