# Skinny betta, discolored betta, bloated betta.



## Drift (Jul 26, 2010)

The more Betta's you have, the more problems that arise. Ugh.

First off is my CT Male, Urkle. Him and my other betta I had been under fed.  Horrible betta owner I am. After buying Attison's, Omega One, and frozen blood worms and slowly increasing the amount I expected him to put on some weight by now. He was moved to my split, planted, heated, cycled/filter 10 gallon with my other male CT when I started all of this new regimen. He is much more active and being his hilarious self.
However, it'll be a month tomorrow that I had started new food. I expected him to start putting weight on. I haven't noticed any. His spine is very prominent still. I thought, despite not getting bloated or having white poo, internal parasites. I bought Jungle's medicated anti-parasitic food. He will not eat it no matter how hard I try. He spits it right out. I tried chopping it in half and soaking it in garlic. 
Now my other CT male is in the other side of the tank. I've noticed he is getting bloated very easy, despite soaking, fasting, etc. I can not see color of stool as I've not see him poo and I have gravel. 
Should I treat both for possible internal parasites? (Treat the whole tank?) Since my bettas hate that medicated food?

Then my Halfmoon, Apollo I just noticed has a spot area of him that is discolored. He's a gorgeous royal blue and the spot is more of a gray color now. He's also bloated, but I might have fed him an extra blood worm or two because they got stuck to the tweezers. I'm going to fast him for 24 hours and then try daphnia, but I'm slightly worried about the discoloration after my old VT getting really sick and dying. 

On a less serious note, can Betta's be Neurotic? Swazi is the most spastic, neurotic betta I have ever owned. 

My 10 gallon with my CT's stay's at a constant 80 degrees. I currently had an explosion of planaria and some other microorganism that reminds me of baby brine shrimp. So I removed my Hornwort and did 2 gravel vacuumings during the week as opposed to one. Water parameters are all good.  That Hygro and hornwort sucks all the ammonia right up. 

My 2.5's with everyone else stay at 78 steady. Get 100% weekly, and a 50% between water changes. I use prime for conditioner. 

Urkle is my biggest concern here. I got him back in December. So he is most likely 1 year old or so. He was not skinny then.

Fish are frustrating.


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## Drift (Jul 26, 2010)

After I posted this, he confirmed parasite theory with an awesome stringy poo. -__-
So I gave the pellets another go. Tried soaking them in blood worm juice. Tried mashing bloodworms around them. Tried tossing one is casually. Tried tossing one is casually with other regular pellet (which he ate, but ignored medicated one.)
I'll try garlic tomorrow, but this is one smart fish I got on my hands. Both of my CT's spit the pellet out no matter what I do. 

I don't blame them though. Metronidazole one of the main ingredients is very, very, very bitter. Close to vomit worthy. Not that I've tried metro before...

Should I tried something I can just toss in the tank? Should I deworm all four of them just in case?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Try soaking them in garlic juice. That should make them taste better. Maybe it will cover up the bitterness,


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## Drift (Jul 26, 2010)

Garlic didn't help. I gave up and just used a tablet. I tried everything under the sun and had to admit defeat.  
Apollo is still bloated even after feeding him daphnia. Ugh. No poop in his tank at all. =/ I'm going to fast him a few more days and try a deshelled pea even though they're not good for them.


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## Fermin (Apr 18, 2010)

I cleared up internal parasites in a rescue betta with Tetra's Parasite Guard. You just add it to the water so you don't have to worry about "feeding" your betta a medicine. It contains metronidazole (kills anaerobes and certain protozoans) and praziquantel (kills nematodes). Worked great for me. 

Be sure to use a hospital tank and following the directions on the packaging.


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## Drift (Jul 26, 2010)

That's actually the exact product I used and why I used it with the combination of medications.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Water treatment is always far superior then feeding thru the food.

Whenever I treat for worms I reach for "*Levamisole" *It's one of the best in my opinion and has never let me down yet.*... *
I add to All my tanks Every week the follow and I can honestly say I have no real troubles with any of my fish,
Garlic Xtreme & Vita-Chem Freshwater.


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