# Betta throwing up food



## devin

Hi everyone, I'm new here, I really wanted to introduce myself and my Betta, but I just wanted to write a quick email because I am very worried about my Betta. Honestly I'm not so sure of when Ipurchased him, I have a 10 gallon tank with some platies and mollies, so i am often at my local fish store, I always see the Bettas in these little cups, I feel really bad and just want to buy them all to give them a good home! They are such beautiful fish, but unfortunatley, as we are all aware you can't keep them together in the same tank. 

Anyway, to get to the point, I have had the Betta approx. 2 months now. He has been doing amazing, very happy and healthy. I feed him small portions twice a day. I vary it up with pellets and freeze dried bloodworms. He has always accepted them both with now problem, until 2 days ago, I noticed that after feeding him, about an hour later, he threw up his food!?!? Now, yesterday, he couldn't even keep his food down. He wants to eat, but instantly throws it up. I don't know what to do, and I am very worried. Has anyone heard of such a case? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! 

Thanks, 
devin


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## mlefev

Well, I need to ask a couple questions first. Is he throwing it up, like it looks partially digested, or is he spitting it out whole? If he's just spitting it out and letting it sink, he may just be being a brat, and want worms instead of pellets. If it actually looks like it's been digested a bit, it could be an internal parasite or bacteria. 

And 2nd..Is he acting any differently, or losing color? Does he look injured?

3rd...I know I said a couple, but I lied...Are you keeping him with the platies and mollies, or seperately, and regardless, do you know what the water parameters are?


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## devin

When he throws up it looks partially digested, he will keep going after the food after he spits it up and try eating it again, than he starts to bob his head, and out comes the food, sometimes whole, sometimes in pieces. This has happened with both the pellets and worms. 

He doesn't seem to be acting much different. Once I noticed him throwing up did a water change, and he got all mad at me, kept flaring out at me, and then he hid for a bit, so I turned his light out for awhile so he would calm down, he wouldn't come near me for the rest of the night nor this morning, kind of like giving me the cold shoulder for breaking up his bubblenest during the water change!!! Yea, like all Bettas he is a little brat!!!! OH! I also didn't feed him for 24 hours after i noticed him throwing up, so, yea, he was REALLY mad at me. But this evening he seems perfectly fine, except for the throwing up part. Not acting differently, he is getting over fin rot, (how this occured I have no idea the tank is immaculate!! )

3rd- He is in his own 5 gallon tank, small filter, heater, air filter, live plants, 
water readings seem to be fine, pH 7.2, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10

Sorry for the long boring reply!! I did have a thought while typing this, is it possible for him to become sick from the meds that were being used to treat the fint rot?


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## mlefev

I had one of mine get sick from meds because I was putting too much in his tank. 

How often are you treating, and with what medication? One thing I've noticed, is that fin rot can occur in perfectly kept conditions if they (bettas) were not treated well at the pet store or in shipping. It seems to be a diagnosis tool for more illness in this particular fish. 

From your explanation, if his fins are healed, I would stop with the meds, or put the charcoal back into the filter and watch him for a couple of days. The charcoal will neutralize the medicine as it is circulated, so if you still need to medicate him, it would break down more quickly.

Then, if his fins seem ok, and he's still throwing up stuff, I would lean toward a bacterial infection. Pimafix or Melafix are decent and non-abrasive medications that you could treat with. If he throws up after that there are broad-spectrum meds like myracin you can try.

The only problem with any medication is that they are stressful in their own way to the fish. 

One more question...Is he throwing up any particular kind of food, or just everything you feed him?


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## devin

I was using one teaspoon of BettaFix Remedy once a day for 2 weeks or so {i'm very bad with dates and time }

I will stop with the meds today, do you think it would be ok to start using the MelaFix right away?

He throws up everything i feed him. I was going to try to pick up live mosquito larvae, see if he can keep that down atleast.

thanks so much for your advice!!

devin


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## mlefev

I almost would think that I would go a day off meds, then try the melafix. BettaMax is also a natural herbal remedy for fish. It does not contain any antibiotic. If he doesn't snap out of it soon, I would go for a real antibiotic. It sounds like it's something internal since he keeps puking.

AND... it sounds like you may have been over-medicating. If you were adding that much for 2 weeks, I believe you're only supposed to treat for a week, and take a break. AND you do need to do water changes while you're medicating (at least 10-20% every 3-4 days) to prevent build-up of the medication. Meds do break down into other chemicals, afterall. 

I would say go a day without anything added to his tank. I think it's possible that you're killing him with kindness.


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## devin

Thanks again for all your help! :wink:
I'm sure you will be hearing ALOT from me!!!


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## Lydia

Welcome to the forums by the way! It sounds like you have a very nice setup for your betta. I think you should try mosquito larvea if you can find some. I have never seen a fish not eat that so if he is just being finicky he will probably eat the larvea.


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## devin

Went to the pet store today, no luck with the mosquito larvae, i will have to go somewhere else tomorrow. When I came home today, he came right over to greet me as usual. I dropped in one freeze dried blood worm, and he attacked it!!!! Then not even a second later it started to come out of his mouth but he looked as if he was fighting to pull it back in, then he spit it out and tried again, then he gave up. I dropped one pellet in and the same thing. He really looks like he wants to eat, but nothing is staying down!!! I don't understand. And it's been almost 4 days now. I'm really worried. But as I have realized while browsing thru this forum, that buying Betta's from your local fish store, probably isn't the best idea. I just wish I knew what to do to help him. ANy suggestions would be greatly appreciated. For now I will just try the melafix. Thanks again to you all.

devin


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## micstarz

Nothing wrong- bettas dont have strong mouths- they can only swallow so they have to eat samller bits. I have some bettas they do itall the time- nothing serious I would think


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## solar-ton

wow you could write a whole freakin book! anyway he could just be stressed by the fin rot or theres are bacterial infection thats making him do it this happend to my sword tail once she threw up her food a lot but eventually calmed down


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## mlefev

I'm sorry I haven't replied to this lately. I wanted to check in and see how the betta is doing. Let me know.


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