# Bloating that won't go away



## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Magnus my delta mustard boy that I've had for a little over a year now has been bloated for a few weeks. I suspected he was eating his floaters (has in the past). I fasted him, moved him to a tank with no plants he could eat, tried epsom salt dip, and daphnia as a carnivore's version of the pea to unclog the digestive track.. but the bloat persists. I also treated his tank with Seachem Paraguard for over a week fearing it might be internal parasites but no change. I fear feeding him will make him explode, Ive not seen poop and his belly is just huge. Aside from the stomach though he acts completely normal, no sbd, lethargy, or lack do appetite, he's spunky and active and sucks down what little I do give him now.
I'd like some help trying to get him fixed .. non of the usual un-bloating methods have worked and trying a parasite treatment for over a week had no effect.

Housing:
How many gallons is your tank? 2-3g (closer to 3g)
Does it have a filter? yes
Does it have a heater? yes
What temperature is your tank? 78F
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? live plants provide oxygen during lights on, filter is air pump run sponge filter
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? 2 mts (Malaysian trumpet snails) snails to sift sand substrate

Food:
What food brand do you use? Omgea one betta pellets
Do you feed flakes or pellets? pellets
Freeze-dried? never
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? before the bloat 2x a day 3 pellets (with bloat no pellets only daphnia)
(why is there no question(s) about live or frozen foods?)

Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? once a month-densely planted tank water changes were to remove poop and replenish natural dissolved minerals in the water for plants.
What percentage of water did you change? 50-70%
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? vacume
What additives do you use? dechlorinator: Seachem prime

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.

Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:0
pH: 7.5
Hardness (GH):40
Alkalinity (KH):80

Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms? about 2 weeks ago
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? Belly looks like a balloon-swollen stomach
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? no
Is your Betta still eating? yes but I'm not feeding very much (don't want him to explode)
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? in order: Fasted a week, epsom salt dip (15 minutes), 7-8 days Seachem Paraguard treatment (thought parasites), daphnia as only (and infrequent) food.
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? No
How long have you owned your Betta? Was he or she a rescue? 13-14 months

edit: opps forgot his photo


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Move him to a QT and watch for him to go potty so you can see what his poop looks like.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

+1 to Mousie. 

When my girl was having consisted bloating problems, on a whim I decided to do a round a API General Cure and that actually seemed to work. If his poop looks normal, they General Cure and see if that helps at all.

I also switched her food to the Omega One Marine Micro Pellets. They are ridiculously tiny so she had an easier time digesting them. Maybe try that as well.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

The last time I saw a turd was the first day of fasting. I can't describe it well.. it was not white nor dark.. it looks like.. damages mostly clear casing with no real pop in it (semi transparent broken up with very little actual poop mass.. think long link sausage but most of the meat fell out/was not there).

edit: viv if you have the box still can you give me the basic info of directions.. online stores don't tell [censor] for details on the product. Curious how many days of treatment/doses are recommended for a 10g (qt) tank.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Some online stores give you dosing, PetSmart doesn't but drs. foster and smith do under the more information tab:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+16807&pcatid=16807


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

inside the box there are packets. One packet equals 10 gallons of water. You do have to remove all filter media but the medicine does say to continue aeration. 

I dissolve the medicine (in your case the whole packet) in a cup or so of tank water, and then over the course of an hour add it back to the tank. Then you wait 48 hours. Do a 25% water change. Add another dose (which would be another whole packet) then wait another 48 hours then do a water change again. Then add activated carbon back into your filter to remove the medicine.


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Aqua Aurora said:


> think long link sausage but most of the meat fell out/was not there).


That's sounds exactly like a tapeworm. PraziPro should help with that.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Pft didn't even think to look in the "more information" tab! sorry I was still sleepy when I posted before (and still sick) so brain's not functioning fully >.0
Thank you lil and viv. Have you used this produce before lil?

edit: if its a tapeworm why did I see no changes with a week of paraguard treatment? Or does Paraguard do nothing to tapeworms?
2nd edit: nvm seachem support site says it doesn't do anything for" internal infections such as a worm infestation"


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Not that one specifically but the directions are the same as pretty much all the API meds minus a few little details. I've never had to thankfully. Just Furan-2 and Maracyn II.

It could be bacterial infection as well in the intestines, it would produce the same kind of stringy poop as well.


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

An internal bacterial infection produces white stringy poop. Not clear sausage like links.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I got so sick yesterday I couldn't drive to pick up meds (for myself or the fish). Today I'm a little better so I got api general cure as I cannot find Prazipro locally. Prepping Magnus (dripping) for the 10g quarantine for dosing now. Will update with progress in a few days.
If API does not fix him I'll try to find the Prazipro.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

I know my store carries PraziPro about 5-7 dollars IIRC, I could potentially ship it out to you in priority envelope (well padded), IF you can't find it around you or don't want to buy it elsewhere. I know it's easily bought online too of course, but just offering in case! Hopefully the General Cure will work for Magnus ^_^


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

lilnaugrim said:


> I know my store carries PraziPro about 5-7 dollars IIRC, I could potentially ship it out to you in priority envelope (well padded), IF you can't find it around you or don't want to buy it elsewhere. I know it's easily bought online too of course, but just offering in case! Hopefully the General Cure will work for Magnus ^_^


Thank you for the offer I'll keep it in mind!

edit: I have one more petstore I can ask if they carry it, but I know the chain stores do not have it.

Today he is still pretty bloated looking, hopefully by tomorrow the meds show some sigh of working. Aside from the balloon belly Magnus is still acting normal.


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Don't forget to ask saltwater specific stores, too. PraziPro can also be used in some saltwater setups.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Mousie said:


> Don't forget to ask saltwater specific stores, too. PraziPro can also be used in some saltwater setups.


Sadly my area smoothered out mom and pop shops.. just got petsmart, petco, and 1 other store but their fish supplies is lacking...


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Hmm. Do you know anyone who does a lot of shopping on Amazon that has Prime membership? I personally love ours... I'm so impatient but I love their free two day shipping.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Found PraziPro at the non chain store.. only had 1 once and 40 some ounce bottle options. Grabbed the tiny one. May do preventative treatment on the other tanks as a precaution, have to research first if its ok for otos, inverts, and live plants.
2nd dose of API general cure added yesterday. I got confused as I thought I saw a normal brown turd you would from pellet eating (and healthy fish). Turned out it was a dead baby ramshorn.
Today Magnus is still a balloon, has a turd dangling, same as before-broken sausage casing with no 'meat' really to it :c
I'm starting to worry I may loose him (be too far gone to save).


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Poop hoo!.. Kinda flat but poop colored
microscope







in the fish net








he's still very swollen, no signs of expelled tapeworms yet.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Magnus was put down today. He had not improvement with medications and developed sbd from the swollen stomach...I gave him a last meal of black worms before he went under with clove oil and died peacefully. After my husband agreed to dissect him for me-I had to know if there were tapeworms before I could re-use his tank.. My husband told me (I didn't look when he started) that the swelling was all the stomach juices, his intestines appeared clear/empty and there were no flat worms aka tapeworms (just the black worms he was fed). Some of his stomach contents was indiscernible.. unsure if it clogged his stomach and prevented further digestion and led to the swelling... I'll sanitize his tank/plants and re-scape then re-cycle filter ad wait over a month before considering a new fish just to be safe.. may wait until after christmas.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Aww, sorry to hear it Aqua. It's sad to see just how finicky these little guys can be sometimes with their health! I know he had a fantastic life with you though ^_^


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## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

I'm so sorry for your loss, Aqua.


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