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Fish Care

Everything You Need to Know About Betta Fish

You are here: Home / Betta splendens / Constipated Betta

Constipated Betta

Q: LR Wrote:

Hi Christie, I really need you help. My betta is severely constipated
and I have tried to do everything possible, I tried to give him the Daphnia
and he won’t eat anything but pellets. He was eating bloodworms when this
happened. I have soaked him in Epson salt bath, but that doesn’t seem to
help. What else can I do, since he won’t anything other than pellets?
Please Help!!!!

A: Constipation can usually cure itself by fasting your betta for a couple of days. If you find that
after 2 days he still hasn’t pooped you can try to feed him a small amount of cooked pea.
(just the inside not the shell).

To avoid constipation in the future be sure not to overfeed your betta and soak your pellets
in a cup of tank water for about 10 minutes before feeding to allow them to soak up water
before entering the digestive track.


Filed Under: Betta splendens

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. starr weaver says:

    hi my name is starr and i have a betta, and it’s tummy started to get swollen and all it does is sit at the bottom of the tank and it hardly ever comes up maybe to get some air and sinks back down! i got him for my birthday a few weeks ago and he has been like this for two weeks now! he is starting to lose color now! he eats some but not much! i cut him back on eating to every two days! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! i dont want to lose him!! what can i do to help him?
    THANK YOU,
    STARR

    Reply
    • Jade says:

      He could be suffering from an illness or parasitic issue. have you tried taking him to a trusted fish shop or pet store? some vets can help too!

      Reply
  2. Claire says:

    Hi, I have a male betta. His belly seems swollen and it has been getting progressively worse over the past few days. His scales are NOT sticking up like pinecones and he seems to still be eating, puffing up, swimming around, etc. It just looks like he’s going to explode any minute. I have been giving him all purpose betta antibiotics since Monday (5-29-12). Am I overfeeding him? I feed him 5 pellets a day. I’m going to try to give him a pea over the next few days (wish me luck). Suggestions, ideas, and any help I can get will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. lindsay says:

    should you put it in salty water

    Reply
  4. Brittney says:

    Hello. I need a bit of help. I have been reading about Dropsy and such in betta fish and it has me concerned. I have 6 betta fish. 3 males and 3 females. Two of my males are beautiful crowntails named Pearl and Rascal. My third male is a veil tail named Blu. Pearl got his name from hi colors. His body is a light white-pinkish and he has red on the outside half of his fins. And Rascal is blue-greenish on his body to the first half of his fins, finishing off with red on his fins. Rascal got his name because he was constantly swimming by glass so Pearl and Blu would flare like crazy at him and keep thonking themselves against the glass trying to get to him, while he swam about all calmly without a care in the world. The little rascal. I have joy 3 females, all veiltails. Violet (she is purple/blue colored), Peacock (blue/green like a peacockpeacocks feather colors) and Scarlet (red).

    My problem is this.
    Rascal, Pearl, and Scarlet are all getting swollen bellies. Its not major, but when I watch them, I noticed it. Blu, Violet and Peacock do not have this issue, although Violet has been sluggish, staying near the top, and bottom of the tank. She switches it up. So she worries me too. Rascal, Pearl and Scarlet all swim about energetic as ever, Pearl and Rascal always greet me at the glass. Rascal has turned to flaring at me for some odd reason when he greets me. I think its cute when he does that.

    I am getting g quite worried for my babies. I love them and would hate to lose them. Pearl is kept in a 10gallon tank with Scarlet and Peacock, its filtered. I haven’t got a heater yet but my room stays warm and my aquarium water thermometer reads 76°-80° daily. Rascal is kept in his own 5gallon tank, Blu is in a betta view tank and Violet is currently kept in a betta vow tank as well while I watch over her. Pearl, Scarlet and Peacock get along great and Pearl has been making bubble nests daily making it bigger and flaring as he swims about.

    I am worried for my babies and if anyone has any advice as to what might be going on, please help. My babies are very calming to me.

    Reply
  5. Casper says:

    Betta’s should be fed once a day whether pellets or worms.

    Reply

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