Betta With A Bulge (dropsy?)

[kazsymonds]

Hi all,

I have had my betta for 1 1/2 months now, he is in a 22gal tank with a plec, some guppys and some platies, he is very laid back chap and never even acnowledges the other fish.

In the last few weeks ive noticed his belly getting bigger, he still eats fine and behaves exactly as usual, still as mobile etc, what is wrong with him? Is it the dreaded dropsy? His scales arent pince cone at all and he is on flake 6 days and bloodworms for sunday dinner lol, oh and i never see him with poo everywhere like the other fish, is this usual?

Cheers everyone

 

[Himmel]

My betta had the same thing
what I was told to do is put him in a 1 gallon container with water ect . and fast him for a day or so then feed mosquitoe larvae
pellets are prob making him fat
pm me if you need more help

 

[Rediahs]

He's so beautiful...

 

[Himmel]

your fish looks similar to my fish that had the same problem lol only mines a ct and hes not really mine hes my fiancees but I am the one who looks after him


Sooo Pretty

 

[lisie]

Wow that doesn't look good. First of all, I would definitely isolate him to his own tank to protect the other fish and reduce stress on him. You said he's not having trouble moving around which kind of rules out constipation... and he looks more bloated to me than having an overly full belly. I would hold off feeding him anyway, and either give him Epsom salt baths or add Epsom salt to the water. That's treatment for constipation, and probably your best bet for dropsy as well, if that's indeed what it is. Good luck, he sure is beautiful, it'd be really sad to lose him.

 

[kazsymonds]

Thanks for the replies guys, i will have to see if i have a suitable container for him, i think it must be constipation, he doesnt seem unhappy or behave any different but he does swim to accommodate that belly, i thought maybe i was overfeeding?

I dont feed him pellets whoever said that, hes on flake 6 days and bloodworms on the 7th, i wonder why he doesnt poo?

Anyway i will do the following - find a small tank for him (i need a hospital tank anyway) and try epsom (sp) salts, im worried now!

Yes he is pretty, the local fish guy had him and a bright purple one exactly the same, i liked him cause he doesnt have spikey looking tails like some of the ones ive seen.