# Bloated betta - should I be worried?



## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

Hey guys! I’m a first-time betta keeper and I’m worried about my bloated betta 
I bought him 3 weeks ago where he was kept in a newly set up, 10G community tank. He had no issues the whole time.
However recently I’ve set up a 8G divided tank (divided with black acrylic with small holes) to house him and a new betta in.
A little while after adding him to the new tank I noticed bloating around his abdomen and very slightly on his body leading to his tail 
I’m not sure how worried I need to be and what to do now! I hope it’s just constipation and not swim bladder disease/dropsy, as he’s swimming fine (for now, apart from typical betta ‘head drooping’ when staying still), no fin clamping and his scales are lying flat (no pineconing), but I’m not sure why it happened so soon after putting him into a new tank. 
Is it anything to do with stress? Should I put him back into the community tank/leave him be and fast him? I’ve attached photos - the first three photos are him today, the last photo is him a few days ago for comparison. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Tank info:

8G with 7-7.5G water (~3-4G per betta)
pH: 6.5
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: ~0 
Chlorine: 0
Ammonia: new water (conditioned) so should be 0 
Planted - 3 plants and a branch in each section blocking some sight lines 
Difference in behaviour/appearance: apart from bloat, none that I can notice - a bit on edge and swimming along the divider (trying to get used to new surroundings and another betta nearby) but virtually no flaring


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## itsme_bettafishlover (Mar 16, 2021)

Does your new betta seem to be swimming the same way?


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> Does your new betta seem to be swimming the same way?


Yes - completely normal as far as I can tell, lots of swimming along the divider. Apart from the typical betta ‘head drooping’ when staying still, he seems fine - will check again in the morning. Btw I’ve had this betta for a couple weeks - he was in a community tank before this and had no issues


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## itsme_bettafishlover (Mar 16, 2021)

Okay, it could be the food you are feeding him. . . What type of food are you feeding both of them? (brand name, frozen?)


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> Okay, it could be the food you are feeding him. . . What type of food are you feeding both of them? (brand name, frozen?)


I’m feeding both of them fish food (betta food, BT-G1 OceanFree? Not sure if it’s a well known brand, just picked it up at the pet store) I fed all the fish in the community tank he was in before with that food, as well as algae wafers for the bottom feeders. Perhaps he ate too much in the old tank as I fed the fish all at once? I’ve seen him scavenge along the bottom for the wafers as well. I’m hoping it’s just coincidence that he bloated after going into the new tank and not because of too much stress. The last pic I posted is a pic of him 2 days ago to compare.


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## itsme_bettafishlover (Mar 16, 2021)

Hmm.. this is tricky


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> Hmm.. this is tricky


 does the bloat look bad/how worried should I be? He’s going to be fasted for the next 2-4 days.


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## itsme_bettafishlover (Mar 16, 2021)

It's not to severe, that would be smart.  He will be okay,


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> It's not to severe, that would be smart.  He will be okay,


Thank you! Hopefully he only gets better and not worse


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Even if you've given answers to some, please fill out in its entirety as it contains the all of the information needed to make any sort of diagnosis PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so we can.... 

Without it all anyone can do is guess and potentially cause more harm than good. Or, as in this case, give owners a false sense of security.

Judging from the photos, the fin clamping and your descriptions there is definitely something wrong that needs immediate attention. Once you complete the form someone will answer you.

Also, could you list the BT-G1 OceanFree ingredients? Thank you.
.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Even if you've given answers to some, please fill out in its entirety as it contains the all of the information needed to make any sort of diagnosis PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so we can....
> 
> Without it all anyone can do is guess and potentially cause more harm than good. Or, as in this case, give owners a false sense of security.
> 
> ...


Hi, I’ve answered all I can in my post - the unanswered parameters are ones I can’t get a clear reading on with the test strips I have currently. The ingredients are white fish, Kili meal, multi algae meal, special colour enhancer, red algae meal, carotenoid, dried yeast, multivitamins. I’ve actually had a happy update - the bloating had gone down significantly when I checked this morning. However, the divided tank seemed to stress him out so I moved him back to his community tank - he’s acting completely normal and swimming fine now. The other male also has his run of an 8G tank! Thanks for your reply. I’ll be watching what I feed him a lot more after this scare.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Even if you've given answers to some, please fill out in its entirety as it contains the all of the information needed to make any sort of diagnosis PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so we can....
> 
> Without it all anyone can do is guess and potentially cause more harm than good. Or, as in this case, give owners a false sense of security.
> 
> ...


I’ll put in as many details as I can.
Housing: formerly 8G divided tank (4g for him), since the bloat has gone down I’ve moved him into a 10G community tank (where he lived before) 
How many gallons is your tank? 8G now 10G 
Does it have a filter? Yes
Does it have a heater? No (warm climate) 
What temperature is your tank? ~25.5 C
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Not in the divided tank, yes in the community tank 
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? 1 male betta in the divided tank, harlequin rasboras and corydoras in the community. 

Food:
What food brand do you use? BT-G1
Do you feed flakes or pellets? Pellets
Freeze-dried? Yes(?)
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? Every afternoon - when he is in the community tank, all the fish are fed together so I can’t gauge exactly how many pellets he’s eating. He may also be scavenging algae wafers. 

Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? Relatively new tank so 40% PWC every 5 days. 
What percentage of water did you change? 40-60% depending on cloudiness and nitrite readings 
What is the source of your water? Tap water left for 48 hours and conditioned 
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? Dip out water 
What additives do you use other than conditioner? What brand of conditioner? API betta conditioner 

Water Parameters:
What are your water parameters? Please give exact numbers. If tested by pet store please get exact numbers. "Fine" or "Safe" won't help us help you. Important: Test your water _before_ the regular water change; not after one.

Ammonia: 0 (new water) 
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: virtually 0 (can’t tell exactly with strips) 
pH: ~6.5
Hardness (GH): can’t tell for sure from test strips but falls in the normal range when compared with colour
Alkalinity (KH): see above 

Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms? Last night 
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? Stomach bloat (significantly better this morning) 
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? Not at all - a bit of stress in the divided tank but completely normal after being put beck in the community 
Is your Betta still eating? Havent fed him since 
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? Fasting
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? No 
How long have you owned your Betta? 1 month
Was he or she ill or suffering some sort of damage when purchased? No


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Because there was too much guessing or questions asked and answered in dribs and drabs, the decision was made that the form must be filled out in it's entirety. And, there are those like me who get painful headaches when trying to read walls of text so quick-reference enables us to help.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Because there was too much guessing or questions asked and answered in dribs and drabs, the decision was made that the form must be filled out in it's entirety. And, there are those like me who get painful headaches when trying to read walls of text so quick-reference enables us to help.


I’m really sorry  still a new user here, because I’m on Fishlore as well I guess I thought all my details were on my profile. Here’s my fish today:


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Fish should look like the photo below: Smooth transition from head to body with gradual tapering to the caudal. If you look at the third photo your boy appears to be awfully thin.







How does he react in the divided tank? Some are immediately comfortable and some are not but will settle down; depends on what they are doing.

BTW, the food is a good one.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

darkzolo said:


> I’m really sorry  still a new user here, because I’m on Fishlore as well I guess I thought all my details were on my profile. Here’s my fish today:


No worries. I always explain why the form was developed as some have accused us of being too picky.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Fish should look like the photo below: Smooth transition from head to body with gradual tapering to the caudal. If you look at the third photo your boy appears to be awfully thin.
> View attachment 1029868
> 
> How does he react in the divided tank? Some are immediately comfortable and some are not but will settle down; depends on what they are doing.
> ...


Hi, thanks for your reply! Now that you point it out, he does look a bit thin - I thought it was normal for bettas to be a bit more slim-bodied. I’ve attached more photos of him from today, hopefully they’re good enough. He seemed quite stressed in the divided tank - swimming a lot against the divider, facing off against the male when he catches a glimpse of him, hiding behind plants and not moving - maybe it was my imagination but i think he actually lost a bit of colour as well, so I moved him back into his old community tank + gave the other betta the full tank (he actually made a bubble nest overnight so he seemed fine). Since he’s been in the community tank he’s been fine - swimming normally and acting his normal self. Here are the pics:


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

His behavior in the divided tank was normal. I've had divided tanks off and on for years and found they settle down after two or three days. 

That being said, I would be more worried his weight. As he's not getting enough nutrition in the community tank it would be best to either put him in the 10 and the other male in the community; or, divide the 10 and put him back.That way you can monitor his intake. 

While he is separated, teach him to come to one corner to eat. If you put him back in the community tank you can throw food in for the others opposite of his corner to lure them away so he can eat enough.

Feed him 20 pellets per day divided into four or five meals at least a couple of hours apart. If you can, substitute frozen or live foods at least one meal.

Overfeeding is feeding too much _at one time_.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> His behavior in the divided tank was normal. I've had divided tanks off and on for years and found they settle down after two or three days.
> 
> That being said, I would be more worried his weight. As he's not getting enough nutrition in the community tank it would be best to either put him in the 10 and the other male in the community; or, divide the 10 and put him back.That way you can monitor his intake.
> 
> ...


That’s a relief that his behaviour was normal. I moved him back into the community tank partially because I was worried about stress, but also space and filtration - each betta had ~3.5G (not 100% sure how much space the decor took up), which was a big downgrade for my betta (but an upgrade from the tiny cup the other one was in at the store ). The water was also a bit cloudy from setting up the tank and the divider made filtration less efficient, and I thought I’d put my betta (his name is Donnie Darko) in a tank with the best water conditions possible. I’m probably going to swap the bettas around (hopefully the other male Gorgonzolo does well in a community tank) and put him into the 7G to fatten him up a bit - dividing the 10G isn’t really viable, as I would have to move all the other fish into a 7G which would be overstocked + I would have to buy a new divider! Thanks so much for the help - I’ll definitely be feeding him more in the other tank. Will the pellets be enough, or should I invest in some other food as well?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Donnie Darko is a great name for him. Surprised you didn't name your new boy "Frank." 

I feed my fish pellets and frozen. It's really up to you.

BTW, keep us updated on how Donnie Darko is doing and include a photo of Gorgonzolo.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Donnie Darko is a great name for him. Surprised you didn't name your new boy "Frank."
> 
> I feed my fish pellets and frozen. It's really up to you.
> 
> BTW, keep us updated on how Donnie Darko is doing and include a photo of Gorgonzolo.


(edited for uploading wrong pics)


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Donnie Darko is a great name for him. Surprised you didn't name your new boy "Frank."
> 
> I feed my fish pellets and frozen. It's really up to you.
> 
> BTW, keep us updated on how Donnie Darko is doing and include a photo of Gorgonzolo.


Hahaha that’s a fantastic name suggestion! He could always be Frank Zolo  here are some pics of both of them. I wasn’t sure whether to fast Donnie or not after your comment about him being thin (which I definitely see now) so I fed him a few pellets today - not sure of the exact number but it might have been a slight over feeding, nothing he couldn’t finish within 30 secs though. After that I noticed a slight bloat again, not nearly as bad as last night, but definitely a bit of protruding. It’s gone down a bit since, the last pic is what he looked like ~3-4 hours after feeding. Some websites say that that’s an indication of him just being full - given that he’s thin, should I do a fast tomorrow and feed him the day after, or not fast him at all and feed him very small amounts each time? Thanks for everything! Here are pics of the boys.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Thank for the photos.  

Many people feed until their Betta's belly is gently rounded. That's what is happening here. So do feed him his several meals per day.

For future, bloat doesn't go away. So as long as a Betta's belly returns to normal it is fine.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Thank for the photos.
> 
> Many people feed until their Betta's belly is gently rounded. That's what is happening here. So do feed him his several meals per day.
> 
> For future, bloat doesn't go away. So as long as a Betta's belly returns to normal it is fine.


Fantastic! I’m gonna start fattening him up then  will keep you updated! Thank you for everything


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Thank for the photos.
> 
> Many people feed until their Betta's belly is gently rounded. That's what is happening here. So do feed him his several meals per day.
> 
> For future, bloat doesn't go away. So as long as a Betta's belly returns to normal it is fine.


I’ve since moved him back to the community tank. He seems to have split his top fin halfway down on something but I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is - I thought it would be safer to let him heal in a tank that is 100% injury proof and move the plants to the smaller tank. I’ll be watching him like a hawk when he eats though!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Lack of body weight is a critical issue. Fins will heal while lack of proper nutrition can have deadly consequences. If you are sure he will get three or four pellets 3-4 times per day (five would be better) he might do okay.

BTW, just noticed he's a Double Tail (DeT). Don't know how we missed that one; his dorsal is an absolute giveaway.  He will need those multiple 3-4 pellet meals for the rest of his life. With their body shape, DeT are more prone to bloat if fed too much at once. That's why I always housed mine alone except for a Mystery Snail.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Lack of body weight is a critical issue. Fins will heal while lack of proper nutrition can have deadly consequences. If you are sure he will get three or four pellets 3-4 times per day (five would be better) he might do okay.
> 
> BTW, just noticed he's a Double Tail (DeT). Don't know how we missed that one; his dorsal is an absolute giveaway.  He will need those multiple 3-4 pellet meals for the rest of his life. With their body shape, DeT are more prone to bloat if fed too much at once. That's why I always housed mine alone except for a Mystery Snail.


I always thought he was a feather/rosetail! I never noticed the double fin shape. Guess I was wrong! I’m actually finding it hard to tell if his fin is actually split, or if he naturally was that way - I’ve attached some pictures - could you let me know if it looks like a split fin? I’ve also taken some top-down pics of that would help. The last pic in the list is a picture of him a couple weeks ago. Not sure as to whether or not to keep him in the community or the smaller tank now.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Is this where his fin splits?


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Is this where his fin splits?
> View attachment 1029977


No; that’s an older pic of him! He has a split halfway down his dorsal. (See pic) He does have a split on his tail but I know that it’s because he’s a double tail


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Clean water and either Indian Almond Leaves or plain Rooibos Tea will take care of that. Water should be at least this color:


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Clean water and either Indian Almond Leaves or plain Rooibos Tea will take care of that. Water should be at least this color:
> View attachment 1029979


Sounds good, I’ll try and see if I can get the tea - do I literally just soak teabags in the water? Do you know how long it will take to heal? He’s been clamping his find more than usual, not sure if it’s got to do with the injury. Going to do a water change today and maybe move some decorations around just to make sure he’s not being snagged.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Is he back in the smaller tank or still in with the community?

You can brew a strong tea of either Indian Almond Leaves or the Rooibos. Condition and add to tank until it's the proper color. You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

H


RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Is he back in the smaller tank or still in with the community?
> 
> You can brew a strong tea of either Indian Almond Leaves or the Rooibos. Condition and add to tank until it's the proper color. You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator.


He’s in the smaller tank. I’ll see if I can get the teabags - for now I’m just gonna keep the water clean and keep monitoring him! Trying not to get too paranoid


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Is he back in the smaller tank or still in with the community?
> 
> You can brew a strong tea of either Indian Almond Leaves or the Rooibos. Condition and add to tank until it's the proper color. You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator.


I haven’t managed to get the tea yet, but it seems like his bottom fin has frayed a bit as well?  it looks more frayed and less full than he did before. his top fin is healing up just fine, but now I’m worried about his bottom fin splitting slightly - although I can’t tell if I’m just being paranoid. What do you think? The only thing I can think of is that I changed my decor yesterday (I had purple waffle and replaced with java fern), but I can’t see anything that could have snagged him. Pics below, first 3 is of him when I noticed the bottom fin, last is a comparison pic.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I'm much more worried about his melting dorsal fin.

API makes a product called Furan-2. It treats both gram positive and gram negative bacterial issues. Do the full treatment. Many pet stores carry it so I would call around. If you have Amazon Prime you might get it from them faster.








Amazon.com: API FURAN-2 Fish Powder Medication 10-Count Box (70P) : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com: API FURAN-2 Fish Powder Medication 10-Count Box (70P) : Pet Supplies



www.amazon.com


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> I'm much more worried about his melting dorsal fin.
> 
> API makes a product called Furan-2. It treats both gram positive and gram negative bacterial issues. Do the full treatment. Many pet stores carry it so I would call around. If you have Amazon Prime you might get it from them faster.
> 
> ...


What do you mean by melting dorsal fin? I thought it was healing up alright  it used to be split down to the base but has since healed up halfway. Should I be worried? I’ll look into the product.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Note how parts of the upper dorsal come to a point? That's melting. Compare to when you brought him home and you will see the difference.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

darkzolo said:


> What do you mean by melting dorsal fin? I thought it was healing up alright  it used to be split down to the base but has since healed up halfway. Should I be worried? I’ll look into the product.





RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Note how parts of the upper dorsal come to a point? That's melting. Compare to when you brought him home and you will see the difference.


Damn, seems to be one issue after another!! Is it a bacterial infection? Is there anything I can do apart from buying the treatment you recommended? (Water changes etc)


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

He needs Rooibos or IAL in his tank. Small and fragile, fish can't wait even a day for us to start treating them. Waiting even one day can be can lead the fast spread of bacterial or fungal issues. In this country, Rooibos is carried in most grocery or health food stores. It is a common herbal tea and naturally decaffeinated. It should not have any flavoring or other additives. Its purpose is to help prevent bacterial and fungal infections.

Almost all fish health issues have the same symptoms. If he is active and eating he should be fine once you start treating him.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> He needs Rooibos or IAL in his tank. Small and fragile, fish can't wait even a day for us to start treating them. Waiting even one day can be can lead the fast spread of bacterial or fungal issues. In this country, Rooibos is carried in most grocery or health food stores. It is a common herbal tea and naturally decaffeinated. It should not have any flavoring or other additives. Its purpose is to help prevent bacterial and fungal infections.
> 
> Almost all fish health issues have the same symptoms. If he is active and eating he should be fine once you start treating him.


I’ve never seen any in the stores where I live but I’ll try my best ... it’s super hectic currently for me and I wish I had more time to go out and hunt down treatments at pet stores! I’ll do so as soon as I can. Do you think I can just start with water changes? I do try my best for him so it’s frustrating and worrying to see that his fins are gradually becoming ragged.


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## darkzolo (Apr 30, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> He needs Rooibos or IAL in his tank. Small and fragile, fish can't wait even a day for us to start treating them. Waiting even one day can be can lead the fast spread of bacterial or fungal issues. In this country, Rooibos is carried in most grocery or health food stores. It is a common herbal tea and naturally decaffeinated. It should not have any flavoring or other additives. Its purpose is to help prevent bacterial and fungal infections.
> 
> Almost all fish health issues have the same symptoms. If he is active and eating he should be fine once you start treating him.


Going to start medicating if he doesn’t improve by Monday - he’s still perfectly fine, active and eating, which I hope is a good sign. Did a water change today - really hoping for the best. I’ve gotten really attached to the little dude and I’m gonna try my best.
Edit: this is him today after a water change yesterday. Looks a bit better to me ...? I’ve managed to find a local brand of anti-fungal/bacterial medication for fish which I’m gonna start doing.


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## loyaltyhub (May 18, 2021)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> Does your new betta seem to be swimming the same way?


Fish should look like the photo below: Smooth transition from head to body with gradual tapering to the caudal. If you look at the third photo your boy appears to be awfully thin.


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