FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Over the last few days his belly has got bigger. About 2 hrs ago I started feeding him with cooked peas. As I was about to write this I noticed long poops two strings each about 2cm-3/4ins. They are still connected and have not come away yet 3-4 min later.
Before this happened he was building a bubble nest close to every night for several weeks. Now that has stopped as well.

He is eating and swimming very well and there appears to be no other problems in the tank.

As you can guess he get a goood and varied diet including frozen blood worms once a week.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Hi Keith,
Well as you have noted, his bowel system is finally
moving. He could have become constipated due to a part
of his "varied" diet. In the past, I've found that they
got that swollen belly from an error on my part. I did not
soak the freeze dried foods that I was giving long enough
before I fed them, and the particles continued to
absorb moisture after eating them.
I can only imagine the stomach pain the fish must
have had. They were really "off" for a few days, until
everything got back to normal.

How's, the fish doing now?

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

If he's in good nick otherwse, hold back on food for 24-48 hours. He'll pick through what is hanging around in the tank anyway, but most times just giving the gut a rest will give them time to clear whatever is there. Bring him back to food slowly with a bit of pea and maybe some daphnia if you have it, just to make sure that git is moving along nicely before you throw anything too meaty his way.

What does the rest of him look like? Would you say that he is well-muscled? I only ask because sometimes the big belly look can come with parasites but that is usually accompanied by a more slight body build (which makes the gut look even bigger).

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Other than the big belly he looks OK I will hold of all food for two days it will not hurt the Cardinals at all .

I will try to locate some live daphnia. If not I do have frozen blood worms which he gets once a week.

Should I increase that for a few weeks @ 2-3 times a week or permanently?

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Hi Keith,
I'm not convinced that the fish didn't just get some of
the freeze dried food that had not absorbed enough water
before eating. When this happens they get some with
adequate water saturation, and other particles that are
still dry. When the dry particles land in the stomach
they begin to absorb fluids from the stomach and they
can become bloated as the particles swell with moisture.

If this is the case then I would not feed it for a
few days till the swelling goes down through elimination.
Once the fish returns to normal size then some light foods
would be in order, in light quantities. Then, I'd wait
a few days before resuming the normal variety of foods.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Sounds like a reasonable supposition there from frank, personally i'd go with that.

Bettas often get problems with lack of pre-expansion in foods, particularly as they start to age.

Frank

It is so far back since I have used freeze dried food I cannot remember even when that was.

I bought today frozen brine shrimp & a thin frozen blood worms

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

The Betta did not make it through the night. This morning when I took him out his belly was still blown up and felt rather tight.

Thank you to all those who helped.

Now I am thing do I or dont I buy another M Betta, if not some major re-aquascaping to be done.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW