Male Betta Bloated

[leeadam]

Hi all, can you help
I have a Male Betta in my daughters heated and filtered 10 gallon tank, pic attached of him looking not well, he is 2 and a half years old now, and in the last 3 weeks seems to have become more and more bloated almost like hes been blown up with air, he still eats and swims about although he does not swim about agressivelly as he used to do in his youth.
water changes are done once every 10 days 1/3 of water, i always check PH amonia levels all seem fine and correct.
Tank temp aound 26-28ish
Tank has a real plant in it and one small rock that i have had for 2 years,
i use stress zime after changes and never overfeed,

other tank members are 3 danios also 2 and half years old, and 3 x 11 month old plattys and 2 small catfish which were added around 4 weeks ago to replace my 2 original 2 and half year old catfish which died.

is he just old or does he have a disease i have not had any problems with him since we brought him ??
help!

 

[SharonCC]

Oh dear, he does look bloated! I would stop feeding for three days, and then feed peas. If he's constipated, that should work...

 

[leeadam]

i have just read a topic about constipation?? could this be it, he has hikara food for bettas and blood worms once a week. someone mentioned shelled peas....do u mean straight from pop rathher than defrosted frozen peas?? or am i barking up wrong tree??


this is how he looked a year ago

 

[SharonCC]

I use frozen peas, zapped in the microwave for a few seconds. Take the shell off, and cut into small pieces. Most bettas love peas...

 

[leeadam]

ok so u recon no feeding for couple of days then try the peas.. and see if it makes a difference...hes quite an old chap now i hope he keeps going longer

 

[SharonCC]

He is very handsome, and he is getting on. I would starve him for three days, and then the pea. If that doesn't work, there is an Epson salt bath, but try the pea first...Goodluck!

 

[leeadam]

He is very handsome, and he is getting on. I would starve him for three days, and then the pea. If that doesn't work, there is an Epson salt bath, but try the pea first...Goodluck!

ok ill give it a go..one question wont the diced up peas sink straight to the bottom of the tank...and he wont get anything? or do u think he will be so hungry after his fasting that he will go down and get them??

 

[SharonCC]

Offer one piece at a time, and he'll get most of it. Let him finish a piece before you give the next...he'll let you know when he's had enough...

 

[leeadam]

well i starved him 3 and half days my other fish also getting hungry and he is being stubburn as hell im trying over and over to place food right by his mouth as he normally hand feeds..im dicing the fish up some bits really small to see if he will take and he just refuses and floast there not moving . hes looking so bloated not sure what to do, the other fish getting hungry so gave them some food today theyy were getting so hungry even they were happy to eat the chopped peas.
heres a pic of him being stubburn to the extent of the food resting on his dam nose and still refusing to take it...arghhh, this was a larger piece i have tried bits half the size or less and still nothing

 

[tibby25731]

from that pic it looks like he is pineconing... I don't think this is constipation

 

[tibby25731]

can someone else confirm this? if that were my fish i would think it had dropsy I have not had a fish with dropsy so cannot offer any advice - wilder, or MW - can you help?

 

[leeadam]

i dont know what that means?? i just this min put in some flakes for other fish and he was not interested in that either?? im worried hes on way out unless i can do anything?

 

[celaeno]

i've read that when the betta starts pineconing, there's nothing much you can do. i'd isolate it in a hospital tank and add 2 tsp of epsom salt per 5 gallons and treat with seachem kanaplex. whatever you do, don't add aquarium salt.

 

[leeadam]

aw dam well thanks for all your help but in the end He died today, i found him lifeless upside down this evening when i got in from work, my daughters going to be very upset she had had him over 2 and a half years

I will be wanting to get another male betta for her, im always wary of where to buy? does anyone on this forum sell nice bettas or have any advice on a recommended place to buy as most local fish shop staff seem to know bugger all when i ask questions?

can u just confirm what you think it was that killed him? explain in laymans what the illness was you think he may have had?

 

[leeadam]

ive just been reading this..
http/www.nippyfish.net/dropsy.html