# My Betta Eats Bubbles...



## Tsuhei (Nov 26, 2010)

Hi again - I have a very...unique...problem.

Stamps recently has become bloated - belly scales sticking out, etc. It isn't dropsy. I know this because I've been doing the 2tsp of epsom salt per gallon of water with two indian almond leaves (only one gallon in my tank at the moment). Within four hours, his bloating went down and he went back to normal. However, I began to watch some odd behavior.

When I add new water to the tank, bubbles form on the inside of the glass...he has started to take a shine to _eating_ them. Within a few more hours after that, I watched him constantly peck bubbles off the glass and become bloated again with difficulty swimming (buoyancy). 

After another day, the bubbles have disappeared..and so did his bloat. I have not been feeding him - I have fasted him for two days so far with daily 100% water changes with 2 tsp of epsom salt. He is very, very active and not lethargic by any means. He only has buoyancy issues after eating the bubbles.

How do I get him to stop this...very odd and potentially hazardous behavior? :-? I had no idea bettas could bloat from eating air bubbles...


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## Bettaluver4evr (Jan 21, 2011)

I agree, that problem is definitely unique! I have never heard of that before! Maybe he's gay, and bubbles remind him of nests he's supposed to build? Hehe, just kidding! I would just try to be very careful when filling up his water. My bettas develop odd quirks sometimes, and they only last a few days. Hopefully your silly fish will realize that air isn't food, and that it isn't going to do anything good for him.  Sorry, I honestly don't know what else to say! Good luck.


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## c4talys7 (Sep 7, 2010)

I use my net to knock the bubbles off the inside of my class. Haven't heard of a Betta eating them before...


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## nixie (Nov 21, 2013)

i know it's weird my girl is doing the same thing. then she can't swim right.


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## Taeanna (Apr 2, 2013)

Then its literally just air in their gut and should go down on its own. I imagine it is very uncomfortable. In fact I cant even be sure fish CAN burp so it must hang around for some time.

Keep a close eye on it. Air can be laden with floating bacteria and they may be able to cause infection. Not to metnion when theres a bubble in there digestion will be far trickier so let them deflate naturally first


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## VampiraSilents (Dec 5, 2021)

nixie said:


> i know it's weird my girl is doing the same thing. then she can't swim right.


Same My female Betta does the same she likes eating bubbles then can't swim right , Also I don't feed her much cus she's a runt and can't eat too much or fit regular size pellets in her mouth .


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