Is he just fat

[MissD]

I've noticed that for the last little while, one of my boys looks very fat. I have 12 bettas in total and none of them have a belly on them like this little guy does. He seems perfectly happy - he swims around merrily, flaring at all of his neighbours and will pack away as many pellets and brine shrimp as I give him. He ate anything up to 7 or 8 pellets a "meal" for a while, and this is when I noticed him getting fat so I've cut him down to 3 like all the others. He still looks big though.

Is it possible he's just fat, or could it be something more? Anyone know? I don't want him to be broken!

 

[Kiarra]

He may be constipated. If the "fatness" is just at his belly, around his ventrals, then this is likely true. If his entire body is swelling, it is probably dropsy.

If the fatness is just at his belly, try giving him a thawed frozen pea. It will give him the necessary fiber to defecate.

 

[BettaMomma]

Also, completely stop feeding him for a few days.
You should notice within 1 - 1 1/2 days if his belly is going down.

Lots of times I buy new foods and/or treats for my boys to try and I get gung-ho about going around and giving everyone some. Then just a "tad" bit more because they liked it so much, etc. etc. (you can see where this is going)..
Sure enough, within a day or so it's a big ol' fat bellied betta!
So I stop feeding them for a couple of days and it takes care of itself.
If he seems happy otherwise, and has no other physical signs of a problem, I would say he's probably just temporarily a bit tubby

 

[MissD]

Thanks for the help

I fed him last night and I'm fasting him today and it seems to have gone down a little bit already, so maybe I'll give him a pea later depending on how he does. I'm glad he isn't broken