[eyez1967]

Hi, I have had many Betta's but they have always been male. I have had a female for about 6 months, this is the first female I have had. Over the last couple days she is getting bigger and bigger and now she looks like she is going to explode. She is swimming around and eating, but looks pathetic! If you look at her at an angle, you can see even her scales are sticking out. She is by herself in the bowl. Please help explain what is going on with her.
Thank you

 

[EvilVOG]

Fill out as much of the following as possible, and if you can maybe get us a photo? You mentioned scales sticking out... kind of like a pinecone? Is her belly gray?

Housing
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?

 

[aurasoulful]

Do you have a camera to snap a picture? I'm sorry she is so bloated.

 

[eyez1967]

swollen female betta

They are not very good but here are a few.
I saw a post of another female and it was exactly to the T of her symptoms so I started her on a tsp of epsom salt.

 

[eyez1967]

Swollen female betta

Sorry I forgot to answer your questions....
Yes, her belly is grey and she does look like a pinecone.
She is by hersself, in a tank that is flush with the wall and bowls out. No filter, heater, areator.
She eats Aqua Culture Betta Pellet Food, once a day.
I do a 100% water change when I see food settling on the bottom, usually every 2 weeks or so.
I add water conditioner to the water when I change it, other than that, I don't test it or add anything else.
The pics of her were attached to the other post.

 

[ao]

Pinecone sounds like dropsy, Ive heard reviews of betta revive being able to treat it ( whilst not being good for much else) might be woth a try...I would recommend to stop feeding your fish.

 

[eyez1967]

Ok thanks. I will try that.

 

[lilyth88]

Sorry I forgot to answer your questions....
Yes, her belly is grey and she does look like a pinecone.
She is by hersself, in a tank that is flush with the wall and bowls out. No filter, heater, areator.
She eats Aqua Culture Betta Pellet Food, once a day.
I do a 100% water change when I see food settling on the bottom, usually every 2 weeks or so.
I add water conditioner to the water when I change it, other than that, I don't test it or add anything else.
The pics of her were attached to the other post.

Also, with no filter and that small of a tank, you need to be doing those water changes a lot more often. Once or twice a week. And she needs a heater.

 

[ao]

Oh and some people on this forum might be very unhapy about that hanging bowl, I think it should be ok if its done right, but having no actual experience with them, maybe you can ask for some advice about improving the setup in the bettafish care part of the forum. all the best!
and dont mix medications!

 

[EvilVOG]

looks like dropsy to me. Here's what ist says about dropsy in the sticky on the top of this board:

Dropsy
•Symptoms: Your betta will have a bloated belly and raised scales. They will look like a pine cone. This is usually a fatal disease caused by an internal bacterial infection resulting in internal organ failure but many have had success bringing fish back when treated quickly.
Early Symptoms: Swollen eyes (important), Gray belly (important), Clamped fins, Lethargy. If your fish has swollen eyes and a gray belly, I suggest that you treat it for Dropsy.
•Treatment: If you spot the early signs of Dropsy then treat him/her with ES at 1-2tsp/gal and Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets while performing 100% daily water changes. It helps to increase the temperature to 84*F. If he/she has begun Pineconning then do the full course as described below:
Performing daily 100% water changes. Increase the temperature to 84*F. Add 1-2 tsp/gal Epsom Salt. Use API General Cure OR API Erythromycin OR Maracyn II and/or Maracyn for best results. Feed something containing Metronidazole, for example, Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets. If caught early, Dropsy is curable.