QTOFFER
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just euthanised my last male betta.
This same scenario has played out five times, and I've had it.
The betta looks healthy and behaves normally for about three months. Then, he becomes bloated. Thinking constipation, I feed peas, which he gobbles down and poops out. But, he is still bloated. So, I isolate him and treat with Epsom salt for a few days - still bloated, getting worse, and having trouble diving. I figure he has a bacterial infection affecting the swimbladder, soI treat with BettaMax. Aftera few days, the bloating becomes full-blown dropsy and the fish stops swimming.
The water quality is great (0 NH3, 0 NO2, 10 NO3). I feed Hikari betta pellets supplemented with peas once a week. Tank is filtered, heated, and I do 40% water changes weekly.
I'm convinced that the petstore bettas are either sold near the end of their lifespans or badly inbred, or both. I'm not getting another betta unless I can buy fry from a local breeder.
This same scenario has played out five times, and I've had it.
The betta looks healthy and behaves normally for about three months. Then, he becomes bloated. Thinking constipation, I feed peas, which he gobbles down and poops out. But, he is still bloated. So, I isolate him and treat with Epsom salt for a few days - still bloated, getting worse, and having trouble diving. I figure he has a bacterial infection affecting the swimbladder, soI treat with BettaMax. Aftera few days, the bloating becomes full-blown dropsy and the fish stops swimming.
The water quality is great (0 NH3, 0 NO2, 10 NO3). I feed Hikari betta pellets supplemented with peas once a week. Tank is filtered, heated, and I do 40% water changes weekly.
I'm convinced that the petstore bettas are either sold near the end of their lifespans or badly inbred, or both. I'm not getting another betta unless I can buy fry from a local breeder.