Who Gives A Fish Forums

My betta hasn't pooped in like 3 days. I feed them pellets twice a day, 4 each time. Tank is 5 gallons, heated to 78, filtered with a sponge. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. They're still active but their belly looks kinda swollen. Should I be worried?

Constipation's pretty common with bettas, especially if they're on dry food. Try fasting them for a day or two, then offer a thawed frozen pea (skin removed). The fiber can help. Also, consider switching to a varied diet with daphnia or brine shrimp to prevent this.

Yep, def sounds like constipation. My dude had the same issue last month. Skipped food for a day, gave him a pea, and boom, back to normal. Just make sure the pea's mushy so they can eat it easy.

Aidsy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 18, 2025 6:08 pm Yep, def sounds like constipation. My dude had the same issue last month. Skipped food for a day, gave him a pea, and boom, back to normal. Just make sure the pea's mushy so they can eat it easy.

Agreed, but also check your feeding amounts. 4 pellets twice a day might be too much. Mine does fine with 2-3 pellets twice a day, plus occasional frozen treats.

Lol, my betta's a glutton too. Had to cut back his food after he got chonky. Now he gives me the stink eye every feeding time. But yeah, fasting and peas work wonders. Just don't overdo the peas, or you'll have other issues.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try the pea method and cut back on pellets. Hopefully they'll be back to normal soon.

If the pea doesn't work, try daphnia. It's like a natural laxative for bettas. I keep a small culture going just for this reason. Also, make sure your tank temp's steady—fluctuations can slow their digestion.

Yeah, daphnia's a solid move. My betta's had constipation issues before, and daphnia always sorts it out. Plus, it's a good protein source. Just don't feed it too often, or they might get picky.

My fish had this prob last week. Did the pea thing, but it took a day or two to work. Patience is key, dude. Also, keep an eye on their behavior—if they stop swimming or look stressed, might be time to worry.

Had a similar scare with mine. Turned out he was just holding out for better food. Switched to a mix of pellets and frozen bloodworms, and no more issues. Sometimes they're just picky.