Lethargic Betta Fish

[Juneii]

An update on Kepler:

His bloating went down a bit today, but he is still lethargic and is breathing heavily at the bottom of the tank. He goes up from time to time to get gulps of air and then goes back down to rest.

Thanks for the help so far, but there is still something wrong with him that I can't figure out, I've been researching and trying to find anything that is similar to what is happening to him and I have found nothing. Please help us :(

[baylee767]

Usually dropsy is caused by feeding of live food. You do seem to feed him a bit too much, their stomachs are only the size of their eye. He might seem starving after what you feed him, but most Bettas are pigs. Like some one else suggested, don't fed him for a few days until his bloat goes down. Bettas aren't humans, they can survive days with out food. I usually feed mine a total of 4 pellets a day and some times 3-4 blood worms once or twice a week with no pellets. Once a week or 2 I fast him, if you don't know fasting means not feeding him all day. The bloat could be the cause of him being lethargic.

[Juneii]

It's a good possibly that it's what is causing him to bloat all of a sudden. I carefully watch their stomachs as I feed them to make sure they aren't expanding. Generally I see a slight roundness to their bellies which goes away by the next morning when I feed them again.
My boyfriend only fed him 2 pellets the day after I gave him Kepler. But his bulging is way past what I have ever seen before.

Unknown to my boyfriend until now Kepler got fin rot so it might be that his water is too dirty - it seems the water back home is much dirtier than the water here in my dorm. So he did a complete water change. Hopefully this won't stress him out too much but I figure clean water > dirty water.

[Juneii]

Kepler died after his water change, it could have been the combination of shock illness. I am still not sure what went wrong with him since he was completely healthy and happy before he went to his new home.

[dramaqueen]

I'm so sorry about Kepler.

[TaylorW]

I'm sorry for your loss :(