Okay folks, I have a question that has been bugging me for awhile.
I give my fish ONE pellet and he bloats for the rest of the week. This happens every time I feed him. I feel really bad because he's always so hungry, but I have to keep fasting him because he keeps swelling up. At this point, he's only getting fed about four pellets a week, which seems kind of mean, but I'm terrified that he's going to get SBD. Does anyone else have fish like this or am I doing something wrong here? Any tips?
I find my betta always bloats when I give him pellets too.. If you want to give them to him try soaking them if not switch to flakes.. Squish the flakes so they are small, take some on the tip of your finger and that should be just the right amount.
My boys bloat easily too and I only feed them two after soaking the pellets (often too long as I walk away and forget! :'D But usually for) about 15 minutes. I'm not sure why mine are bloating either...
I can't remember the brand name at the moment but when I get home I'll post it.
What's your temperature at? If its too low or you have no heater, it will lower your fish's metabolism and therefore digestive process. One option on the feeding front is to feed a wide variety of live or frozen foods. Hikari enhances their frozen foods with vitamins so they should stand as a complete diet in dire cases.
I actually have him on flakes now, but it's the same issue. I've tried soaking as well, with no obvious improvement. I've tried Aqueon, tetra, and wardley for pellets. My temperature is holding constant at about 80 degrees, so that's probably not it.
In fact, frozen bloodworms seem to be the worst. I give him one, every now and then and he really puffs up. Has anyone tried daphnia? Does that work at all?
Where do you get live food? And what sort of live food, brine shrimp?
I had no idea Hikari enhanced their frozen foods. I'll have to buy some.
My temp is in the upper 70's like 77 or 78 usually so it's not that. :/
Strange! Obvoiusly temp isn't a problem. And yeah, I wouldn't expect flakes to help... in fact they are advise against (for all fish species) for their tendency to bloat.
If you're feeling adventurous, you could try making a gel food for bettas. It would ideally consist of mostly frozen foods & seafood with a few veggies.
I feed my bettas an array of things and one of my bettas has had this problem for a lil over a month now, He acts fine ect but he constantly has a tummy that looks like its gonna explode! I was really paranoid that maybe he has eaten a piece of gravel and its stuck there so that ne thing else that goes in there is does this but i know its not that after i did some reserch :) Guess it just happens to some bettas
With bloat you will also have other symptoms like-not pooping, poor appetite, sometimes scales may even stick up in the stomach area, lethargic...
With a full tummy after a meal-the fish is active, poops normally, begs for food or otherwise acts normally....
Be careful with over feeding-these guys will beg for food and act like they are hungry all the time...resist temptation....
Best to feed very small amounts several times a day instead of one large feeding per day
Remember-their stomach is about the size of one eye ball
Cooler water slow digestion
Some tail types have shorter bodies and can appear bloated more than others....
Feeding a varied diet is best-buy the smallest containers of food you can find of several different types/brands of foods-look for the first 2-3 items on the list to be meaty foods of fish and seafood, oils and omegas
Remember-once the container is opened it is usually only good for about 6 month-1 year-most additives like vitamin and minerals are only stable for 6 months...a year at the most.....toss and buy fresh every 6mon-1yr
If you feel the need to soak the food before feeding-use very small amount of tank water or fresh dechlorinated water...better yet garlic juice....over soaking or soaking in too much water can leach out all the vit/min in the food
Freeze dried foods-great for a treat-sometimes and this varies with who make the product....but the freeze dried process often have little nutrition per volume...its like feeding empty calories.
Although lots of post are made about the constipating effect of freeze dried foods I have not found that to be the problem with feeding it-but starvation due to empty calories
Frozen foods are the next best food to live foods-make sure you thaw and only feed the food item-you don't want any of the juices from the frozen food to get into the water...thaw and rinse before feeding is best....
Live foods are the best-however, these can be seasonally-if you are a breeder or plan to breed-feed massive amount of mosquito larva and see what happens...you will be amazed at how fast the fish will spawn when fed mass amounts over 3-4 days and how few eggs and fry fall from the nest...wow..........
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
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