I went to a friend of a friend’s birthday party, and there was a betta in a small glass bowl on each of the 12 tables. When we were leaving, the host gave us one. So, as I do, I got a big tank and swore to give this guy a good life.
So, a few months in, I think I’m feeding this dude too much. Is it me or is he getting a little beer belly going? Kinda like his papa…
https://v.redd.it/hfu91y7sl7hg1
Posted by Much-Character2129
6 Comments
Sadly this fish appears to have dropsy. Really sorry but it is unfortunately almost always fatal.
Near the end of the video I see he is pineconeing too.
Dropsy is a buildup of fluid in the chest cavity most often caused by kidney failure. Bettas seem to be especially prone to it due to inbreeding.
I’m a beginner, so I don’t know how much I can say; however, I’ve done quite a bit of research on betta fish.
What seems to work for me personally is giving mine a varied diet, as well as always pre-soaking food before I give it to him! Always. It’s to prevent bloating and digestive issues.
So, for instance… I feed mine 1 pellet in the morning and 1 Fluval bug bite in the evening. I pre-soak them for 3 minutes before giving them to him.
For bloodworms (an occasional treat, not to be used as the main part of his diet! You can get freeze dried or frozen. I find freeze dried easier to store) I soak for 5 minutes because they’re bigger and harder to digest. A betta’s stomach is only roughly the size of his eyeball.
All that to say, giving your betta different kinds of foods and pre-soaking them is a great idea! Also, twice a day works for me personally, as well as giving him a single fast day each week to clear his digestive system. Some people recommend two fast days per week.
Best of luck to your betta! They’re adorable ❤️. I love its colors.
I wouldn’t say dropsy so fast. I don’t see any lifting scales that would indicate fluid retention. As in the other comment, definitely reduce feeding and introduce fasting days. Best of luck.
https://preview.redd.it/sn28zhjcu7hg1.jpeg?width=3018&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c91680d2107469ec5cdfce407968a622e9300b67
Yes sadly definitely dropsy and overfeeding I’m sorry 🙁
What you can try and maybe help is to look into doing an Epsom salt in the Bettas tank water (be very accurate when dosing and changing water), and frozen bloodworms after a fast. Both are natural laxatives and will help clear that bloat. May not reverse the path of dropsy but won’t hurt trying, and maybe this will all serve as lesson going forward since you have the equipment to keep fish now and a relatively higher level of knowledge than you did before. And you will be a wiser more experienced fish keeper as a result sooner than later 🙂 beat of luck to you and your betta🤞🏼