lump by back tail

Question
My beta has been acting strange. Its like he's jumping or having seizures and he hangs around the top of his aquarium. Today I noticed that he has a lump by the back of his tail, it looks as if he is pregnant. Is my fish sick or have some kind of disease?

Answer
Heather,

I had one of my males doing that same thing yesterday. If you do not see any injuries, or infection like Ich, then you don't want to treat him with any medication. I would give him a salt water bath, instructions below. Is it a lump or is he swollen or bloated? If he looks pregnant then he might be suffering from swim bladder disease. Its not as bad as it sounds and is easily treated. IF he is bloated, fast him for 2 days. On the third day, get a frozen pea and drop it in hot water. This will defrost and cook the pea. Remove the outer shell of the pea and toss it. DO NOT feed it to your fish, he cannot digest it. Take the inside of the pea and cut it up and feed it to your Betta, then fast him again for 2 days. You didn't mention a heater. They are tropical fish and need warm water. Set the heater to 82 degrees. Water quality is a must with fish. If you are not doing weekly water changes, start now. Change 25% of his water every week. Make sure the new water is the same temp as the tank and that you condition the water before adding it to the tank. If your Betta is in a bowl, remove his as soon as you can and get him a tank no smaller than 2.5 gallons. Since he is hanging out at the top of his tank, I would drop the water level so that its easier for him to get air. Remember, when you drop the level, 25% of the water will need to be change daily.



SALT WATER BATH (DIP):

         Get a container that can hold 1 gallon of water the same temp as the tank water. Add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt that has been dissolved before adding your fish to that water. If you don't dissolve it first it can burn your fish. Let him swim in this water for 5 minutes the first time,  watching him closely the entire time he is in there. I want you to watch him in case he starts to have a problem, you can remove him from the salt water immediately. I would do this 2 times a day, but never in the same water. Always make fresh salt water every time you put him in. You can leave him in the water no more than 15 minutes each time, but build up to that amount of time.