Betta eating alge

[penguin44]

Hey all. Did a search but couldn't find answers. My vt Betta is bloated but otherwise very healthy. I suspect he ate some alge either off a decor or when I did a scrape. The next day he was bloated. Peas didn't work. He is fine otherwise. Water is perfect. Any suggestions? I caught him taking a nibble about an hour ago of some off the glass!

 

[aqua_chem]

Algae wont cause a betta to bloat. However, him eating it along with to bloat suggest dietary issues. Do you have him on a good, quality diet?

 

[penguin44]

Hikari gold pellet. 2 in morning 1 in evening. On Fri sat and sun dinner is bloodworms. Been on this December. Any way to get him back to normal? I don't think he's pooped in a week. Did the fasting pea trick. No luck. I have a feeling he's full of algae! its totally not dropsy either. I'm at a total loss.

 

[penguin44]

Anyone?

 

[penguin44]

Ok he's pooped twice now. Still bloated but otherwise fine and his normal self. What is this and how to fix it?

 

[absolutangel04]

How long did you try the peas/fasting for? Bettas benefit froma day of fasting everyweek IMO.
Frozen blood worms or freeze dried?
I have never done it, but I have heard other people say adding epsom salt for salt bathe treatment has worked well for aiding constipated bettas.

 

[penguin44]

I fasted him for 3 days before giving the pea. He's pooping so I know something is working now. But the bulge is still there. I've heard about the salt thing but I don't want to do it. I don't trust myself.
Freeze dried bloodworms. I pre soak them for about 5-10 min before giving it

 

[penguin44]

Anyone out here? I need advice!

 

[absolutangel04]

Anyone out here? I need advice!

Sorry, you said he pooped, so I figured the bulge was on its way out.
Whats the current situation?

 

[penguin44]

Bulge is still there. He's pooping which is good to see finally but he's still bulging. I don't know what is! I've reduced feeding to one pellet in the am and one in pm. He seems ok with that. Could he be fat? and if so.can he get fat overnight?

 

[absolutangel04]

Bulge is still there. He's pooping which is good to see finally but he's still bulging. I don't know what is! I've reduced feeding to one pellet in the am and one in pm. He seems ok with that. Could he be fat? and if so can he get fat overnight?

It seems unlikely that he got fat overnight. Does his poop look normal? How is he acting? Still active? Can you list out the whole treatment you have done from the beginning to now?

 

[penguin44]

His poop is normal. Round and brown. He is very active. He is his normal self. Nothing out of the norm. I keep up with pwc and my water is norm. After fasting I have fed him one pellet in the am and a pea in the pm. He seems less round after 2 peas but still bloated looking. Colour is normal. I treated with maracyn1 back about 2 weeks ago.

 

[absolutangel04]

His poop is normal. Round and brown. He is very active. He is his normal self. Nothing out of the norm. I keep up with pwc and my water is norm. After fasting I have fed him one pellet in the am and a pea in the pm. He seems less round after 2 peas but still bloated looking. Colour is normal. I treated with maracyn1 back about 2 weeks ago.

The best advice I have to just keep fasting him periodically and keep feeding the peas as well. Honestly, that has always worked for me, so I don't know of any other options. Maybe somebody else will chime in with some other advice though. Keep us posted.

 

[penguin44]

Will do. Just caught him red handed eating a clump of algae off a silk plant I had planned to clean tonight! would this combined with regular feeding make him sorta bloated?

 

[absolutangel04]

Will do. Just caught him red handed eating a clump of algae off a silk plant I had planned to clean tonight! would this combined with regular feeding make him sorta bloated?

I can'y say for sure, but it sure seems like a good possibility in this case IMO.

 

[penguin44]

Well I know you can't say for sure lol! any way to stop it or reverse it?

 

[absolutangel04]

Well I know you can't say for sure lol! any way to stop it or reverse it?

The best thing I personally can suggest would just be to keep the feedings down (like you're doing) and to keep feeding peas every so often (like you're doing). Maybe put him in a breeding net while you are cleaning algae?

 

[siva]

It could be swim bladder disease. If you look down the betta from above, is the bloated bulge protruding out one side more than the other? Is he swimming normally? It could also be dropsy. When you are looking down from above also notice if there is any lifting of the scales, giving him a pinecone look.

 

[penguin44]

Hi siva. No from above he looks normal on both sides. No pineconing. I suspected dropsy earlier but no signs of it. He swims.normally. Eats normal and has resumed bowel movements which is a relief. I've cut him down to one pellet in the am and one in the pm. Every other day I give a pea instead of pellet in the pm. He seems happy and alert. I'm stumped.

 

[absolutangel04]

Hi siva. No from above he looks normal on both sides. No pineconing. I suspected dropsy earlier but no signs of it. He swims.normally. Eats normal and has resumed bowel movements which is a relief. I've cut him down to one pellet in the am and one in the pm. Every other day I give a pea instead of pellet in the pm. He seems happy and alert. I'm stumped.

Yeah, I fint it pretty stumping as well. Maybe try fasting for a day or and 2, then feeding a pea again?