Over Fed Betta Help~~1St Time Betta Owner

[patchesofheaven74]

I just bought my first betta fish , Luke , 7 days ago from Walmart. We don't have any good pet stores around for fish so i got him for Walmart. ... ya i know not the most desirable strands of fish...

So when i first walked into the isle with betta fishes i just stopped and shook my head. They have all those male fish in little containers put together. A few kept trying to get at each other through the plastic so i looked around for some blue ones (since that's my favorite color) and i found 3 very lovely ones! i put back one, since it was a v tail or something like that and i though the crown tails were prettier. then i couldn't decide between two.
One was calm and watched me and the other just went in circles. so i put back the circle one and studied the calm one more. then the circle one went loco and kept runnign into the sides of his cup.
long story short, i took home the one that went loco and i LOVE him already!

he's so pretty and awesome.

he was freaked at first but after i fed him the first time, he likes to come to the side of the tank you're on.

i bought a cheap 1/2 gallon betta tank that was on sale for $4. cheap i know and maybe a 1/2 gallon isn't much but he isn't huge and he seems to like it better than that cup.






I decided after listening to others that large, smooth stones were the way to go. easier to clean and without risk of harming Luke.
Plus the formation thing i bought is not rough at all, and that purple plant thing is very very soft and flexible like those little toys that you squeeze and they are full of air or water.

he seems to like it and often rests on top of the purple plant like pictured here.


Also I have a VERY important question

How often do i feed Luke?!
I've heard and read many things
3 times a week
2 times a day only 3 pellets each time
once every other day
etc

it's confusing
what do YOU do?

ALso i bought blood worms (they are dry not live)
and then i have those little pellets that are super tiny...

is it ok to feed him both? like 2 pellets and one tiny worm?




Now to the problem :

the day before yesterday i woke up and saw my poor betta's tummy was extremely bloated! his poor little scales look like they are about to split open!

i kept thinking "this doesn't make sense! i only fed him one pellet and one blood worm yesterday! and i fed him two pellets two days before that! what is wrong!??!?!"


turns out later i caught my 4 year old little brother in my room, on top of my chair and trying to feed Luke MORE!!!!


so basically this wasn't really my fault and i'm sad to say i think Luke is dieing. :cries: I've only had him for 7 days!!!


I haven't fed him ANYTHING in three (going on 4) days and his poor tummy is still huge. i'm scared i'm going to starve him and i'm scared any more food will make him pop.
he's always pooping and everything i've read on line says two things.
A. he's gonna die.
or
B. don't feed him and he might live.


poor little guy is always pooping and can't seem to stop. i scooped out his poopy twice yesterday to keep from stressing him too much by replacing the water.



the goodish news?
he can still swim. as in he can sink or float whenever he pleases.


The day i bought Luke
http/i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/patchesofheaven74/Betta.jpg

Luke's 'man cave'
http/i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/patchesofheaven74/beeta2.jpg

Luke now with his swollen belly
http/i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/patchesofheaven74/betta3.jpg

 

[angelbear]

im thinking something to clean him out like a frozen pee or something, but then again im new here and i would ask one of the people who have been here longer.... ill look around and see what i can find ok?

 

[angelbear]

"Don't feed him more than he can eat in two or three minutes in a day. It's a good idea to not feed him once a week to allow his digestive system recoup and keep him from getting constipated. If he his constipated (he is bloated and you don't notice any (or any new) little droppings in his tank) you should fast him for 24-48 hours then peel a cooked pea and feed him a small amount and wait about 24 hours, it should remedy the situation."

thats what i found on answers.com

thats all i found out so far honey, i don't know if it will help you or do anygood but i hope so....
good luck

 

[mmjisawesome]

i have had this same situation a few times you have to put in lots of unsalted skinless peas from the canned food aisle at the grocery store please try this it always works for me!

 

[lilfishie]

Hi, sorry to hear about Luke. are his scales sticking out at all?

i am thinking with him not eating and still not getting smaller (but is pooping) that it may be something else