I think my betta has had a bit too much to eat.. and reason for paleness?

[asukabetta]

I think my betta is starting to have a bloated tummy, this picture I took is after I fed him but sometimes it remains like that. I don't know if it is overfeeding, I feed him once a day and about 6-8 little grams of betta food (they are grammed food not pellets).



Since I didn't find epsom salts anywhere here, I'm going to fast him for a few days and see if it overfeeding or constipation.

So question is, how long can I fast him for without affecting his health?

2-3days?

p.s: he's a little pale because I just took this picture and he's always pale in the morning. (as if stressed)

I do wonder why. But he kinda recovers a few minutes later.

Also is it normal for sometimes a non pure bred betta to lose color over time?

He used to be super brightly colored but now he's always a faint color to what he used to be, the temp is fine, water conditions are fine, he has light from his led lamp. Maybe whoever breeded it used colored foods or colorants or something?

It doesn't bother me too much I do miss his beautiful colors.

[ChoclateBetta]

Fine is not a water conditions is the temp 80F.

[shellieca]

What size tank is he in? When I finally moved mine into 10g tanks out of their 1g containers their colors really darkened & they became more active. Is the tank filtered? That can also stress them if the flow is too strong.

[ChoclateBetta]

I agree and what are you feeding him?

[Oldfishlady]

He looks fine to me.....Is he having any other signs/symptoms-like, buoyancy issues, lethargic, clamp fins, hiding, appetite change.

I wouldn't fast for more than 24h

What do you mean by "grammed food not pellets"

Color changes can be normal and related to his environment-especially the color of the gravel/substrate, lights on/off and/or changes, the color temp of the light itself can make the Betta color appear different. Fish normally change color, show stripes as a form of camo and communication and doesn't always mean a problem. Sometimes color changes can be related to genetics, aging...etc...that are normal, however, some color changes can also mean illness. Watch for other signs/symptoms and behavior changes.

Need some more info-tank size, filter, live plants, temp, additives used, how much and how often are the water changes, tank mates, how long have you had him, is he in view of other fish or Bettas, appetite/food/feeding, past health history/treatments.

Lovely Betta by the way...nice find....

[asukabetta]

WATER:

PH 7,5
Nitrates 0.5
Temperature: 77 F

FOOD:

I did say what i was feeding him in the first post.

Grammed food. I feed him 6-10 specks. Once a day. It's like little grains of sand really.

Here's the brand: Sera Bettagran



I haven't got pellets because they dont sell them in the store, or any other store here. I do not live in the U.S. I have walked and travelled around the city and nothing. The scouting took me 3 whole days and I've been to every single pet store. Neither do they sell Epsom salts. Trying to buy them online.

HEATER:

Heat cannot go higher or lower, because I cannot adjust the heater, it is a pre-fixed heater, that will auto-regulate and keep the temperature steady.

TANK:

Tank is 2,5 gallons. Unfiltered. Partial water changes with aged water every 3 days, full water changes once a week.

COLORATION:

Blueberry pales at night, even looks stressed. During the day his colors are back. But not as bright as when I first got him.

With a night light he pales less, someone suggested he might be afraid of the dark

BEHAVIOUR:

Nothing out of the ordinary, says hi when I come by, swims around actively.

@ Oldfishlady

Thanks oldfishlady, I was worried I was overfeeding, maybe I'm a bit paranoid, but I do want to make sure everything is okay, I don't want to be shrugging something off because that is how many bettas succumb to worse conditions.

A simple note:

Even if I can't give it the biggest home, or the fanciest, I try my best to do everything in my power to keep my betta healthy and as happy as possible. I am willing to walk all over my city just to get what they need. Or try to find it at the very least.

I provide every ounce of attention I can, even take pictures of my betta's once a week to moniter any changes, or external injuries. I have a log where I keep in check the water changes and parameters as well as particular behaviours.

I change the decorations around the tank and move around ornaments once every 2 weeks or once a month (depends) to keep the betta's exploring and entertained.

I continue researching about betta care because one cannot simply know too much about anything, which is why I joined this forum to be curious, talk and ask anything related to betta care, hoping one day I will become experienced like many in here and provide help to others who are learning about the wonders of having a betta.

After all this work and more, I do feel terrible every time when someone mentions getting a bigger tank, I cannot afford a bigger one, simply because my life is not fully stable or predictable. But when is it?

Plus perhaps I can afford and have 1 five gallon in my room but not 2, and I have 2 bettas and I do not condone favoritism among my pets. Both are equally loved and cared for, and I think if one has a 5 gallon tank the other should as well.

Any bigger than 5 cannot be carried by me, I take the bus and subway and carrying a 10 gallon tank for example is impossible for me. On a 2 hour trip.

I do want my betta to be happy, hell if I could i'd buy it a POOL. But reality has a way of simply preventing me from doing all I would like to do for my pets. I just wanted to say this, I'm sorry for the rant.

[shellieca]

I don't think anyone is saying you're not caring for your fish & I apologize if it came across that way. 2.5 in most people's eyes is perfectly fine especially if being properly cared for with water changes as it appears your are. IMO, if he's is eating & otherwise acting normal I wouldn't worry much about the color change unless it becomes more common or pronounced. Is there anything on the outside of his tank that could cause stress? Maybe something that causes some kind of shadow or odd shape in the dark? Just throwing it out there, I know others have had external objects cause their Bettas stress.

[MaggieLynn]

do you usually have a light on during the day? I know for me I have to unplug my heaters during the day because the light is so warm so is it possible there are heat changes not really sure what else could be causing some stress. Also to me the food looks like pellets, just not advertised as that I think 10 might be alil much? try just giving 6 and see if that helps.

[asukabetta]

Originally Posted by shellieca

I don't think anyone is saying you're not caring for your fish & I apologize if it came across that way. 2.5 in most people's eyes is perfectly fine especially if being properly cared for with water changes as it appears your are. IMO, if he's is eating & otherwise acting normal I wouldn't worry much about the color change unless it becomes more common or pronounced. Is there anything on the outside of his tank that could cause stress? Maybe something that causes some kind of shadow or odd shape in the dark? Just throwing it out there, I know others have had external objects cause their Bettas stress.

Um.. he's on my desk so basically it's me moving around text books and pencil holders lol. But I'll try and see if there is something I can do about it.

And no it's not you, I've just been pestered lately about i won't point fingers or say when or where, i'm sorry if it felt like it was directed to you, :) I do appreciate every help and response I get :)

[asukabetta]

Originally Posted by MaggieLynn

do you usually have a light on during the day? I know for me I have to unplug my heaters during the day because the light is so warm so is it possible there are heat changes not really sure what else could be causing some stress. Also to me the food looks like pellets, just not advertised as that I think 10 might be alil much? try just giving 6 and see if that helps.

thanks will try, they seem so small so I went after an even number XD and yes a light during the day, I dont get much sunlight in my room