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Initially, the best approach to treatment is to fast the fish for 3 days. The lack of food will give the fish's digestive system time to process and purge, allowing pressure to gradually reduce from the swim bladder. Even if not due to constipation this will not hurt, because consuming more food would put even more pressure on the organ. Observe the fish during this time to see if it is passing faeces normally. At the end of the third day, if no faeces have been passed and the fish is still having difficulty, it may require longer period of fasting. (A betta can, at the extreme, survive for up to a month without food, so do not fear not feeding your betta for a few days). At the end of the fasting period, feed a bite-sized portion of cooked, de-shelled, green pea to the fish. Daphnia can also work as a natural laxative. If the fish appears to be passing faeces normally and the problem has resolved, resume feeding the fish, but be careful to never overfeed, as previously affected fish can be prone to recurrence of the disorder.
If the fish appears to be passing faeces normally but is still swimming abnormally, it may have an injury, bacterial infection, parasitic infection or even permanent damage due to a defect. Observe for other signs that may indicate the underlying cause. A course of antibiotic treatment may resolve the problem if a bacterial infection is present. If injury is known or suspected, maintain good water conditions and use supportive and preventive measures, eg.
* addition of aquarium salt to the water
* treatment with a mild antibacterial such as Melafix or Bactonex
* minimise stress and disturbance and feed a high quality diet
In some cases, the fish's swim bladder can lose functionality due to old age or deformity. The fish can still usually live out a perfectly healthy life despite this condition. With chronically affected fish, reduce the water level in the tank if necessary, or provide plants or decorations which allow the fish to rest near the water surface, so that it is easily able to rise to take air.
Good diet is the key to preventing swim bladder disorder. It is important to feed the fish a variety of foods, and not to overfeed, particularly pellet foods. Bettas are carnivorous, and pellet foods often contain too high a proportion of indigestible bulk. Additionally, pellets swell after they are wet, so pre-soaking pellets can help. Offer a variety of live, frozen and prepared foods. Not only do bettas enjoy this more, but it is healthier for their digestive system. Many people choose to skip feeding one day a week to help with this. Feeding daphnia periodically and giving a portion of softened green pea weekly can help to promote good intestinal function.
Help him breathe normally if he has problems with it, and aerate the water. The salt, believe me here, will help greatly, just make sure you add the exact amount.
I had a huge Koi having these problems a few years ago in my pond. Couldn't swim upright, always sank to the bottom and was helped by the others to reach surface for additional air intake. Didn't look nice.
After three days, he was swimming on top again. Had a few bruises which healed nicely after bathing him in .2% salt solution and some antibiotics. Now he's even bigger and hungrier.
Just make sure you use either sea salt or aquarium salt. Do NOT use table salt.
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