Betta swollen tummy

[logesmommy]

I have a 10 Gallon tank (heated & filtered) with a betta and 3 albino Cory cats. I've only had the cories a bit over a week.. When I bought them, I asked what I needed to feed them, and the guy at the fish shop said, they just eat what's left over & I dont need to feed anything special. Well, my betta wont let any food make it to the little guys, so I went out & bought some sinking shrimp wafers to help them out a little (I break up one wafer between the 3)..& my little turd not only eats his food, he eats with the cats too. They get along great, in fact, I'm convinced he thinks hes one of them now, lol!! But tonight, I noticed my bettas stomach is a bit swollen. It was not last night, and I actually photographed him last night, so I was able to pull up the picture to make sure I didn't just miss it. So, fast him a couple days, frozen pea?? But how can I keep him from eating too much, but still make sure the cories get food, too?

 

[MissGurnus]

Yeah try fasting him for a bit. And when feeding try giving the betas food fish so he's distracted and then putting in the sinking pellets

 

[logesmommy]

Thank you, it looks a lot better today, still a tiny bit swollen, but definitely relieved when I got up this morning that its already looking better. & I do feed him first. Lol. He gobbles up his couple of pellets, then straight down to the bottom. I have another tank too, with a betta and loaches, he chases after the food while its sinking, but once its at the bottom, he comes back up to his food, and doesn't bother it anymore. Its amazing how different my two bettas are.

 

[logesmommy]

Should I put him in a 5 gallon by himself? I'd feel mean though, I believe hes really made "friends" with the cories AND he was in the 10 by himself for a month or so. I had him in a small betta tank for a couple of weeks, and realized that he should probably have a heater, after research, we upgraded him to the 10. Then I did more research to find out what kind of fish could live in a 10 with a betta..and cories were one of the most recommended. So once my tank was cycled, I went and got the 3 cats. Everything was great, but I guess once he got good a used to them, he decided to feed with them too. So, I trying to figure out the best option. Only feed the tank every couple of days? Would the cories be ok with that? Put him in his own 5? I dont have room for another 10...As I'm have two 10's and a 29 in the process of cycling. And when we move we r setting up a 75. So I'm kinda out of space for anything but maybe a 5, I can put on my night stand.

 

[MissGurnus]

Have you tried feeding the betta flakes? The floating flakes might keep him from stealing the bottom feeders food. And if that doesn't work hide the pellets around the tank as best you can so he'd have to look around for others. He'll probably be fine with the rest of the tank, you might just have to experiment with feeding a bit xD

 

[MissGurnus]

And under feeding is less an issue than over feeding and in most cases will not harm any of your fish

 

[logesmommy]

You think that flakes are a good option for a betta? I've heard there were issues with bettas eating flakes? But, the bettas pellets are floating pellets. Betta has floating, & cories have sinking. I do have some flake food, but Ive never tried giving it to the betta. I don't remember what it was that I read, but I just remember thinking not to feed them to the bettas.

 

[MissGurnus]

I hadn't heard of bettas having trouble with flakes... Don't do anything you're uncomfortable with. I would try experimenting a bit, like putting their food on opposite sides perhaps