"Nikki" wrote in message
...

"-ED" wrote in message
...

"Nikki" wrote in message
. ..
has anyone ever tried using the bubble nest of another betta to get the
one
you are breeding started. I have a betta I am breeding and he usually
has
a
bubble next however since trying to breed him he has refused to build
one,
I
put some of another's betta bubble nest in there to see if he gets the
clue,
I have read of this being done but never did it before...is it likely
to
work
Nik

On another note, my red betta is still not swimming....I been using the
Epsom salt and pea but in three days he has only pooped *I think* once
and
it was very small and maybe could of been something else, I can not get
to
the store for antibiotics..my neighbor is going out today or tomorrow
so
I
hope I can have her grab them for me, to see if that will work, I am
not
feeding him no pea's today at all.


I've read that a 10 minute epson bath is the practice for constipation
in
fish. Is this rule correct (avg) or should the soak time go for a
longer
period?


That is the difference me and frank were talking about...I have always
done
1-tablespoon per gallon for 15-20 minutes then put the fish back in normal
water....however frank said to do 1 -tablespoon per 5 gallons and let them
stay in it.....which is what I have been doing, but today I am going to
try
the higher dose 15 min bath.
If you are going to do it, I would try giving a pea first for
constipation,
just take the shell off, if that is why you are trying to treat, giving a
pea is a lot less stressful then putting them in anything (not that the
Epsom salt is a problem) but its always best to do less if possible, if
the
pea don't work in a day then try the Epsom salt. I have my betta in a
clear
hex containter so i could see if he was pooping or not. I dont know how
you
would tell in the tank other then to watch for the swelling to go down.
Ed,
i remember you said your betta was bloated ....is he/she having problems
swimming or staying up in the water? Females will look quite big when
holding eggs, i have one that is quite big.. If you do the higher dose for
the bath 15-20 i would not leave them longer then that, and watch during
that time
Nik


Yes..she has the same look about her prior to her first(?assuming) egg
release.
Yesterday she prefered to hang about the bottom...coming up for a gulp of
air from time to time. Then she nestled by the intake of the filter...(I
did a 10 gal water change yesterday morn with the AquaSafe). This morning
She was still by the intake, nose down..so I lost her...I unplugged the
filter, grabbed the net..and She perked up and came to the surface waiting
to be fed..
I went to the store right after posting, picked up the epson, drew a 2
gallon bucket of tank water and added 2 tablespoons of the salt. I let her
stay in there a good 20 minutes. Since this is my first rodeo with
constipation and epson, that's all I can report on.
As I understand it, a 55 gal really equates to about 47 gal in actual
volume. Given the 75# (thereabouts) of gravel/sand...(a couple red
sandstones displacing close to a gallon), with plants, I'd guess my tank
volume is around 38 gals. I'm trying to comprise this list as accurately as
I can to help ya'll determine the tanks's conditions. I don't have a water
tester, it's been a month cycling. I was told to let the tank run its
course but the scare of ammonia/nitrite concentrations forced me to do the
water change yesterday when I saw her hanging about the water. Remember, I
have only the two bettas in this tank, and I was told that the cycling would
take a while under these conditions. And I really appreciate the
suggestions here. Thanks 'bunch...-ED