constipated or something else?

[ishybaby]

hey guys,
I posted bout 2 & 1/2 to 3 weeks ago about Ish's gills looking grey. He's been fine after a couple days, sorry I didnt get back on, had some family issues that distracted me once I saw him gain his color back.
Now I think we have a new problem. I was feeding like 10 minutes ago, and noticed that the area between the bottom of his head and sorta below/in front of his gills. There's no scales sticking out that obvious, and his sides don't look swollen, just the bottom part.
He's eating like a little pig, swimming around, and his fins aren't clamped to his body. He gets Hikari multi-vitamin enriched brine shrimp usually every day (two to three small pinches) and usually 3-4 times a week he gets a special treat, tetra baby shrimp sun dried gammerus (1 to 2 crushed, depends on size of the shrimp that i get out).
I'm hoping it's constipation, and I might be freaking out cause I was looking at pictures and one that looked like his was said to be a tumor. Sorta highly unlikely (fingers crossed)

[ishybaby]

ok, couldn't find the edit button so this will work. I was looking through some other threads and found how to describe where Ish is swollen, in his pectoral fin area. hopefully this will help ya'll get a better idea of where. I plan on posting pictures, one of my friends borrowed my camera and the one on my phone bites, so it'll be tomorrow morning before I can post one... if Ish lets me get a picture that is lol

[PewPewPew]

Is he THIS kind of bloated?:
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j.../sickbetta.jpg

Or more like:
http://www.total-care-guide.com/CrownTail3.jpg
?

[ishybaby]

[quote=PewPewPew;702282]Is he THIS kind of bloated?:
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j.../sickbetta.jpg

this type of bloated

[kgs1992]

Have a look from the top & check how his scales look.

Is it like these:




Or like this:


Also, when you look from the top, can you see the bloating or no?

[Sakura8]

kgs, I hope that top pic of the serious pineconing isn't your fish. :(

Ishybaby, the best way to tell if he is constipated is to put him in a barebottom tank. Either put him in a hospital tank (with heater of course) or remove all the gravel from his current tank. Then watch for poo. If he's not passing any in 24 hours, it's most likely constipation. Post back if he hasn't gone and we'll talk treatment.

Also, fast him. Don't feed him another bite even if he begs and he will. Oh yes, he will definitely beg.

[kgs1992]

@Sakura: No, it's not my fish, but whoever had that fish; I pity him/her.
@ishybaby: I suggest you do NOT add salt to the water and as Sakura said, move him to a hospital tank & maintain optimum water quality.
Please do get back about the symptoms of your betta's condition.

[Sakura8]

Originally Posted by kgs1992

@Sakura: No, it's not my fish, but whoever had that fish; I pity him/her.
@ishybaby: I suggest you do NOT add salt to the water and as Sakura said, move him to a hospital tank & maintain optimum water quality.
Please do get back about the symptoms of your betta's condition.

That's good, I didn't think you'd let your fish get that bad. But someone sure did, poor thing.

Ishybaby, I agree. Don't add salt until we know what's going on. Hang in there.

[ishybaby]

thanks for responding guys :)

@kgs1992: from the top his doesn't have any bloating or scales sticking out, he looks like the third picture you have posted

so no salt right now, hospital tank, and being looked at like i'm a mean person/getting puppy eyes cause of no food... lol this is gonna be fun

[kgs1992]

It's a good thing he doesn't look like the one's in the first two pics :)
Yes, and no matter how much he pouts, don't give in. No food for at least a week or till he poops and the bloat reduces.
Keep the heat up around 80 it's good.
Also, if you see anything abnormal, get back and post immediately. (Pics would be appreciated as it's much easier to see what's wrong.)
As for trying to make him poop, you can make him flare by holding up a mirror against his tank and he will flare and dance around the tank.
Try this 3-4 times a day but for no longer than a few minutes.
Needless to say, water changes of 50% every other day for 2.5 gal and above and 100% every other day for <2.5gal.
Keep us posted.