Female betta with swim bladder diesease

[BettaFriend15]

Ok so i'm new here so forgive my incompetence when it comes to posting but i really need some help a few days ago i bought two female bettas a red veiltail and a blue/aqua halfmoon but as soon as i acclimatized her and her and her companion she started desperately trying to swim down but kept floating up and has been going on like this for almost 3 days i have started her treatment i have her in a floating breeder box and have just started feeding small amounts of cooked shelled peas today and all i can do is watch my poor betta so does anyone know what i can do to help her? is the condition painful? i really need some help

[Oldfishlady]

Welcome to the forum and sorry you are having problems.....

I would start a 10 day Epsom salt(Not aquarium salt) treatment on her.

Put her in a small QT container that can be floated in the heated tank (attached to the side so it doesn't sink)
Get a clean 1gal jug and fill with dechlorinated water of like temp and add 1tsp/gal Epsom salt(Not aquarium salt) use this water for 100% daily water changes for 2 days-then increase the Epsom salt 2tsp/gal and continue the 100% daily water changes with this water for 7 more days-pre mixing the treatment water will help make water changes and correct dosage easier

Hold all food for the first 3 days and then offer half feeding twice a day during treatment

Maintain water temp in the 76-78F range

You can also add tannins to the Epsom salt treatment water from either-naturally dried and fallen from the tree Oak leaf (10-12 crushed/gal) or Indian almond leaf or blackwater extract or decaf green tea-let one of these steep in the treatment water for at least 1 hour before use-the longer it steeps the more tannins released the dark the water the more the Betta will like it...shake well before use

Make sure the pre-mix treatment water is within a couple of degree in temp between the QT water-so not to cause temp shock problems.

Covering the top of the QT container with plastic veggie wrap will also help by keeping the air above the water warm and humid for the labyrinth organ.

Good luck and keep us posted....

[BettaFriend15]

Hi, Thanks but i think she's ok now i woke up this morning and saw her eagerly swimming up and down trying to chase the guppies i was so relieved
so i decided to let her explore her new tank and she's just gliding through the water so she's ok now but i have a question:
do i still keep feeding her peas or should a get her back on pellets? i'm using Hikari micro wafers but i don't know if i should change her diet because it's the same thing they use in the store and i don't think they're really qualified to be running a huge aquarium they always overcrowd intensely you can hardly see the fish so that's another question i don't want to be the bad guy but i was wondering if i report them is there an organization that will listen i know most of them pass it off as "their just fish" but all creatures are entitled to a good life anyway should i feed my betta peas or pellets? thanks

[denaliwind]

I personally would keep fasting for another day or two and then reintroduce her normal food with half of what you would normally give her and then the next day back to regular feedings (just make sure you don't over feed! ... I have to always remind myself that, I enjoy feeding my bettas too much, lol).

Anway, I'm glad she's doing better! :D

[Pekemom]

Welcome to the fourm!! We're glad you're here!

You might try feeding (tiny tiny amounts) of the micro pellets. They are much smaller than the regular, and easier for small mouths to grab. I have the Hikari brand for tropical fish. Remember - small amounts of a varied diet. I'm quoting someone on the forum here who said, "Their stomachs are the size of their eyeballs!" So, feed accordingly.

You may discontinue the cooked peas. I really don't think she had the smim bladder disease. I've had several fish with that problem. They don't generally recover so quickly!!

Lots of good luck with your water babies. It sounds like you are a great parent already!!