Hello everyone. My beautiful betta named Chi has developed a massive lump in his stomach region, if he was a live bearer and female you would imagine him to be pregnant. He still swims, eats and looks ok but I have watched this thing grow. I have sorted help from pet shops with a death sentence. No treatment can they give. Is this constipation? Swim bladder, dropsy? I have tried peas and different foods BUT he will not eat anything other than blood worm he bluntly refuses. I've tried non feeding for a few days and still he won't eat anything else. He scales are not protruding as yet so I don't know. Maybe tumour. Has anyone got any idea. I've tried Epson bath as well.
My beautiful Betta
- Thread starter TassieMay
- Start date
Could it be worms? Please post a picture, and maybe a short video.
It looks like worms to me. Wait till some more knowledgeable members reply. 
How long has the fish been fat for?
How long did it take for him to get fat?
What does his poop look like?
Bloodworms have a tough head that can't be broken down by fish. If it blocks up the intestine it can cause a fish to balloon up and die.
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Dropsy causes fish to bloat up (get fat) overnight. They stop eating, do a stringy white poop, their scales stick out around the belly and they usually die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms.
There's no cure for dropsy because major internal organ damage has usually occurred.
Fish don't get constipated. It's a land based thing affecting mammals that don't eat enough fibre or don't drink enough water. fish live in water so it can't happen. however, they can get blockages in their digestive tract and this can be fatal. Feeding a varied diet usually prevents this from occurring. Live brineshrimp or Daphnia can usually help, along with mushed up peas.
Swim bladder problems are rare in fish. The fish will either float to the surface or sink to the bottom when it stops swimming. If a fish floats to the surface it can be caused by air trapped in the fish's digestive tract. To test this, stop feeding the fish dry food for a week and feed them frozen or live foods. The fish will fart the air out and be able to swim normally. If the fish continues to float after a week without dry food, then it has a swim bladder problem.
There is no cure for swim bladder problems.
How long did it take for him to get fat?
What does his poop look like?
Bloodworms have a tough head that can't be broken down by fish. If it blocks up the intestine it can cause a fish to balloon up and die.
---------------------
Dropsy causes fish to bloat up (get fat) overnight. They stop eating, do a stringy white poop, their scales stick out around the belly and they usually die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms.
There's no cure for dropsy because major internal organ damage has usually occurred.
Fish don't get constipated. It's a land based thing affecting mammals that don't eat enough fibre or don't drink enough water. fish live in water so it can't happen. however, they can get blockages in their digestive tract and this can be fatal. Feeding a varied diet usually prevents this from occurring. Live brineshrimp or Daphnia can usually help, along with mushed up peas.
Swim bladder problems are rare in fish. The fish will either float to the surface or sink to the bottom when it stops swimming. If a fish floats to the surface it can be caused by air trapped in the fish's digestive tract. To test this, stop feeding the fish dry food for a week and feed them frozen or live foods. The fish will fart the air out and be able to swim normally. If the fish continues to float after a week without dry food, then it has a swim bladder problem.
There is no cure for swim bladder problems.
Thank you for all your knowledge. He has been getting bigger over the months so apporx 2 months, but slowly until it is very apparent. He refuses to eat anythng but frozen blood worm. Ive tried peas, pellets, flakes, brineshrinp etc., He puts it in his mouth and spits it out and it all sinks to the bottom of the tank. I do water change 10% every week. He is in a 20L tank. I cant say that i have ever seen him poop, never. I have a 4 foot tank as well and some of those fish I dont see poop either, but in saying that they dont have ballooned out stomech unless they are with fry. Ive even had to not feed him for 2 days to see if he would be hangry enough but same thing, but when I put in the blood worm he is ravishing for it. So, I guess he might be blocked. I have tried the salt bath to see if this would help, he did appear to be a little thinner but not a lot.
It's unlikely to be a blockage in his intestine if he has gotten fatter over a few months. A blockage will occur and the fish gets fatter over a few days to a week, not months.
If he has been getting fatter over a couple of months, he is either overweight due to eating too much, or has a growth (tumor or cyst) inside him. There's no cure for tumors or cysts and the fish are left in piece until they stop eating or can't swim properly, then euthanised.
You can try reducing his food intake or only feed him a couple of times a week to see if he gets slimmer over the month. If he does then he is just a fatty that likes his food. If he doesn't lose weight after a month on reduced food, then it is most likely a cyst or tumor.
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Salt baths are bad for fish. Every time you catch them you stress them, and if they have internal problems, lifting them out of the water can make that worse.
If he has been getting fatter over a couple of months, he is either overweight due to eating too much, or has a growth (tumor or cyst) inside him. There's no cure for tumors or cysts and the fish are left in piece until they stop eating or can't swim properly, then euthanised.
You can try reducing his food intake or only feed him a couple of times a week to see if he gets slimmer over the month. If he does then he is just a fatty that likes his food.
If he doesn't lose weight after a month on reduced food, then it is most likely a cyst or tumor.-------------------
Salt baths are bad for fish. Every time you catch them you stress them, and if they have internal problems, lifting them out of the water can make that worse.
He had one Epson salt bath month or so ago. Must be tumour because he only eats very little I have to stay with him to feed because he eats the little amount he does get the rest he lets sink to the bottom. I don't put a lot of frozen blood worm in because of this reason he eats and watches the rest sink. So it's a little at a time but not too much, so my guess was maybe tumour and now after your input most likely same.It's unlikely to be a blockage in his intestine if he has gotten fatter over a few months. A blockage will occur and the fish gets fatter over a few days to a week, not months.
If he has been getting fatter over a couple of months, he is either overweight due to eating too much, or has a growth (tumor or cyst) inside him. There's no cure for tumors or cysts and the fish are left in piece until they stop eating or can't swim properly, then euthanised.
You can try reducing his food intake or only feed him a couple of times a week to see if he gets slimmer over the month. If he does then he is just a fatty that likes his food.
-------------------
Salt baths are bad for fish. Every time you catch them you stress them, and if they have internal problems, lifting them out of the water can make that worse.
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