Fat ... really really fat beta

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Megalofyia

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jul 1, 2003
Messages
290
Location
Nebraska
So I have this betta that has grown to gargantuan size... The problem is he's in a tank with skinny fish. I have tried to get the food to the other fish first so they can eat more and he can eat less but it looks like he keeps gaining weight.
I actually think the other fish are ok, it's more concerning to me that he is so big.
What sort of suggestions do people have to get him to lose weight? Betta jazzersize or something?
 
Pilates is for platies, I suppose.

Yoga for Yoyo loaches.

Taebo for tiger barbs.

But for your betta, a big ol' diet!! Get a separator for the tank, and corral him in his favorite spot for feedings. When you feed the fish, feed the others first, and then add a flake or two for him.

Actually, if he's gonna be hungry, keep the divider in there for a while. Can you get a divider at your LFS? Have you ever used one before? What size tank is he in? A 10 or 20 Gallon, right?
 
He's in a ten gallon tank with a flounder and three glass cats, oh and two ghost shrimp. The tank was going to be my tank of see threw aquaria until I couldn't find glass fish that hadn't been messed with.
I've never used a divider before - I've never had a fat fish before. He has a tendency to think he is a bottom feeder at times too.
 
Megalofyia, if you don't mind me asking, why is a big fish a problem? (sigh) I have been trying to get my irid sharks to grow big for about 6 months now, but they don't eat too much :|
 
Ducas, just like any animal, overeating/overweight is not good for them. It most likely would shorten its life expectancy. In the case of anabantoids (bettas, gouramis), they are highly prone to bloat. So overeating is extremely dangerous for them.

Madasa--love your little fishy-aerobics post. :mrgreen:
 
If all of your fish are otherwsie healthy I would just go to feeding them every other day for awhile. Even if your betta has a big appetite he can't eat any faster so the other fish will still get fed. Try this for a month or so, your fish can survive with every other day feedings for quite awhile without problems. And if they are that hungry there is probably a little algae somewhere for them to nibble on. Your tank will never have been so clean.
 
betta and overeating = very dead betta very quickly.

I keep (kept) bettas in my tropical community tanks. They never caused any trouble, but they got to eat far more than a betta would normally be fed by themselves. Eventually they'd fill up and basicly pop :) They didn't explode but they'd just get bloated and die.

I don't keep bettas anymore ;p
 
Yes, I would be worried about bloat. Is he, um, pooping? I have had them develop bulges that turned out to be bloat and died. Feed him a blanched pea or two every week (I think that will do it, but other betta folks can correct me) to make sure things keep moving along!
 
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