# Help - betta stomach swollen, swimming sideways on the surface



## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Help.

This started about a month ago.

My betta has a swollen stomach closer towards his tail (at least I think its his stomach) and is swimming sideways, on the surface, swollen side up.

He has also stopped eating.

Fortunately he is frisky and energetic.

So I starved him for 3 days and tried to feed him pieces of boiled peas after 3 days.
But these pieces kept sinking to the bottom and he wouldn't eat.

After about a week, he eats only one pellet a day, after I soak the pellet. 
Then he won't eat anymore.

So 10 days ago I put epsom salt into the tank but still no change. 
There is no poop in the tank EVER since this started.

He's still frisky and energetic thankfully.
The scales look perfect and there no unusual lumps of any kind, except for the swollen stomach.

But I don't know what to try next?


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## MaGiC74 (Aug 17, 2020)

Hi, sorry your betta isn't feeling well. Could you please fill out this form so we can have more information? Can we also have some pictures? Thank you so much, hope we can help him 









*****PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so...


Many thanks to BF/TFK Member Mike for developing this questionnaire. It is the same form with a few additions. Please copy and paste into a new message and complete this form when seeking help for your Betta. This information and a clear photo posted directly into the thread will help us give...




www.bettafish.com


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

MaGiC74 said:


> Hi, sorry your betta isn't feeling well. Could you please fill out this form so we can have more information? Can we also have some pictures? Thank you so much, hope we can help him
> 
> Housing:
> How many gallons is your tank? 1 gallon
> ...


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## MaGiC74 (Aug 17, 2020)

Hi, I think there was a typo, I can't see anything that you typed. Anyways, your fish has dropsy. How often do you change the water? This is often caused by dirty water and overfeeding. Peas may work, but they aren't m favorite method. You should start treating him immediately. Move him to a smaller tank, and treat him with salt bathes. Buy some higher quality food and feed him every other day. Then treat him accordingly to antibiotics. Dropsy is not something you can cure quickly, so be patient.


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## BettaloverSara (Oct 15, 2020)

Can we get a picture please? Are his scales sticking up like a pine cone? A bettas stomach is right under his chin so if he is having issues with bloating it would be swollen there. If the lump is closer to his tail than it might be a different issue. 
That being said, aqueon pellets are quite big, 10 at a time is definitely too much. Are you able to get another kind of food? I like top fin betta bits or fluval bug bites (medium). 
I don’t feel comfortable saying it’s dropsy without pictures.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)




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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

1brajesh said:


> View attachment 1024538


Here is a picture. It's hard to see but the swelling is close to his tail and it seems to be only on this side, which is the side that he floats on now.


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

I'm not very experienced with bettas since I got mine only this summer but I did find this post on a different forum that could _maybe_ help? Their betta had the same swelling on the side but theirs had it on both sides. Maybe what your betta has is swim bladder disease? again, I don't have a lot of experience but when I looked up "swim bladder betta" and went to images, a lot of the "swim bladder disease/disorder" images had swelling in the same area.


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## MaGiC74 (Aug 17, 2020)

BettaloverSara said:


> Can we get a picture please? Are his scales sticking up like a pine cone? A bettas stomach is right under his chin so if he is having issues with bloating it would be swollen there. If the lump is closer to his tail than it might be a different issue.
> That being said, aqueon pellets are quite big, 10 at a time is definitely too much. Are you able to get another kind of food? I like top fin betta bits or fluval bug bites (medium).
> I don’t feel comfortable saying it’s dropsy without pictures.


Oh! I meant Swim Bladder disease. I get so mixed up between the two, but I shouldn't because I had 2 pea puffers that had that before.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Dropsy or swim bladder disease? Note he has NOT POOPED for a month, at last as far as I can tell?
I thought it was just constipation? Can it still be constipation?


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## BettaloverSara (Oct 15, 2020)

If the lump on his side is protruding more than usual than it could possibly be a swim bladder issue. You can usually see that lump on the side of a betta but it shouldn’t be noticeably large. Not pooping for a month can make a betta pretty sick too, just as it would any other creature. Are you able to get some frozen (not freeze dried) daphnia? Sometimes that helps. Also if you think he could handle it you could do an episom salt dip instead of adding it to the tank water. The ratio would be one tablespoon for one gallon of water, he can stay in there 15 mins or so unless you think he isn’t tolerating it well.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

BettaloverSara said:


> If the lump on his side is protruding more than usual than it could possibly be a swim bladder issue. You can usually see that lump on the side of a betta but it shouldn’t be noticeably large. Not pooping for a month can make a betta pretty sick too, just as it would any other creature. Are you able to get some frozen (not freeze dried) daphnia? Sometimes that helps. Also if you think he could handle it you could do an episom salt dip instead of adding it to the tank water. The ratio would be one tablespoon for one gallon of water, he can stay in there 15 mins or so unless you think he isn’t tolerating it well.


Yes, I can do the epsom salt dip.
And I'll look for the daphnia.

How about melafix, should I try that as well?


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## BettaloverSara (Oct 15, 2020)

1brajesh said:


> Yes, I can do the epsom salt dip.
> And I'll look for the daphnia.
> 
> How about melafix, should I try that as well?


Melafix is pricey and it doesn’t really do much. I don’t really know much more because I don’t use it but I would save your money. Plain decaf roobois tea or Indian almond leaf will do better than melafix and they are much cheaper.
If you are doing salt dips I’d take it out of the tank. You don’t want to overwhelm him.


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

Hi there, Sorry the little one isn't doing well.
Judging by his symptoms, he can be suffering from a number of things up to an including organ failure (which is usually terminal). Most cases of organ failure cause bloating all over their body so I am hesitant to suggest that at this point but not rule it out completely.

SBD typically causes the fish to bob like a cork or sink like a rock

If you don't see any damage to him and the swelling (which is near his swim bladder) only appears to be on one side, it might be that he picked up an infection. It's not 100% certain, but it is the most likely cause, any other causes are essentially untreatable.

First off, you'll need to clean his tank. Take everything out of his tank except his betta hammock, that includes all of the stones at the bottom of the tank. Change his water, I'd recommend 100% change if you're already netting him out for his dips. Once he's back in, cover the tank with a dark towel.
You should also start him on a round of Kanaplex. It is a little difficult in a 1 gallon tank but follow the instructions carefully.

Can you also re-test your water, the readings seem to be a little odd for a 1 gallon that has housed a betta for a week.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Yes @MaGiC74 I think it is SBD.

Thank you @BettaloverSara for the alternatives.

Thanks @Veloran he's still frisky and he ate one solid pellet today without me needing to soften it.
I also did a 100% water change.
I started the melafix, should I stop melafix and start the kanaplex or can I do both at the same time?


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

One med at a time. If he's still frisky, you can wait a day or two to start, but once you start the Kanaplex, always finish the round.


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Hiya! How's he doing?


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Hi @KekeTheBettaDoc he's still ok, still frisky while swimming on his side and staying at the top of the bowl. 

He won't eat today.

My petco didn't have kanaplex (!!) so I had order from amazon, it arrives tomorrow. 

The melafix is creating a light film in the bowl and doesn't seem to be helping (I've done it for 3 days now). 

So I'm going to stop melafix, do a water change, and then start with kanaplex tomorrow.

I'm proud of him for hanging on for so long, I can't imagine how he's going on for a month with just a few pellets per week. 

I hope Kanaplex does the needed magic tomorrow.


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

Don't stress too much, they don't burn energy like we do, less food in, they slow their metabolism to compensate. As much as eating full meals will be preferable, as long as he's eating it's still a good sign.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

I started kanaplex yesterday. 
Today he ate 2 pellets which is an improvement. 
He's still floating on the top of the bowl and lying on his side.
4 more days of kanaplex to go.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Today I gave the last dose of kanaplex. 
He's no different overall, still frisky, but still swimming sideways, and hardly eating.

What next??


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

There's a good chance you're looking at organ failure with him.
We could try some more epsom salt, did you do a dip (put him in high concentration for a short time) or a bath (add to his tank and leave it in there for days) last time?

Once you're at the end of the Kanaplex treatment, let's try him with a Epsom Salt bath if you haven't done it before.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Veloran said:


> There's a good chance you're looking at organ failure with him.
> 
> We could try some more epsom salt, did you do a dip (put him in high concentration for a short time) or a bath (add to his tank and leave it in there for days) last time?
> 
> Once you're at the end of the Kanaplex treatment, let's try him with a Epsom Salt bath if you haven't done it before.


Oh no 

I did seven days of low concentration epsom salt before the kanaplex.
I can try the high concentration.

The bowl is looking a little milky today after the 3rd dose of kanaplex (day 5).
Is that normal? It was a full water change before the kanaplex.
Tomorrow will be the last day for kanaplex.

So should I do a water change and then try putting him in a higher concentration of epsom salt tomorrow?

thanks for all the help.


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Do you know the water parameters?


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

There are a couple of reasons for the cloudiness in the tank.
You're seeing a bacterial bloom, I have not experienced this before using Kanaplex but I've heard it can happen. He shouldn't need aeration in the tank, but it couldn't hurt if you can provide it.
There is another medication in the tank that has copper.

Normally you'll want to do large water changes until the bloom goes away, but finish the Kanaplex first.
For the Epsom salts, I prefer the bath over the dips. I'm not a fan of dips but others may have a different opinion. We can try the dip, I was targeting bacterial infection, but it's beginning to look more and more like he has organ damage either from genetics or physical damage.

Also, you said that the temperature in his tank was 'room temperature'. Can you give us a numeric value for room temperature?


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Veloran said:


> There are a couple of reasons for the cloudiness in the tank.
> You're seeing a bacterial bloom, I have not experienced this before using Kanaplex but I've heard it can happen. He shouldn't need aeration in the tank, but it couldn't hurt if you can provide it.
> There is another medication in the tank that has copper.
> 
> ...


Thank you.

Current room temperature is 77F

Should I remove all my stones and marimo moss balls when I do the water change?


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

I've removed everything from the tank and done a full water change. 
I'm going to do a second round of 6 days of kanaplex. He's still not eating.

Any more help appreciated.


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

Good that you removed everything.
I'm cautiously hoping that the second round of Kanaplex would do it. Do you see any other external symptoms on him?


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Veloran said:


> Good that you removed everything.
> I'm cautiously hoping that the second round of Kanaplex would do it. Do you see any other external symptoms on him?


No, he looks the same as the original picture I posted.
When there's more light tomorrow I'll post a few more pics in case there is something someone can see.


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Hiya! On top of his symptoms, I do see a few husbandry issues that could be causing this. Would you like a few friendly suggestions on how to improve his care?


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> Hiya! On top of his symptoms, I do see a few husbandry issues that could be causing this. Would you like a few friendly suggestions on how to improve his care?


My last betta lasted 2 years (same tank) and so I wasn't expecting this to happen.
I realize I overfed him, compared to the last guy...and yes other suggestions are welcome too.


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

So generally a 1 gal is quite small for a betta-the recommended minimum is 2.5 gals. 1 gals are VERY hard to hold a steady cycle and can have unstable parameters, leading to stress and disease. It can also make a betta feel stressed as some prefer larger spaces.

Another recommendation is to purchase a heater and filter. Betta's are tropical fish and need temps around 76-78 degrees to remain happy and healthy. A filter is also necessary to add oxygen to the tank and hold a place for beneficial bacteria to grow. Without one, it is difficult to hold a cycle, and thus puts stress on the fish.

Aqueon Betta Pro is quite a poor quality food ( the first two ingredients are wheat and soybean meal) which can contribute to swim bladder problems. Omega One Betta Buffet, Northfin Pellets, and Fluval Bug Bites are all better options. 10 pellets is also quite a lot for one feeding, I prefer 3-4 pellets 2x daily but it does depend on the type of food.

With a one gallon, water needs to be changed 45% every other day to maintain ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels as low as possible. A 95% water change will stress out a fish.

Ammonia and nitrites above 0 ppm are toxic so as recommended before I would look into a larger tank (5+ gals are the easiest) to help hold a more steady cycle and make water changes easier.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> So generally a 1 gal is quite small for a betta-the recommended minimum is 2.5 gals. 1 gals are VERY hard to hold a steady cycle and can have unstable parameters, leading to stress and disease. It can also make a betta feel stressed as some prefer larger spaces.
> 
> Another recommendation is to purchase a heater and filter. Betta's are tropical fish and need temps around 76-78 degrees to remain happy and healthy. A filter is also necessary to add oxygen to the tank and hold a place for beneficial bacteria to grow. Without one, it is difficult to hold a cycle, and thus puts stress on the fish.
> 
> ...


Great tips, thank you !


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Here are two pictures of him this morning.
He ate two pellets after four days today.

Can anyone see anything obvious from these pictures?

Praying for him to make a recovery.


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

Nothing obvious from the pictures.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Today is day 5 of the 2nd round of kanaplex. 
I don't want to be optimistic but he's more frisky and he ate two pellets today and seemed like he could eat more. 
But he's still on his side and floating on the surface, he doesn't even bother to use his hammock anymore.
I ordered him the fluval bug bites as recommended by @KekeTheBettaDoc.

His name is Two Moon.
I know y'all are rooting for him 

One question:

I'll do another water change day after tomorrow and do a 3rd round of kanaplex after that.
Or should I continue the kanaplex without the water change?


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Continue kanaplex and do water changes as recommended on the container 

Two Moon is such a cute name! I hope he feels better.

-Keke


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

He's still the same - lying on his side and hardly eating.
He's frisky when I tap on the glass.

I've done 3 rounds of Kanaplex. 
He'll eat about 2 pellets every other day. 
He won't eat the bug bites (maybe he's not familiar with them).

Should I go on for a 4th round of Kanaplex?

What else can I do?


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

No, that is going to be too many antibiotics at once. Hold off a week and let his body recover. How is his poop? Any new symptoms? Updated Pics?

-keke


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> No, that is going to be too many antibiotics at once. Hold off a week and let his body recover. How is his poop? Any new symptoms? Updated Pics?
> 
> -keke


ok, I will hold off for a week.

No new symptoms. 

Since he is eating so little, some of the food sinks to the bottom and so I can't tell the poop from the other stuff. I will pay close attention this week.

I took a video of him but I can't post videos on this forum.
I'll update with pics tomorrow.

thank you @KekeTheBettaDoc


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

As I had mentioned earlier, it's looking more likely that you're dealing with organ failure, there's nothing you can do about that if it is the case.
One other longshot, if you want to try, is to switch him to Furan-2 after giving him a couple days break in fresh water.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Hi @Veloran 

Is Furan-2 another type of anti-biotic like kanaplex?
What does organ failure mean? 
How can the fish keep living if there is organ failure?
If it is organ failure, usually how long can the fish last?


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

Furan-2 is a gram negative antibiotic like Kanaplex, however, while it does target many of the same bacteria that Kanaplex does, it also targets some that Kanaplex does not (and vice versa).
Organ failure is the same as in humans, eg, a kidney or liver failure. It's unfortunate that kidney failure does happen and often results in fluid retention in the fish and is a common cause of Dropsy. Because we don't have diagnostic equipment, it is difficult to diagnose properly which is why we target the usual suspects before narrowing it down but can never really definitively say.
Once a fish has organ failure it's terminal as we don't have transplant options.
Organ failure, depending on the organ can be a slow decline or a rapid one. I've had a fish go from swimming around to laying at the bottom of the tank in as little as 24 hours and lingering for quite a while. It's pretty much the same with humans, we just don't have the option of hospitals.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Here is a video of Two Moon swimming on youtube:





I also see a very unusual looking poop at the bottom of the tank. 
You can see it in the video too and in the photo I've attached.

This is the first poop I'm noticing after a long time.
It seems too big to have come out of him?








Any idea what that might be?

And here is a current photo of him.










I'm giving him a one week break before resuming with Kanaplex.

Any ideas please let me know !


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Looks like he could of had some sort of blockage. Is he feeling any better after passing that?


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> Looks like he could of had some sort of blockage. Is he feeling any better after passing that?


Still the same as far as I can tell. 
Still only ate 1 pellet today.
I hope tomorrow he has a better appetite.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Some good news !
He has been eating two pellets a day now for the past 3 days.
I think he can eat more but I'm going to keep it at 2.

Otherwise, he is the same as before, still floating at the top and swimming on his side.

Should I go through with another dose of kanaplex or wait ?


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

Give him a break for a little bit. Meds are harsh on them.


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## 1brajesh (Dec 14, 2020)

Veloran said:


> Give him a break for a little bit. Meds are harsh on them.


Well, what I was wondering was, is it even necessary to do kanaplex again, or just wait to see if a need arises?


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

I would recommend getting a bigger tank as soon as possible, I use a 3.5 gallon from petsmart. It came with a filter but I use a sponge filter. You can get this tank for around 15-20 dollars along with a heater and it should help with recovery. Heaters are preset at petco for 9-12 dollars.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

And the bowl you use doesn't have enough surface area for aeration.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

1brajesh said:


> Well, what I was wondering was, is it even necessary to do kanaplex again, or just wait to see if a need arises?


 Yes, let's see how he fares before we bombard him with meds. The more you can let them take care of the issue themselves, the better.


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## Arthur11 (Jul 23, 2021)

It's very likely that these bettas are suffering from bladder problems because swimming on the side or not at all is a symptom of prolapse. The main cause of this condition can be because the betta is constipated or overeating. You should not feed the fish for three days to allow the digestive system to heal and rest and also clean itself. Too low a water temperature in the aquarium is also a cause, low temperatures can slow down the bladder, leading to constipation in the fish. One of the reasons that betta fish can suffer from integral bladder disease is a bacterial infection. In this case, I suggest you consult a fish specialist so that he will be the one to treat the fish.


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