betta w/ huge belly

[don_kihotis]

Hello everyone,
i was google searching about Betta's having a huge belly and found this thread.
I know it's an ancient thread but does anyone have any further info? My Betta is not having the scales symptom but he has a huge balloon belly. I am afraid that he will explode. It's not a matter of constipation because he is having a "poop tail" every day. It must be this dropsy thing. Is there a known medicine for this or i can only wait until he dies? Shall i try the salt baths as well or they will just stress him out?

 

[NickAu]

Hi

Can you please post a photo of the fish?
How much are you feeding him?
What are you feeding him?

Have you tried fasting him for a few days?

 

[don_kihotis]

Hi Nick, sorry for my late response. My post was at another thread and it was split into a new one by the administration team hence i had no notification of a new reply.
I am uploading a few pics as it's always better in order to understand the problem.
I am feeding my betta Sera Granulate Menu. See attached pics.
I am giving him 3 - 4 pieces per day.
I have tried fasting him for 1 day per week but then i stopped since i couldn't see how that would help. The fish is pooping normally, see 1st photo.

 

[YandereCapybara]

How big are the flakes?
That looks a tad bit like dropsy to me...

Edit: I'm running on an extremely horrible computer at the moment, so please do not listen to my advice until I can get onto my Mac.

 

[NickAu]

Hi

I have no idea I have never seen a fish that swollen.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm afraid I've never dealt with a fish swollen like that either

 

[eaglesaquarium]

This is definitely uncharted territory for me as well.

I'd suggest fasting for multiple days, try feeding with peas...

Use a salt bath with epsom salt in an effort to relieve some bloating.

As for medicine... its hard to know what treatment to recommend because this scenario is so different. I don't know what the cause is, but if I had to guess... it could be bacterial... or ... and I don't say this lightly, it could be a tumor.

If the fasting, peas and epsom salt don't reduce the swelling, it might be necessary to euthanize.


If you decide to go with a different treatment for bacteria, I'd recommend a full spectrum antibacterial... meaning going with both gram-positive and gram-negative. This is going to kill your bacterial filtration, so water changes will be required. And you'll want to do that during the epsom salt baths to limit the stress on the fish.

 

[Chad]

To me it looks like dropsy. The reason it seems so unusual is simply the anatomy of the fish.

 

[don_kihotis]

Hi guys and thanks for the replies.
How much salt shall i put into a few liters of water? Let's say 5 liters? And how long shall i let the fish staying in there?
I know it's huge and he is been like this for over a month now. I have read that dropsy takes a few days to kill the fish but in this case it goes on and on. The fish's behavior is normal. He seems happy. He is active especially when he seems me entering the room, he moves his frontal, side fins a lot and he is eating avidly. He is pooping everyday so i don't know if the peas would help at anything since he is not suffering from constipation.

 

[Chad]

Generally this is the result of a bacterial infection. The idea behind adding salt is that it kills the bacteria. It can also kill the fish. So don't over-do it. Also, don't use table salt. Your fish doesn't need the additives like iodine.

The general rule is one teaspoon per gallon of water for fish with scales (different rules apply for scale-less fish).

Salt doesn't evaporate so there's no need to add more when you top-off. When you do a water chance add the salt to the water before it's put into the tank. For example if you change out a gallon. Create a gallon of clean water, add salt to that gallon. This allows you to manage the amount of salt. Unless you have a refractometer you are just guessing at the levels so it's best to be cautious.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hi guys and thanks for the replies.
How much salt shall i put into a few liters of water? Let's say 5 liters? And how long shall i let the fish staying in there?
I know it's huge and he is been like this for over a month now. I have read that dropsy takes a few days to kill the fish but in this case it goes on and on. The fish's behavior is normal. He seems happy. He is active especially when he seems me entering the room, he moves his frontal, side fins a lot and he is eating avidly. He is pooping everyday so i don't know if the peas would help at anything since he is not suffering from constipation.

http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2009/07/fish-baths.html
Best answer to all your questions on how to do a proper salt bath.

 

[Karen_2656]

Wow the betta is beautiful! God she looks like a balloon! I don't really no what to say! It is a male for sure right? It defo look male!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[don_kihotis]

Thanks for the replies guys.
So no table salt. Do pet shops have Sodium Cloride or shall i visit a pharmacy store?
@[URL='http://www.fishforums.net/members/karen_2656.128043/']Karen_2656[/URL] yes it's a male.

 

[NickAu]

Do not use table salt for bloating/dropsy

You need plain Epsom salt.

Here are the instructions on what to do.

Epsom Salt is magnesium sulfate, which you may know as a saline (salt) laxative or a remedy to reduce swelling for humans. It is easily found nearly anywhere, often in first aid aisles and even in gas stations! Please note that humans use Epsom as a means to relax when infused into bathwater, so sometimes it has dyes or is scented. Please only use unscented, undyed Epsom when medicating your fish!

What's Epsom do?:
Epsom has a bunch of uses. Not surprisingly, its uses in fish are very similar to its uses in humans. When used properly in fish, it can act as a laxative as well as a means to reduce swelling. If used correctly in fish that have swim bladder disorder (SBD), epsom can help them swim better and even be able to sink.

What does this mean for my fish?:
These qualities mean you can help a bloated or constipated fish expel backed up waste and feel good again, as well as reduce swelling that may be caused by disease or infection. The swelling Epsom can assist with includes: popeye, external wound infection swelling, and in some cases relieve pressure from dropsy.

How much of this salt per gallon do I use?:
For Epsom, you use 1 TABLEspoon (TBSP) per gallon of water. This is three TEAspoons (TSP).

How long does the betta stay in this mixture?:
In Epsom, the betta should stay in for 10-15 minutes, with 10 being less severe need and 15 being a more severe need. Never exceed this time!

How long should my fish be left to acclimate before going back into its tank in this mixture?:
Acclimate your fish (see below) for 2-5 minutes before going back to avoid shock.


How to prepare (any) dip for your fish:

Prepping for the dip is the same for either salt type. You will need:

• a clean fish-only 1 gallon container
  
• a smaller container
• Water conditioner
• a measuring spoon
• thermometer
• net
• your undivided attention!
• watch/timer/alarm
• salt per your needs

Here's what you need to do:

1. Fill your gallon container very fully with clean, treated water. Make sure the water is the same temperature as the water the fish came from in its tank via the thermometer. This prevents temperature shock.
2. Add the salt per recommendation and stir it until it is fully dissolved.
3. Get a second container with 1/4 salted water like your 1 gallon tank, and the rest (3/4) with tank water (this is the "reviving station").
4. Carefully get your fish from its home and gently put it into the water. You must make sure that the fish does not pass out! You can tell if a fish has conked out if it is no longer breathing (look at its gills, by the eyes) or if it lists to the side and becomes still. It may knock out due to the sudden change in salinity (saltiness) of the water, but can be revived.
5. *If the fish passes out or becomes extremely stressed, remove it! Carefully but hastily put the fish into your reviving station to revive. Then, put it into its home again and try the dip another time.
6. If the fish is not super stressed and does not pass out, be very attentive during the recommended time in the dip as the fish may jump due to discomfort or stress. Pay close attention to how long the fish has been in the dip and do not exceed the time!
7. Once the fish is finished, put it into the reviving station to adjust back to more normal water parameters. Then, without pouring the salty water into your tank, put the fish back into its home to recover.

Salt Baths - Betta Splendid

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Thanks for the replies guys.
So no table salt. Do pet shops have Sodium Cloride or shall i visit a pharmacy store?
@[URL='http://www.fishforums.net/members/karen_2656.128043/']Karen_2656[/URL] yes it's a male.

Kosher salt or pickling salt will work as sodium chloride, available in the grocery store. The key is you don't want anti-caking agents or iodine added. Kosher salt and pickling salt are pure sodium chloride. The difference between them is grain size. Kosher salt and pickling salt are very different sized grains. Kosher is very large, and pickling is very small. As such, you might need a bit more kosher salt (by volume) than 1/4 teaspoon per quart, or a little less pickling salt (by volume than 1/4 teaspoon per quart.

Pickling salt is assured not to have iodine or anti-caking additives. Kosher salt usually does not contain these, but a few brands might add the anti-caking agent.