Beta is very sick!!! help me save my daughters fish!

[betaTHE betta12]

Okay so I have a blue green veiltail male. He is usually a pretty active little guy but for the last few days he has been very sick. He started not eating about 4 days ago. His color went to almost completely black and he developed a white cottony patch on his top fin. He stopped swimming around and just layed on the gravel of his tank. I went to the pet store where I got him, immediatly, and they suggested he has a fungal infection. They recommened Pimafix. I am now on day 3 of the 7 day treatment. For the first 2 days I didn't see any improvement but then this afternoon he was actually moving around quite a bit. He was swimming but he was upside down and sideways and very clumsy. However, this evening he started laying on the gravel again and now is trying very hard to breath. It also looks as if he is trying to swim but for some reason he cannot. He is just kind of "jumping" around the gravel. Please help!!!

Housing:
1 gal tank w/ light
air stone
no filter
no mates
used to have a live plant (recently died)

Food:
Bettamin flakes (he hates pellets) once every other day
Blood worms- for a treat once or twice a week

Maint.
100% water change every other week
Tap water with a betta water treatment

Symptoms
explained above.
never been sick
bought him five months ago

[moonsand0wls]

What are the water levels?
You should try get a filter :)
Does he have a heater? If so, at what level?
How much are you feeding him?
Did you cycle the tank before you put him in?

[Eggbert]

pimafix is making your betta worse, it destroys their labrynth organ which gives them the ability to surface for air. I've always fed my betta 2-3 pellets/flakes twice a day and fast on Sunday. You need a heater in a 1 gal 78-80*. Every other week iisnt enough for a 1g tank, they need to be weekly at the least imo. Get stress coat too.

[moonsand0wls]

^ agree :)

[Eggbert]

Lower temperature to 76* F and treat with Aq.Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Never continue salt treatments for more than 10 days. Learned this from the darkmoon sticky

[Wendyjo]

Originally Posted by Eggbert

pimafix is making your betta worse, it destroys their labrynth organ which gives them the ability to surface for air. I've always fed my betta 2-3 pellets/flakes twice a day and fast on Sunday. You need a heater in a 1 gal 78-80*. Every other week iisnt enough for a 1g tank, they need to be weekly at the least imo. Get stress coat too.

^ This!

[betaTHE betta12]

He died this morning :(

[LadyVictorian]

Once a every other week is soooooo extreamly bad. Probably died of all sorts of things from toxic dirty water. I would suggest if you get another fish researching about them first, and setting up a plan to change the tank water 3 times a week 2 50% and 1 100% OR get a 10 gallon tank, cycle it for a few months and then you only have to do 20%-50% once a week.

Turning black sounds like extream ammonia burn too...esh poor fella. Yeah read up lots and lots, do a LOT of research before even considering more fish. They cost a lot of money and take a lot of time and care unlike people think. You can't just throw them in a bowl and leave them there as you have now seen what happens when you don't take proper care of them. Otherwise a well cared for betta can live 5-7 years old, sometimes even 10. Good luck on your researching.

[Eggbert]

I'm sorry =( don't give up on bettas they are oh so personal when happy and healthy, and are so rewarding to care for..imo I guess, but I'm sure most will agree =)

[moonsand0wls]

R.I.P fishie :c