Post by jocie1976 on Apr 22, 2015 0:25:15 GMT -5
This is one of the most common problems bettas encounter, usually due to lack of experience on the fish keeper's part in terms of what they feed their betta, how much they feed their betta, and how they prepare the food. Over feeding can very easily cause this. A betta doesn't need more then the equivalent of 4 to 6 small betta pellets a day. Many places recommend splitting this into two feedings a day. Remember, a betta's stomach is about the size of it's eye.
Lack of fiber in high protein diet can also lead to this problem. Bettas were not designed by nature to eat dry, beady, air-filled foods - when you feed dry food to an aquatic animal, they go through something similar to us when we eat uncooked rice or noodles. The food expands in the gut as it absorbs moisture, causing bloating, discomfort, and constipation. Feeding your betta a strict diet that contains no fibrous roughage may also contribute to constipation. This is easily avoided by giving your betta a small piece of blanched pea once per week or giving him foods like mysis shrimp that contain an exoskeleton or flightless fruit flies that sill have wings attached. A diet of various live and/or frozen foods is usually preferred to pellets and flakes and shouldn’t be avoided out of fear of constipation. Just be sure to introduce fiber into the diet on occasion – so having a variety of different frozen foods is recommended.
One of the easiest things you can do to avoid constipation is to fast your fish one day per week. A day off will not hurt your betta; in fact it will allow him the chance to clean out his digestive track naturally.
It’s important that whenever you feed your betta dry food, be it flakes, pellets, or freeze dried, that the food be fully hydrated for a few minutes in a little tank water before use. If the food is prepared correctly and the betta is not overfed, you will likely never deal with constipation and bloating. If you are feeding correctly and you come across bloating and constipation, you should be sure that your betta is being kept at the appropriate temperature, as all of the metabolic processes, including digestion, in cold blooded animals are dependent upon warm, stable temperatures.
Constipation is very common in bettas and in most cases can be fixed by a few simple changes in diet. The most obvious sign of constipation is a bloated stomach. When a betta is bloated due to blockage he will only be swollen in the digestive area. This is easily viewable from the side and not the top. Full body swelling or scales sticking out like a pinecone could indicate a more serious problem like Dropsy. (However this note only covers constipation so we'll stick with that.) Obviously, when your betta is constipated he won’t be ping food so a lack of defecation is another sign to look for. In severe cases the bloating ociated with constipation can put pressure on the internal system that controls the betta’s swim bladder leading to the appropriately named “Swim Bladder Disorder” or SBD. The obvious symptom of this is the inability for the fish to right itself in the water. In many cases the betta will be swimming on its side or even upside-down. Once the pressure is taken off of the organ, the fish will often return to normal.
Symptoms:
The abdomen is visibly distended
When a light is shown through the fish, the distended area is opaque.
The fish will not p feces.
Usually no change in behaviour is evident, the fish may be less active or hide often.
Treatment:
As always a water change is recommended for this and any other illness.
Keep a close eye on your fish and constipation should cure itself so long as you are not overfeeding and are offering a proper diet. You may find it helps to remove any gravel or décor in the tank while your fish is blocked up. It will make it easier to see his waste indicating when he has returned to normal. If your tank is cycled, you may find it easier to remove the betta and keep him in a hospital tank until he is well again.
For Minor bloating and constipation:
Keep the water super clean and warm (increase the temperature slowly, only a degree every couple hours, until it is around 80 degrees; keep the temperature stable).
Fast the fish until the swelling goes down, or you see the fish p feces.
Slowly adjusting the temperature up a couple of degrees and feeding the fish a small amount of fibrous food can help expedite the process. Frozen (wet) daphnia and brine shrimp are good high fiber choices.
If you happen to have frozen (not canned) peas instead, you can dip a bit of paper towel in tank water, wrap a single frozen pea in it and microwave for a 10 seconds (remember you don't want to cook it), or put it in chlorine free water until thawed. Remove the shell of the now cooked pea and you will see that the inside is made of two halves. Crush one of the halves and form it into a small ball (you won't need the whole half of a pea – only about the size of a small betta bit) and feed it to the fish. Usually, the betta will have a bowel movement within a day of the pea treatment. If the betta does not poo or there is no improvement, repeat treatment (fast and pea).
It is recommended that you fast your betta for at least three days when this happens (and is safe for up to six or seven days if need be). You should see a reduction in bloating or feces within the week.
Try to make note of the appearance of the feces, if it is white, stringy, or otherwise abnormal, see entry for Internal Parasites.
Severe bloating and constipation:
When the minor treatment is not enough, you should consider an Epsom salt bath or leave-in treatment.
For severe constipation, a tiny portion of daphnia can be served your betta. Daphnia is known to act as a mild laxative and can be purchased in the fish food section of most fish stores.
***When using Epsom salt with other medications, make sure that the medication does not warn against the use of sulfates or sulfa drugs. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate and could interact badly with some medications.***
Epsom Salt Bath:
In a separate container, prepare water of the same temperature or use water from the betta’s tank and dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon.
Slowly adjust the betta to the water over about 5 minutes - acclimation time is much shorter because the fish shouldn’t be exposed to this amount of Epsom salt for too long, then allow the betta to sit in the bath for 15 minutes.
Carefully monitor the betta, and remove him or her if they show signs of distress.
Consider changing the water in the betta’s tank during the bath so that the fish will have clean water to recover in. This treatment can be repeated once in the same day, but if repeated, the duration of the bath should be shortened to 5-10 minutes.
Preventing Constipation:
Clean, warm water is the best defense against infections!
Feed quality pelleted and frozen-thawed food, and try to avoid flake or freeze-dried. A varied diet of a few to several different foods can be your best friend.
Feed small amounts (a couple pellets, or a couple bloodworms) twice a day rather than all at once.
Do not overfeed. Remember how small betta stomachs are! Four to six pellets per day (alternated with frozen-thawed bloodworms and other frozen foods) are plenty for most bettas.
Fast your betta one day a week, and feed a frozen-thawed pea (and nothing else) the next day.
Avoid flakes or freeze-dried foods; only high-quality pellets and frozen-thawed foods.
Keep the temperature high enough, between 76 to 82 degrees, and stable with no fluctuations.
If the fish becomes constipated even with these guidelines, soak the pellets for ten minutes in dechlorinated, conditioned water before feeding.
Sources:
bettaessentials.wikispaces.com/Sick+Betta+-+Bloating+%26+Swelling
nippyfish.net/sick-betta/bloating-and-constipation/
velvetdragon.com/bettas/sbd.html
(Google pictures used)
Lack of fiber in high protein diet can also lead to this problem. Bettas were not designed by nature to eat dry, beady, air-filled foods - when you feed dry food to an aquatic animal, they go through something similar to us when we eat uncooked rice or noodles. The food expands in the gut as it absorbs moisture, causing bloating, discomfort, and constipation. Feeding your betta a strict diet that contains no fibrous roughage may also contribute to constipation. This is easily avoided by giving your betta a small piece of blanched pea once per week or giving him foods like mysis shrimp that contain an exoskeleton or flightless fruit flies that sill have wings attached. A diet of various live and/or frozen foods is usually preferred to pellets and flakes and shouldn’t be avoided out of fear of constipation. Just be sure to introduce fiber into the diet on occasion – so having a variety of different frozen foods is recommended.
One of the easiest things you can do to avoid constipation is to fast your fish one day per week. A day off will not hurt your betta; in fact it will allow him the chance to clean out his digestive track naturally.
It’s important that whenever you feed your betta dry food, be it flakes, pellets, or freeze dried, that the food be fully hydrated for a few minutes in a little tank water before use. If the food is prepared correctly and the betta is not overfed, you will likely never deal with constipation and bloating. If you are feeding correctly and you come across bloating and constipation, you should be sure that your betta is being kept at the appropriate temperature, as all of the metabolic processes, including digestion, in cold blooded animals are dependent upon warm, stable temperatures.
Constipation is very common in bettas and in most cases can be fixed by a few simple changes in diet. The most obvious sign of constipation is a bloated stomach. When a betta is bloated due to blockage he will only be swollen in the digestive area. This is easily viewable from the side and not the top. Full body swelling or scales sticking out like a pinecone could indicate a more serious problem like Dropsy. (However this note only covers constipation so we'll stick with that.) Obviously, when your betta is constipated he won’t be ping food so a lack of defecation is another sign to look for. In severe cases the bloating ociated with constipation can put pressure on the internal system that controls the betta’s swim bladder leading to the appropriately named “Swim Bladder Disorder” or SBD. The obvious symptom of this is the inability for the fish to right itself in the water. In many cases the betta will be swimming on its side or even upside-down. Once the pressure is taken off of the organ, the fish will often return to normal.
Symptoms:
The abdomen is visibly distended
When a light is shown through the fish, the distended area is opaque.
The fish will not p feces.
Usually no change in behaviour is evident, the fish may be less active or hide often.
Treatment:
As always a water change is recommended for this and any other illness.
Keep a close eye on your fish and constipation should cure itself so long as you are not overfeeding and are offering a proper diet. You may find it helps to remove any gravel or décor in the tank while your fish is blocked up. It will make it easier to see his waste indicating when he has returned to normal. If your tank is cycled, you may find it easier to remove the betta and keep him in a hospital tank until he is well again.
For Minor bloating and constipation:
Keep the water super clean and warm (increase the temperature slowly, only a degree every couple hours, until it is around 80 degrees; keep the temperature stable).
Fast the fish until the swelling goes down, or you see the fish p feces.
Slowly adjusting the temperature up a couple of degrees and feeding the fish a small amount of fibrous food can help expedite the process. Frozen (wet) daphnia and brine shrimp are good high fiber choices.
If you happen to have frozen (not canned) peas instead, you can dip a bit of paper towel in tank water, wrap a single frozen pea in it and microwave for a 10 seconds (remember you don't want to cook it), or put it in chlorine free water until thawed. Remove the shell of the now cooked pea and you will see that the inside is made of two halves. Crush one of the halves and form it into a small ball (you won't need the whole half of a pea – only about the size of a small betta bit) and feed it to the fish. Usually, the betta will have a bowel movement within a day of the pea treatment. If the betta does not poo or there is no improvement, repeat treatment (fast and pea).
It is recommended that you fast your betta for at least three days when this happens (and is safe for up to six or seven days if need be). You should see a reduction in bloating or feces within the week.
Try to make note of the appearance of the feces, if it is white, stringy, or otherwise abnormal, see entry for Internal Parasites.
Severe bloating and constipation:
When the minor treatment is not enough, you should consider an Epsom salt bath or leave-in treatment.
For severe constipation, a tiny portion of daphnia can be served your betta. Daphnia is known to act as a mild laxative and can be purchased in the fish food section of most fish stores.
***When using Epsom salt with other medications, make sure that the medication does not warn against the use of sulfates or sulfa drugs. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate and could interact badly with some medications.***
Epsom Salt Bath:
In a separate container, prepare water of the same temperature or use water from the betta’s tank and dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon.
Slowly adjust the betta to the water over about 5 minutes - acclimation time is much shorter because the fish shouldn’t be exposed to this amount of Epsom salt for too long, then allow the betta to sit in the bath for 15 minutes.
Carefully monitor the betta, and remove him or her if they show signs of distress.
Consider changing the water in the betta’s tank during the bath so that the fish will have clean water to recover in. This treatment can be repeated once in the same day, but if repeated, the duration of the bath should be shortened to 5-10 minutes.
Preventing Constipation:
Clean, warm water is the best defense against infections!
Feed quality pelleted and frozen-thawed food, and try to avoid flake or freeze-dried. A varied diet of a few to several different foods can be your best friend.
Feed small amounts (a couple pellets, or a couple bloodworms) twice a day rather than all at once.
Do not overfeed. Remember how small betta stomachs are! Four to six pellets per day (alternated with frozen-thawed bloodworms and other frozen foods) are plenty for most bettas.
Fast your betta one day a week, and feed a frozen-thawed pea (and nothing else) the next day.
Avoid flakes or freeze-dried foods; only high-quality pellets and frozen-thawed foods.
Keep the temperature high enough, between 76 to 82 degrees, and stable with no fluctuations.
If the fish becomes constipated even with these guidelines, soak the pellets for ten minutes in dechlorinated, conditioned water before feeding.
Sources:
bettaessentials.wikispaces.com/Sick+Betta+-+Bloating+%26+Swelling
nippyfish.net/sick-betta/bloating-and-constipation/
velvetdragon.com/bettas/sbd.html
(Google pictures used)
