[Ctrimmer]

Hi,

We have had buttercup for 1 year this coming February. In the last month we have been watching her (I think) belly grow bigger and bigger. It started with a little bloat and then I removed her from her 10 gallon tank, where she lived alone, and put her in a 1 gallon hospital tank so we could change the water more frequently. I tried the peas and she did not eat for 2 days. She acted starving and had a good bowel movement so I resumed her normal pellet food (2-3 pellets, 2 times a day).

I have tried Epsom salt, I removed all of her rocks/artificial plants thinking that it was some reaction. But nothing was new (everything was there from when we first got her, so I dont think this is the problem). I changed her to brine shrimp just in case it was her diet. Nothing has helped!

In this photo she has a piece of poo stuck...not sure if it's related or not...She is swimming and sometime laying on the bottom. I don't see any pineconing...

Any suggestions would be super helpful...thanks!

 

[lilnaugrim]

Is it just on one side or symmetrical? Could be a fluid filled tumor if it's translucent (as opposed to a fatty filled one). How long has it been since she ate? And is she in view of a male at all?

 

[Ctrimmer]

Hi...first off, thank you for taking the time to respond.

The growth is completely symmetrical (in my opinion).

She ate that morning. I dropped back to feeding her once a day (3-4 pellets). I did try fasting her for two days but she acted so hungry and she had gone to the bathroom so I didn't think it was constipation.

She is not around a male. I think she's a female. I don't have a lot of experience but I have never seen her flare up. I tried putting her in front of a mirror just in case she was egg bound. Other than that, I don't know what else to do for her.

I will try to post more photos. I have problems with them posting sideways...

Thank you again!

 

[Ctrimmer]

Here is another photo that I took this morning...

 

[lilnaugrim]

Yeah, you need to fast her at least a week, it won't hurt her at all. In fact, keeping on the way you're going is hurting her. It looks like a huge buildup of eggs (sometimes they can hold them towards the front instead of the middle). If she doesn't eat then her body will soak up the egg protein instead and actually get rid of those eggs in her. Keep flaring her to a mirror every day to see if she'll continue to go to the bathroom. Her poop may become white as the week goes on, that just means that she's soaking up her eggs--so it's good! If by the end of 7 days, she's still like this, we can look into alternatives but it's a good starting point. And trust me, Betta's can go months without eating so one little week isn't going to hurt her, don't give in to her charm!!!