# Strange Death and Autopsy



## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

It's a very sad day, as my Crowntail, "Spaghetti", has died. His heater broke and heated his water to around 100F. I thought the boiling did it, and it probably did, but can someone explain the hole?

He has a rather gaping hole just under his stomach, I can see his ribs and it really disturbs me. It looks like he was bitten, but that's impossible. Can anyone explain that upsetting phenomenon?

Thank you.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Probably exploded its swim bladder.

Bettas dont need a heater in the first place.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

I would say they do. Betta's get super sick and lethargic when temps drop too low, but that's JMO

Sorry to hear about the heater mishap


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

I would suggest instead that with the quick rise in water temp, along with the fact that the guy had passed, that likely you had a bacterial bloom that unfortunately ended up with your guy as the medium that the bacteria propagated very quickly. the amount of bacteria and fungus in a warm tank would be really great growth environment for them.
Often bettas being overbred for colour and morhology also tend to result in poor genetics, and sometimes can end up with undigested food intheir guts. add heat and death and the natural process takes over. only faster in the heat.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Ciddian said:


> I would say they do. Betta's get super sick and lethargic when temps drop too low, but that's JMO
> 
> Sorry to hear about the heater mishap


I'm a weird temperature person... I keep my room around 75F all the time...  so I should have been more specific.

How about if your fish room is below 73 you need a heater


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

Thanks everyone.
My bettas definitely need a heater. The heating in my room doesn't work properly, and it's hard to maintain a constant temperature.

I do water changes quite often for him, since he has only 2.5 gallons.

Yes, I bought a miniheater suitable for 2.5 gallons.

I was wondering about his swim bladder exploding, but I didn't think swim bladders would violently explode so much as I thought they would just "deflate", sort of.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

It's a pocket of air inside them air like anything expands when heated and with the high temperature of the tank it makes sense the pressure was to great. Considering the small volume of water for a betta tank most likely the temperature rose quickly causing the less than pleasant sight.


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

He was three days short of moving into a 10 gallon too! Sigh.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Never owned a Betta before but knowing that they have the ability to take in atmospheric air that we breathe I'm wondering if the Betta was sucking in air to cool off fromt he heat and well withthe combo of being cooked off and the air intake probably blew the hole? Just a thoguht.


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

Thanks for the sympathy guys.

Haven taken a few university orgochem courses, it probably does have to do with the swim bladder, and gas dynamics.


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