Constipated betta - have tried everything, please help!

[BlueDolphin]

Hello all. My little betta, Napoleon (also known as Chumley) has been constipated since I returned home from out-of-town. This has been over a week now. I first tried to give him peas and he would have none of that. I have also been doing the epsom salt baths once daily. He is still as bloated as ever. I removed the pebbles from the bottom of his tank so that I could monitor his defecation. Nothing since my return! It's not dropsy either because his scales are perfectly fine and smooth.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for my little one?

 

[joannde]

Keep trying the peas. Did you boil them a bit and then skin them and then chop them to the size of his normal food ? Is he eating anything else ?
My bettas LOVE peas - and I was surprised by that.

 

[BlueDolphin]

Yes, I have been trying the peas daily . I peel them, chop them, put them on the end of a toothpick. I even tried soaking them in garlic. He is not interested at all. I have been fasting him from his normal pellet food otherwise.

His color still seems normal, but he occasionally breathes heavier than he usually does.

I just don't know what elese to do! I was preparing his epsom salt bath at the moment... but I don't think that's helping.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Sorry to hear about your betta. If the peas continue to not work (I'm amazed they haven't already, like joannde suggested) I've heard of people using medicinal oils to treat constipation. Castor and Parrafin oils, which you should be able to find at any vitamin store, pharmacy, herbal store, etc. for rather cheap. Soak your pellet food in it, then let it dry before feeding.

Also, if you can get your hands on some daphnia, that may help as well.

If you still don't see an improvement, try feeding nothing at all for 2-3 days and see if that helps.

Hope this helps.

 

[canuckaquarist]

I had a problem with my Mollies similar to your situation. I had a Molly gorge himself on frozen brine shrimp, and he seemed to have an intestinal problem. I was told to use Epsom salt, and it worked, took a day or two and he was back to normal.

Hope he gets better, hopefully in a day or two after your Epsom salt bath he returns to normal.

 

[BlueDolphin]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have been fasting Chumley for the past couple days in addition to giving him the epsom salt baths. I read that Daphnia or Brine shrimp might help. I had neither of these, but I did have some frozen mysis shrimp. I tried to give him one, but again, he is not interested in the slightest. I think tomorrow I will get some Daphnia and the mineral oils and see if either of those do the trick.

Any further thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[canuckaquarist]

From what I read Brine Shrimp is a really good source of protein for fish, like I said I give it to my fish once a week. Also it was what caused my one Molly to get bound up cause he gorged himself with it, my fault too, it was the first time feeding them with it and I put too much.

What I do now is when I break off a peice, I break that peice into even smaller peices with the tip of a spoon. Then I fed them just a few of the little peices. So for one fish, just break off the smallest amount you can.

Hope it helps, it really sucks when your fish is not feeling good or has a health issue. I am fighting off some kind of parasite that seems to be on my one Molly now, keeps rubbing himself against objects and at times he just hides.

Hope your fish gets better, and sorry I can't help with any additional information, I am totally new to this hobby

 

[BlueDolphin]

canuckaquarist - thanks so much for your reply! i am going to get some brine shrimp tomorrow, although i doubt he will want to eat it. i am also going to try one of his normal pellets soaked and dried in the mineral oil. maybe he will want that. and, of course, i will continue his epsom salt baths.

i hope something will work.

 

[canuckaquarist]

What I did with Epsom salt was just put a tablespoon in with the weekly water changes.

 

[BlueDolphin]

i have been doing an entire separate epsom salt bath. i mix 1.5 teaspoons of epsom salt in 8 cups of water. i let him stay in there for 15-20 minutes, then put him back in his normal tank. do you think adding water to his tank would be better so he's continually acquiring the salt?

 

[canuckaquarist]

I am not 100% sure, I added it to the aquarium that he is in with the rest of my fish. Not sure which way is better, or if there is any difference.

 

[7Enigma]

One thing you could try would be to instead of using epsom salt in the bath, take about 10 peas, boil them, squish them up and stir them into the "bath". I've noticed that when I add peas into my 20gallon if they are not eaten immediatley they will cloud the water a bit with pea "dust". This will force the fish to ingest a small amount of pea even though it might not actively feed on it (as it breathes).

Please note I have never tried this, but IMO it seems safe and would not harm the fish.

 

[BlueDolphin]

So, it's been over a month since I first noticed that my little betta was constipated. I have tried everything to help him, but nothing seems to be working. If you have read any of my past posts you will know that I have tried the peeled peas, but he is not interested in the least. I have also tried frozen mysis shrimp and daphnia. He wants nothing to do with anything. I stopped the epsom salts baths because they didn't seem to be helping, and I didn't want to stress him out any more than he already is.

I just read 7Enigma's suggestion about the "pea bath". I might as well try. I can't think of anything else...

 

[Ky'smommy]

well if hes not eating and pooping in a month it could be something else.
And i would screw the epson salts bath and permently epson salt him. And get some castor oil.
He must be doing something good if hes still kicking it after a month of not eating and pooping.

 

[BlueDolphin]

should i put the castor oil in his water? i had read something about soaking his normal food in it and then giving it to him. but, since he's not eating i didn't think i should even bother.

 

[Ky'smommy]

id just put it in a bath. to try first. but if that doesnt work. u gotta try something.then i would just do it in his water so its all the time and maybe it will soak up.
u cant loose trying. if its already been that long

 

[Devilishturtles]

Personally, I'd soak the food in it. I don't know the reactivity or solubility of the oil with water....but most oils and water don't mix. Meaning it'd be pointless to add it. Everything I've read mentions soaking food in it.

HTH

 

[BlueDolphin]

thanks for the replies. i am going to keep trying everything!