For those of you who read the story of how my husband almost froze my son's betta fish and frogs on the way back to Colorado, there's a sequel.
We finally get into the house, get our furniture, and I set the tanks up for the fish and frogs. They all seem happy (and alive).
Within a few days, the betta is starting to mostly hang out on his side. Great, after all that it's dying, I'm sure of it. And my child is upset that his fish is dying after all the stuff with the move. Dr. Google to the rescue, because this is a fish and I'm NOT going to a vet. One theory is "Swim Bladder Disorder". It's common and fairly treatable.
What is it, you ask? Basically, the stupid fish is constipated and can't poop. This can be caused by lack of room (it lived in a cup for almost two weeks) and dramatic temperature changes (my husband did try to freeze it in the cup holders in the car in Wyoming).
So we have to fast the fish for 3 days. On day 4, I get to blanch a single pea, removed the membrane, take half, cut it in half, mash that up into itsy bitsy pieces, and feed it to the fish because it's all fiber and bettas are obligate carnivores. This should help the fishie go to the bathroom and may very well solve the floating on its side problem.
The good news is the dopey fish must have finally pooped because it's now back to swimming happily in the proper directions. The bad news? I have spent way too much effort on a fish that cost me $5 to begin with and know entirely too much about the bathroom habits of that fish.
We finally get into the house, get our furniture, and I set the tanks up for the fish and frogs. They all seem happy (and alive).
Within a few days, the betta is starting to mostly hang out on his side. Great, after all that it's dying, I'm sure of it. And my child is upset that his fish is dying after all the stuff with the move. Dr. Google to the rescue, because this is a fish and I'm NOT going to a vet. One theory is "Swim Bladder Disorder". It's common and fairly treatable.
What is it, you ask? Basically, the stupid fish is constipated and can't poop. This can be caused by lack of room (it lived in a cup for almost two weeks) and dramatic temperature changes (my husband did try to freeze it in the cup holders in the car in Wyoming).
So we have to fast the fish for 3 days. On day 4, I get to blanch a single pea, removed the membrane, take half, cut it in half, mash that up into itsy bitsy pieces, and feed it to the fish because it's all fiber and bettas are obligate carnivores. This should help the fishie go to the bathroom and may very well solve the floating on its side problem.
The good news is the dopey fish must have finally pooped because it's now back to swimming happily in the proper directions. The bad news? I have spent way too much effort on a fish that cost me $5 to begin with and know entirely too much about the bathroom habits of that fish.
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