betta traveling

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I am currently going to be moving in about a month and have a long roughly 6 hour drive from rapid city to minnesota and would like to bring my betta fish with if at all possible, i do have someone to take him if i cant do it safely but i would love to take him with me, i have read its better to take them in a fish bag then a container but then ive read it can give them oxygen from anywhere to 45 mins to 7 hours so i am very confused and not sure how to go about this any suggestions on how to transport him?
thanks
olivia

ANSWER: Hello,
I would leave him in his tank.  Make sure there is nothing in his tank where he could hurt himself, as sometimes the drive isn't smooth.  Secure the tank, on the floor by putting pillows, or towels around the tank.  Secure it in place.  Place the tank where there won't be too much sunlight.  Make sure the temperature of the car stays stable.  I don't know the size of your tank, but if it is a five gallon tank, you may fill it up to half.  Feed him on the way at his usual hours, and you should have no problem.  
Hope this helps
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: okay thank you, i have a smaller tank type thing thats less then a gallon that he use to be in and i think i am going to use it as his travel tank and fill it about half way put it in a zippered cooler type bag its suppose to help regulate temperature i guess and seat belt him into my passenger seat =) already tested it out it should go smoothly...it should be alright to take him the whole 7 hours in one day right? i did have a few other questions as well my betta has been off and on have constipation problems i believe as his poop is hanging down from him he does seem to get rid of it relatively fast and someone else i talked to thought it might be becuz bettas take a while to poop is this possible? ive never seen this til recently with him and never with any other betta ive had so im a little confused. also i was wondering what the best water is to use i used distilled with my prior bettas but had learned that it lacks nutrition for them so have just been using freshwater gallon that i buy from petco i havent had any problems but would like to be sure that its not harming him.
thanks for all your help!!


Answer
Hi Oliva,
This is not normal for a Betta to waste like this.  He is constipated, and if this continues, he could end up with Swim Bladder Disease which happens only to often with Bettas.  This is usually caused by poor diet.  A betta should be fed 2-3 times a day in small quantities...such has 2 pellets for one meal.  He should have a varied diet, betta pellets one day, betta flakes the nest, daphnia the next, and bloodworms the next.  He should fast one day a week, and on that day he should have a pea.  You cook a frozen pea until it is tender, remove the outer layer, and cut it into tiny pieces.  Feed the pieces to your Betta one piece at a time, making sure he eats it, and that it doesn't fall to the bottom of the tank.  He may not want to eat it, but tease him a little with it..he will eventually eat it.  This cleans out his system, and avoids lots of problems bettas have with constipation.  Never feed him one big meal a day, as his tummy is the size of his eye.  Bettas are gluttons, and will eat, and eat, we must be careful.
Tap water is best for fish as it contains minerals that fish need to survive.
While on your trip, check him now and then to make sure he is okay, and that his water isn't getting too warm.  Feed him on the way.
Hope this helps, and have a safe drive.
Lynda