# Yikes!!



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

I now think my male Betta is in trouble. He always would be at the surface just hanging out now he stays at the bottom and is not very active and surfaces for air every now and then He kind of has the same issue as my black skirt tetra had a very big stomach area. I think he is constipated. Any suggestions as to what to do?


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

Gizmo, if you read this, do you suggest what you said in my previous post about my tetra?


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Does your betta tank have a heater? If he's cold, he can get lethargic. Also, the colder the water the more oxygen is in it, so he wouldn't have to be at the surface as much


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

Yes my tank has a heater. The current temp is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. For about the past 4 days he just doesn't seem as active as he usually is and he's just sitting at the bottom of the tank. Is this normal behavior?


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Masterbetta said:


> Is this normal behavior?


I'm not a betta expert (talk to majerah1 - she breeds wild exotic bettas), but my best friend's fiancee has a betta and he gets pretty lethargic. Might be the water's a few degrees cooler cause it's winter or something. Might be your municipal water source changed (mine switches from reservoir water from snowmelt in the winter and spring to well water in the summer and fall).

Just some speculation though. Do you have a water test kit by chance? Also, do you dechlorinate the water you add to his tank? What's your PWC schedule? How old is he?


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

Ok, yeah I think I'm on city water and I do use water conditioner when doing water changes. I'm not to sure on his age although, I have had him for a little over a year now. I ran out of my water testing supplies I'm going to pick some up tomorrow. I'm not sure what PWC means...


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

Also, I suspect that he may be constipated, not sure.


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

PWC = partial water change, sorry

How's he doing? What are the test results?


----------



## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

I don't think temperature is the issue, i unfortunately keep mine at much lower temps (it's hard to heat a 1.5 gallon) and he's quite active. Sounds like parasites maybe? Majerah would know more. maybe try feeding a little tiny piece or garlic or shelled pea.

The garlic would take care of parasites, the pea would be for constipation. Apparently fish love garlic, but I've never done it before. I have a hard time getting my betta to eat peas though, I've found that mashing them might work a bit better since it's in much smaller pieces


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

Ok, I just did a 20%-30% PWC yesterday and vacuumed my gravel. I found one last water test strip. Looks like my Nitrates are at 80ppm, which may be a problem? My my tank water seems to be acidic on my test strip also, everything else checks out good. Betta seems to be doing the same just chilling at the bottom of the tank. He's usually pretty active so I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid. He still flares up at my fantail when it rolls by in search of food but not as often as he used to.
Hello Kehy, I'm not sure if it's parasites or what, I'm currently trying the pea thing but betta will have no part in that. I'll try garlic and see what happens, thanks for your help, I'll also try to talk to Majerah and see what she says.

<a href="http://s986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/?action=view&current=IMG_20111221_152704.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/IMG_20111221_152704.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/?action=view&current=IMG_20111221_154054.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/IMG_20111221_154054.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/?action=view&current=IMG_20111221_154046.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/IMG_20111221_154046.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/?action=view&current=IMG_20111221_154038.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae349/bennyboy85/IMG_20111221_154038.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Bettas like temps in arond 84-86. Try a temp raise for him


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Poor boy does look pretty bloated.

WHat is his temp,what tankmates?(please forgive me if answered i didnt read all of it lol)

How often and what is he fed?Many bettas once they become older,they slow down(like people do)Then you need to feed a little less,keep them warm and clean.The temp my girls are kept at is 84 degrees,which is a great temp for their metabolism.Food should be a high quality pellet,and frozen foods.


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

Thanks for the advice summer I'll try that. Hello majerah1, thanks for responding to my post, the temperature is currently at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. I have had my male betta for a little over a year now with the same tank mates, fantail goldfish, 4 black skirt tetras, one died, and two plecos. He loves the freeze dried blood worms which I have been feeding him since I got him along with sometimes tetramin brand tropical fish flakes, I recently bought him some betta bites (pellet type food) he doesn't like that at all. I usually feed him everyday. I'm trying to feed him some skinned peas but he will have none of it... I don't know what to do...


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Betta shouldnt be with goldfish, as bettas are warm water fish and goldies are cold..you cannot provide the best for them both in one tank.


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

Ok, but betta was doing great for about a year now and then this, I just want to get rid of his bloating issue. I fed him a skinned pea last night but I don't think it is helping, any suggestions?


----------



## drzoom (Dec 10, 2011)

With Nitrates at 80ppm, your fish won't be happy at all! Please do a large water change (about 75% would be good). You never want the level to be higher than 20-40ppm. I hope this helps. BTW, this indicates that your partial water change schedule needs to improve. 25-50% changes per week will make your fish happy! Good luck.


----------



## Masterbetta (Dec 19, 2011)

drzoom said:


> With Nitrates at 80ppm, your fish won't be happy at all! Please do a large water change (about 75% would be good). You never want the level to be higher than 20-40ppm. I hope this helps. BTW, this indicates that your partial water change schedule needs to improve. 25-50% changes per week will make your fish happy! Good luck.


Thanks for the advice, I will definitely start doing that. Any advice for my bloated betta fish, if I do the water change weekly would that help him? I think he is kind of constipated...


----------

