Betta Problems

[gymkid94]

Okay, so I go my beta the end of August, and he was healthy and happy, then i think i was feeding him a little too much, so i fasted him for a few days and he got better. then a few days later he started to just float at the top all the time, he wouldnt swim or eat. so I decided to change his water.. i did about a 75% change and i use deer park bottled water. however when i changed his water, for some reason the little focet on the tank stopped working.. but i figured it didnt really do anything.. The next day he was very happy, swimming around great and eating. Then BAM. all of the sudden he doesnt do anything again. he floats at the top, and doesnt eat. he barely moves around at all. he doesnt use his tail fin doesnt move and he was gulping air alot. His tail fins also went from looking great one day, then like within 3-5 days they look like 2 little strings coming out his backside... So today i went out and bought a bigger tank. thinking maybe he wasnt getting enough oxygen. I am also going to go back soon and get a bubble maker to add some air.. this tank is .5 gallon. and i added a water balancer.

What else do i need to do to make him healthy?? Im a college student so i dont have a ton of money to spend on upkeep and treatments and whatnot.. so please dont give me any expensive things... but Hes my little buddie and i want him healthy! Any help would be appreciated! oh, and i use beta biogold pellets. Thanks!!!

 

[thereverendturtle]

Best thing is keep him warm, about 80 deg F. Bettas don't need added air, but a small filter will be beneficial. You can also add Indian almond leaves, if your local fish store carries them. They have a lot of natural chemicals that help heal fins and other problems. Only down side is they will make your water look like tea. Doesn't bother the fish, but you may not like the color.

 

[Essjay]

The new tank is 0.5 gallons? That is a very small tank, and there probably isn't room for a filter. You need to be changing about half the water every day, with a 100% change once a week using water at the same temp as the tank. Using tapwater that has dechlorinator added would be cheaper than bottled.
The state of his tail fin is caused by the water conditions. Unless you've been doing daily water changes, the ammonia will be building up, burning his fins and stressing him to the point where he will get fin rot.


For the sake of your fish, either do daily water changes, or preferably get him a tank of at least 3 gallons and a filter and heater. But if you do this, you will need to carry on with the water changes for several weeks till the filter has cycled (that is, until enough bacteria have grown to eat the ammonia and nitrite that is made from the ammonia)