Bloated Betta

Hi All - I have an ill betta that I need some guidance on if anybody can help. Over the last week or so his belly has swollen larger and larger so much so that at this point it looks like he's swallowed a large marble. He didn't have any other initial symptoms, he's not changed in behavior, he's still making bubble nests and still feeding. Then yesterday I notived a lesion on this bloating which today has some fungal type growth on it.

I'm a bit unsure on how to treat this, there are no other dropsy type symptoms, his scales are still perfect and like I said his appetite is still there. It could possibly be constipation but the bloating seems to big for that. I've read on the net about a malawi bloat that bettas can get that sounds closest to the symptoms but have conflicting information on how to treat it.

For now I've isolated him from the rest of the tank by floating him in a tub in it and have fed him some pea mash that it gobbled up. Before I go to but omething to treat him I need to know what to buy. The fungus/lesion seems to be more a result of the bloating than a cause but I guess I need to get rid of that first.

He lives in a planted 60l tank with some corys, tetras, shrimp, snails and an otto. The tank has been running about 2 years of which he's been in there for the majority of. Nitrates etc all perfect and I feed him betta bio gold which he pretty much exclusively eats over any of the other food that goes in the tank.

Any suggestions?

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Thanks

I'm using 6 in one strips atm instead of a full master testing kit so I won't have exact figures.

Tank size: 60 Litre
pH: 7.0
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10
kH:6d
gH:8d
tank temp: 77f 25c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Large bloat at front underside of body, scales not sticking out, slightly 'see through' when backlit. Small pale lesion with white tread fungal growth on it. No loss of appetite of behaviour change.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 15% water change weekly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Filter boost and plant food added with each water change with treated water.

Tank inhabitants: 8 Tetras. 2 Dwarf rainbowfish, 2 Corys, 1 Otto, 4 Cherry Shrimp, 3ish assasin snails.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Otto is most recent about a month ago, all other are more than a year.

It sounds like dropsy, but without the pinecone scales. Maybe using epsom salts will help with the swelling?
Or, he could be constipated, though I don't know if that'd make him bloat like that! Has he been pooping? If not, try feeding him a cooked, deshelled pea or two and see if that helps

Yeah, it's hard to figure out what it could be. I have experienced dropsy before and he definitely doesn't have the scale thing. His behaviour doesn't suggest that either- any fish I've seen with dropsy can barely function and he's now made a new bubble nest in his segregated section

I fed him chopped pea earlier today and he absolutely loved it, no sign of any poop yet so hopefully it is just constipation that will clear. The bloating is huge though...

Yeah, though I suppose if you'd been feeding him normally and he hadn't been pooping, it may have built up.

My thoughts with the epsom salts was they're used to draw water from a swelling, so maybe that'd work in the same sort of way here?

Keep us posted

I might try epsom salts tonight - I've taken some bad quality photos I'll attach where you can at least see the size of the bloating and the lesion which actually looks a bit better than yesterday. I dosed him with No 9 Anti Internal Bacteria for want of a better plan.

better one

Maybe the lesion is from the bloating. Def. try epsom salt. If it is something like contipation, it will help as it will have a laxative affect and help the fish poop. It will also provide to relief to the ulcer.

make sure the water doesnt have too much bactieria, i bough these fizzing tablets for that and fungal/ bacterial infections

make sure the water doesnt have too much bactieria, i bough these fizzing tablets for that and fungal/ bacterial infections

make sure the water doesnt have too much bactieria, i bough these fizzing tablets for that and fungal/ bacterial infections

I gave him his first salt bath a few hours ago and it seems to have helped a bit. He now seems to be more active than he's been for the last 24 hours or so where he took a big downturn.

Still no poops but for some reason the bloating is no longer symmetrical, it's far more pronounced on the side with the lesion/ulcer.

Thanks for all the advice - it may not have had an affect yet but it's better than sitting waiting for him to die.

It is probably more defined on the side with the ulcer due to swelling. Definetely keep up with the salt baths. They will soothe the wound and promote healing. If possible, try to do water changes daily to keep the water as clean as possible. Glad he seems to be doing a little better!

I've been trying the salt baths for a few days- he's started passing little bits but the swelling is still there. Currently he's varying between mad bursts of activity and lying somewhere for hours and he's lost his appetite even for peas. The lesion/ulcer he had is clearing up fine but now he seems to be developing a little bit of 'fungus' at the end of one of his fins (possible from lying on the ground too much? )

So any ideas people? I'm wary of these continual salt baths causing more stress in him than any benefit he's gaining from it, in much the same way I don't want to start an antifungal before the main problem is fixed.