Does betta constipation actually exist?

[Elaine T]

Can someone share a reference to a book or an article in a well-known
fishkeeping publication where swollen bettas were dissected post mortem
and intestinal blockage rather than kidney failure, egg binding, or
cancer was found? I have a sneaking suspicion that betta "constipation"
is an urban myth.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[IDzine01]

It's not too often that constipation kills bettas so I doubt you'll
find too much post mortem evidence of it.

http://www.nippyfish.net/constipation.html

Constipation makes a lot of sense once you understand the anatomy of
the fish. These fish are carnivores and because of that they have a
naturally short digestive track. When they are fed food that deviates
from the norm, blockages can result. For instance, many of the dry
pellet, flake or freeze dried foods available contain mostly fillers
(oat, soy, wheat meal, ect), which are indigestible to bettas. They
contain only 6 - 10% moisture while natural foods like live or frozen
bloodworms contain an 89% or greater moisture content. When the Betta
consumes these dry foods they absorb water in the digestive track
causing the food to swell 2x - 3x their original size. If your betta
eats 3 or 4 of these pellets, in a matter of minutes they could expand
to equal 8 - 12 pellets. There are other causes too. The number one
cause of constipation is overfeeding but it can also occur if the diet
consists of all protein and little or no fiber as well.

You can use a flashlight to view constipation in some fish. (Easier to
see in lightly colored fish) When a betta is bloated from Dropsy, you
can see the abdomen filled with fluids by holding the light up behind
the fish. When he is bloated from constipation, solid material is
viewable instead. In rare instances tumors can occur but they happen
infrequently and don't disappear. When constipation occurs you will
notice your fish hasn't defecated. This is best viewed by keeping your
betta in a bare bottom tank. As long as he isn't "going" he will remain
bloated. His bloating will go away once he has defecated, which you
will find on the bottom of the tank. A healthy and "regular" betta will
go within hours of eating but a constipated betta could take several
days to pass the waste.

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Elaine T > wrote:
>Can someone share a reference to a book or an article in a well-known
>fishkeeping publication where swollen bettas were dissected post mortem
>and intestinal blockage rather than kidney failure, egg binding, or
>cancer was found? I have a sneaking suspicion that betta "constipation"
>is an urban myth.

You have the Untergasser book, right?

--
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633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

[Richard Sexton]

The other way to find out is to autopsy the fish. Anybody who
passed grade 12 biology can do this.

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

[Elaine T]

Richard Sexton wrote:
> In article >,
> Elaine T > wrote:
>
>>Can someone share a reference to a book or an article in a well-known
>>fishkeeping publication where swollen bettas were dissected post mortem
>>and intestinal blockage rather than kidney failure, egg binding, or
>>cancer was found? I have a sneaking suspicion that betta "constipation"
>>is an urban myth.
>
>
> You have the Untergasser book, right?
>
Yeah. Is gastroenteritis what people are talking about with
"constipation"? I thought it was just some weird anthropomorphism.
Nobody seems to suggest his cure though. Temp increase, and feeding
spinach with a calcium and vitamin D3 supplement. I wonder why he chose
calcium...

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Richard Sexton]

>> You have the Untergasser book, right?
>>
>Yeah. Is gastroenteritis what people are talking about with
>"constipation"? I thought it was just some weird anthropomorphism.
>Nobody seems to suggest his cure though. Temp increase, and feeding
>spinach with a calcium and vitamin D3 supplement. I wonder why he chose
>calcium...

Beats me, but he's da man. Maybe I'm missing it but his book
doesn't mention constipation anywhere and it's not ilke he doesn't
list evry malady of fish known.

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

[Elaine T]

IDzine01 wrote:
> It's not too often that constipation kills bettas so I doubt you'll
> find too much post mortem evidence of it.
>
> http://www.nippyfish.net/constipation.html
>
> Constipation makes a lot of sense once you understand the anatomy of
> the fish. These fish are carnivores and because of that they have a
> naturally short digestive track. When they are fed food that deviates
> from the norm, blockages can result. For instance, many of the dry
> pellet, flake or freeze dried foods available contain mostly fillers
> (oat, soy, wheat meal, ect), which are indigestible to bettas. They
> contain only 6 - 10% moisture while natural foods like live or frozen
> bloodworms contain an 89% or greater moisture content. When the Betta
> consumes these dry foods they absorb water in the digestive track
> causing the food to swell 2x - 3x their original size. If your betta
> eats 3 or 4 of these pellets, in a matter of minutes they could expand
> to equal 8 - 12 pellets. There are other causes too. The number one
> cause of constipation is overfeeding but it can also occur if the diet
> consists of all protein and little or no fiber as well.
>
> You can use a flashlight to view constipation in some fish. (Easier to
> see in lightly colored fish) When a betta is bloated from Dropsy, you
> can see the abdomen filled with fluids by holding the light up behind
> the fish. When he is bloated from constipation, solid material is
> viewable instead. In rare instances tumors can occur but they happen
> infrequently and don't disappear. When constipation occurs you will
> notice your fish hasn't defecated. This is best viewed by keeping your
> betta in a bare bottom tank. As long as he isn't "going" he will remain
> bloated. His bloating will go away once he has defecated, which you
> will find on the bottom of the tank. A healthy and "regular" betta will
> go within hours of eating but a constipated betta could take several
> days to pass the waste.
>
So have you personally done the bare bottom tank test on a swollen
betta? Did the swelling completely resolve afterwards? Did you
continue keeping the fish in a bare bottomed tank to monitor its "output"?

I know my interest may seem odd, but I'm sort of a collector of accurate
fish health information. I feed my own bettas Hikari Bio Gold,
blackworms, and frozen bloodworms as did the store where I worked so I
have never seen this condition - only dropsy.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><