# treating a Betta swim bladder infection



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

My niece has had this Betta for about 3 months. It stays in a 2.5 gallon tank with a single fake plant, and a little porcelain castle-like thing, with no filter and no heater... which I personally don't like...

Lately it's been having some issues. It stays floating at the top of the tank, and has to struggle and fight to swim and actually move down under water. As soon as it stops swimming, it quickly floats right back to the surface uncontrollably, where it then just stays there, breathing air...

It's apparently been living like this for about a month. At times it looks like it's not even alive, but a little rasp on the side of the tank by him makes him wiggle a little and move around some. He's still eating like normal as well.


After some Googleing and reading, I think I've determined that it has a common Betta issue, which is a swim bladder infection. Since I also read that it's a non contagious problem, I told my niece that I'd take the Betta and put it in my 30 gallon with has great filtration and water perimeters, and has a heater that maintains the water at about 78 degrees. I put him in a breeder net to keep the Dwarf Gouramis from messing with him too much.

I also noticed that the his tail fin is clumped at the end; another sign that the water conditions were not very well in the 2.5 gallon... something I hope he'll also pull out of that being in a better, more stable water condition environment.


So my plan is to fast him for the next 24 to 48 hours, then start him some skinned pea diet, and see if he starts coming around.


I'll post back with more results 
















Dwarf Gourami - "What's going on here; what is this?" :fish9:













poor little guy


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

well, he seems to be more energetic anyway now that he's in a more stable environment 

I gave him a few small pieces of a pea today, and he gobbled them right up. I'll let those work through his system over night, and feed him the same tomorrow and see how it goes


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Hows he doing?I dont know what you feed,but try to feed him pellets soaked for about ten minutes or until they are soft.He may recover and he may not.I had a floater for about six months before he finally passed from stress or just lack of quality of life if that makes sense.Thats when i switched from flakes to pellets.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

well after getting better and better, he just took a crazy turn for the worse 

I'm about to start a different thread on it since it's an entirely new issue all together...


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