# Betta keeps choking on pellets!!



## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

My old, old betta, Swish keeps choking on pellets. He'll eat one and then the other one he'll get stuck in his mouth. He cant spit it out so I literally have to do the Heimlich on him. Get the net andpry it out. He has done it twice now and is not looking good. I might be getting AQ salt from my friend today (neighbor recommended it) and how should I use this? Length and amount? He is losing color and my sister saw him swimming up-side down on the bottom, he looks really pale and almost greyish. I am using Melafix at half dose (only thing I have right now, I'm broke and getting salt from my friend for a reason) and I am have two doses left 'till its done. He is sitting at the bottom and just floating a lot. And he just doesn't seem . . . himself. And what cons are there of using salt?
Thx! Ill fill the form thingy in now. Just wanted to get that posted.

EDIT:1. Size of tank? 2 gallons

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? 
b. Nitrite?
c. Nitrate?
d. pH, KH and GH? 6.8
e. Test kit? API

3. Temperature? 22C

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? FW

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? 1 year 7 months 1week and 6 days.

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them? I male betta for 2y 7m

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants? 1plastic plants
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? Sand
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors? No

9. a. Filtration? no
b. Heater? no

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? 
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? about half the day ?

11. a. Water change schedule? Weekly
b. Volume of water changed? 50%-100%
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? Tap water
d. Water conditioner used? Prime
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? Every time but my gravel cleaner broke.

12. Foods? Pellets
How often are they fed? 2 pellets twice a day

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? Looking greyish and finrot
b. Appearance of poop? I cant tell
c. Appearance of gills? Fine

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? Yes
b. What meds were used? Melafix

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## Bacon Is Good (Jun 30, 2012)

I would use the salt it really helps(it should say how much to use, no cons that I know of)!!! I use flakes and live foods(BBS, meuisquitto *know I spelled wrong* ect.) The pellets might be to much for him because of possible bloating or dropsy(which could make his throat smaller?)
~Bacon Is Good


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## jayla2251 (Jul 2, 2012)

From what I've heard, Betta's only live about 3 years. Sounds like he may be ending the road.

Ammonia and nitrates, nitrites are way more important then pH.

Try crushing the pellets into smaller easier to eat sizes.


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## Bacon Is Good (Jun 30, 2012)

Bettas can live up to 5 years but most of the time 3 years.


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## jayla2251 (Jul 2, 2012)

Yeah, I've heard some living pretty long. That's why I said "about 3 years"


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Hey Pearl. . . I'm a new Betta keeper, but before you start adding stuff to the water, have you tried soaking the pellets for a short time in tank water before feeding them to him? I bet he'd have less trouble with them if they were soft. It *might* be that he's getting older and having a harder time swallowing them because of that (I have no idea about Betta health!), but it sounds like he's healthy enough that he WANTS to eat. Perhaps you could switch over to brine shrimp or mysis instead - the frozen type? 

I hope he's okay :/


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I agree, sounds like the old betta is nearing the end.

5 years is well past the norm, so while there may be cases of bettas living that long, it is not something anyone should expect.

Pellets do not cause dropsy or bloat. 

Salt is not going to help a fish that is at the end of its life. Bacon, I woul love to hear what you think salt will do for the fish.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

If anything you can try buying a smaller pellet.. NLS has a good range size-wise. Doesn't have to be a betta specific formula, just so you know.


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

The box said 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons, so 15ml divided by 5 five me 3, so I need 1.5 teaspoons. 

I know he probably wont go on that much longer, but I _*have *_to try. I couldn't live with myself knowing I didnt try. 
And bacon, Ive been giving him pellets for over 2 and half years. And he has never been sick aside from minor fin rot once about a year ago.


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## Bacon Is Good (Jun 30, 2012)

I think the salt would help with reliving the stress it has built up, maybe he is sick so using the salt would help or maybe he has internal parisites wich the salt would kill off so they would reduce the serviety of dropsy.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

I know I'm new at this, but . . . salt isn't going to cure old age. If he's acting normally, and LOOKS fine - aside from having a hard time with the pellets, I doubt that salt is going to change much. Isn't dropsy a fairly obvious condition? And. . . would internal parasites cause choking? I suspect a smaller pellet or a softer form of food is what he may need. . . if he's always been healthy and never been given a salt bath before - again, with no experience to back this up - I'd be MORE nervous about stressing his old body out further by making him adjust to salt in the water.

But I don't want to confuse you, if you feel this is the right course of action, I wish you all the luck in the world with it. *HUGS* I'm so sorry your baby is having trouble, hon...


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Guys... Age isn't a disease.
The salt will put more stress on his system, his body will start to overproduce slime coat, his kidneys will be put under strain..

If anything, some IAL will be more therapeutic for him.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Olympia said:


> Guys... Age isn't a disease.
> The salt will put more stress on his system, his body will start to overproduce slime coat, his kidneys will be put under strain..
> 
> If anything, some IAL will be more therapeutic for him.


+10


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

Ches, he look horrendous! Half his body is yellow, his fins are crap. There been 3 times I thought he _was _dead. 

Olympia, Im not using the salt for age, Im using because he is sick.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Aaaaaah, sweetie! I'm so sorry - I didn't realize it was so bad... I wish I had more/better advice for you - I hope he's okay.


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

Chesherca said:


> Aaaaaah, sweetie! I'm so sorry - I didn't realize it was so bad... I wish I had more/better advice for you - I hope he's okay.


Thanks, I'll be seeing my friend again today when we pick my sister up. She gave me aurium salt in exchange for rocks. I'll see what she thinks. In about a week and a half we are leaving for a week camping trip  but that worries me about Swish. Since I added the salt (about ten minutes ago, acclimatized for about an hour. And turns out the tank is bigger then I thought. The bubkets I use to fill up are 2 gallons (which sucks luggung 32 pound up the stairs every time I need to change the water in my ten gallon) and I need more then what I set set out. So the tank is more like 2.5 gallons. 

EDIT: With the salt he looks better alreay!! Much more active (will actually swim up when I walk up). He is almost back to his deep purple. There is still the yellowy patch but looks not nearly as bad. He is flaring at Bubbles and back to himself!!! SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO HAPPY!!


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

HOORAY! I'm so glad he's looking better!!!


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

Yes I am so excited!! Ill tell my friend when I see her (again) tonight. She is going to be getting a LOT of gravel.


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