Need help on bloated belly

[Jovi]

Hi, I'm Jenny and am new to this forum. I found it when I was looking for help for my daughter's 3yr old betta. Her betta's belly is bloated and is getting more bloated over time. I went to the pet store looking for some daphnia, but they didn't have any and the guy said to feed the betta freeze dried Mysis shrimp. I tried that after fasting for a day and the betta's belly is still bloated. I just looked up daphnia on the web and it said it is also commonly known as water fleas. I don't know if my pet store sells that, but the guy I talked to didn't even have a clue as to what daphnia was and looked it up in the dictionary and told me the shrimp was the same thing. Now I'm thinking he was wrong. Should I feed a pea? I read that helps bloated belly.

Also, I'm not sure but I think the betta might be a girl, because there is a white dot underneath the belly,but the fins are long like male betta fins. I've had females before and their fin's are much smaller and not fanned out as wide. I'm wondering if the betta might be full of eggs and can't expell them?

Thanks for any help,

Jenny

[willow]

hello and welcome to you. :)
would you be able to say a little more about the tank your betta is in please.
i think the defrosed pea will be a good idea if you can get him to eat it.

[Jovi]

He is in a 1gallon bowl with flat stones, a cave, and no heater or air pump. He has lived in this set up for three years. We do a full water change and add 1 bowl buddies- betta care fizz tab to make the water safe once a month. I now realize the water changes need to be more frequent and to only change part of the water out.

[Twistersmom]

Sometimes you can find daphnia in with the lizard foods.

[dramaqueen]

There is freeze dried daphnia and frozen daphnia. You can order the freeze dried online if you can't find it at the petstore. My Petsmart only had the frozen. If you get the freeze dried, it needs to be rehydrated. Mysis shrimp and daphnia aren't the same thing. In a gallon bowl, the water should be changed twice a week.

[Jovi]

Originally Posted by Twistersmom

Sometimes you can find daphnia in with the lizard foods.

Thanks I'll look there!

[Jovi]

Originally Posted by dramaqueen

There is freeze dried daphnia and frozen daphnia. You can order the freeze dried online if you can't find it at the petstore. My Petsmart only had the frozen. If you get the freeze dried, it needs to be rehydrated. Mysis shrimp and daphnia aren't the same thing. In a gallon bowl, the water should be changed twice a week.

Thanks, if I can't find the daphnia in the reptile section I will order it online. Should I change all of the water 2X a week or change only part of it?

[dramaqueen]

In a one gallon bowl, I would change all of it. Thats what I do with mine.

[Jovi]

I checked the pet store today, and they don't have any daphnia in the reptile section either. I feel bad for my daughter's betta because it's belly is so swollen it looks like it could burst. I'm surprised he survived through the night. I'll order the daphnia online.

The store did have one crown tail betta and my daughter and I both thought it was beautiful so we bought him. I think she kinda felt bad for getting another one before her sick betta passed, but I thought if we waited for him to pass before we got the crown tail it might be sold. I've decided to let it be an early Valentine's Day gift for her.

[dramaqueen]

Are your betta's scales opening up like a pinecne? If so, he may have dropsy.