Welcome to the forum and glad to know you care about those lil' buggers!
Now, spend some 2 minutes fulfilling this form, don't worry, looks big and difficult but you can complete quite fast:
Thanks for the welcome. I've filled this out best I can. Thanks for any help!
Housing
What size is your tank? It is small, probably not even a gallon to be honest. It's one of those you get for betta or crabs...the sales lady insisted on it because she said with the removable blue divider that the fish would be able to see each other which would make them flare, yet they wouldn't be able to actually get to each other. That's the only thing I think she told my dad was that they couldn't be housed together or they'd kill each other. Said they didn't need a filter, heater, or any of that. Might just go smack this woman in the head later
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What temperature is your tank? It's about 72 in the house. I keep it right at that at all times, but like I said, we don't have a heater for the tank.
Does your tank have a filter? No.
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No.
Is your tank heated? No.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? No other fish in the same side as him.
Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Tetra BettaMin Tropical Medley Flakes
How often do you feed your betta fish? 1-2 times daily is what the bottle says. I feed them of a morning when I get up and I generally go with the fish at night...if they seem to come to the top when I'm talkin' to them and (Yes, it's weird but you'd just have to be here) swish around a lot, they're hungry...so I'll feed them again. But no more than 2 times daily. And I give just a pinch each time. (Meanin' they usually eat most of it within' a minute.)
Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? 3 Times a Week. Thought I might be freakin' them out by doin' it that much, but that's what I was told was good.
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? All of it.
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? I use bottled water with Start Right mixed into it. The sales lady said that if the water got cloudy to add "Clear Water" to it too, but I did that once and it made it worse so I don't use it anymore.
Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?
Ammonia: I don't have any idea on any of these.
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:
Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? The appearance is actually prettier than they were when we got them. They're healthy looking. Fins look beautiful all flared.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? This is the part that's changed. Rainbow kinda floats at the top of the tank now. He tries to swim down but it's like watchin' something swim up from the bottom of a vaccum...it just sucks him right back up. It's sad to watch actually.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Yesterday morning.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? We've changed the water and put Rainbow in a different bowl until we can get another tank. We also tried what the lady told us when I called the pet store and put a piece of saran wrap with holes punched in it over the tank and bowl to keep the air warmer in the tank. We've not fed them today as bad as that makes me feel.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No. They've been wonderful up til now.
How old is your fish (approximately)?I'm not sure. We got them on April 15, 2011
Your best luck is to get a 5 gallon and divide it for both can stay which will give each 2.5 gallons of swimming area.
I know on the site here most reccomend 2.5 gallons.
You will need a heater.
The tank should be heated 78 to 82F.
You do not need a filter (but it helps with water changes)
You can leave the bottom bare or use gravel.
Silk plants and hiding places for them.
Make sure to use water conditioner in the water.
With a 5 gallon I am not to sure if it needs to be cycled. (someone can help with this)
I am not to sure what could be wrong with your one guy I am not fimilar with diseases and illness.
Thanks Cassandra! I appreciate all the help! Going to get a tank and all the accessories tomorrow when the hubs gets home, maybe that'll help Rainbow
If ya'll can think of anything I can do to make him feel better before then or anything that Cassandra may have left out, please let me know! Thanks again!!!