Betta help..

[Betta Lover299]

Housing
What size is your tank? 0.5 gallons
What temperature is your tank? not sure.
Does your tank have a filter? too small, tried to put a filter in it but it was way too powerful
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?nope
Is your tank heated? not yet.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish?once a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? once a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 25%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? water conditioner.

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?
They are all normal.

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? some tattered fins
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? he's become very sluggish.
When did you start noticing the symptoms?about a month ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? no
Does your fish have any history of being ill? no
How old is your fish (approximately)?almost a year

[Sixwolf]

Half a gallon is really small, even for a betta. Most people say 2.5 or 5 minimum. With that little water, I would do more frequent water changes, especially with no filter.

[Betta Lover299]

Both my bettas have been in a .5 gal tank for over a year, and lately my moms has been sluggish, I'm thinking because its winter now. I'm wondering if the waters too cold? do you think adding in a heaterwould help?

[bettaluver14]

yah since your tank is .5gal i would say 50% water changes.

try to upgrade your fishy... i know petco is having dollar per gallon sale and petsmart is just having a whole buncha sales on their tanks :p good luck! he might be stressed from such a small space........

[Sixwolf]

For a tank that small, a heater would probably overheat the water. Bettas like it between mid 70s and 82. Check your water temperature, and maybe keep it in a warmer place if you can, if it's too cold. There are some small bowl heaters, but I'm not sure how well they work.

[bettaluver14]

do you think putting a towel around the tank will help keep some heat in? cause i'm treating my new 3 neon tetras for worms in a seperate container and it's not heated so i just put a towel around it and placed it next to my betta's heated tank and it seems perfect....

[Betta Lover299]

I'm out of a job so a tank upgrade is out of question right now, umm, the heater i got says 'up to 5 gallons' I'm going to put it in tomorrow, and get my dad to keep an eye on it.

[bettaluver14]

do you have an aquarium thermometer you could possibly stick in his tank so it's easier? it might be more helpful :3

[AyalaCookiejar]

You will not be able to heat a tank that small without large temp fluctuations. The temp needs to be monitored very, very closely. Also, a .5 gallon tank I would suggest either daily water changes or get a test kit and test for ammonia every day. You need at least one weekly 100% change with no filter. A half gallon is not a great permanent home... But they can live in them as long as the water is changed frequently. Even if the less frequent water changes do not kill them, it will slowly weaken their immune systems and often shorten their lifespans by years. Some are hardier than others and live years in small tanks that are never changed but this doesn't mean they like it. A thriving Betta is more fun and interesting than a Betta who is just surviving and nothing more.

They can be happy and healthy in those kinds of tanks with frequent maintenance (although I am not trying to advocate such small tanks, I am not attempting to attack you and don't want you to feel like I am.) The trouble with the tank size is the need for many water changes and the fact that they are difficult to heat. A filter would do nothing in that size of tank because its too small to establish a cycle, so its good that you removed it.

[callistra]

He's cold, suffering from ammonia poisoning and fin rot. Can you share photos?

A half gallon is not suitable to keep a betta in long term. They will get sick and they will live shortened lives as they will always be subjected to low levels of ammonia. You also cannot properly heat one to a stable temp needed to keep them healthy either - 78-80F. Don't put that heater in. You're going to fry him. Any heater must be used with a glass in tank thermometer and you must always give it a 24 hour test run in similar size container without fish to make sure it will keep constant temp. Then and only then must you slowly acclimate him to warmer water at no more than 1 degree per hour and 5 degrees per day or by floating him in a cup of the water he's used to - inside an already warmed tank for an hour.

Your 1/2g cup requires daily water changes - alternating 50% one day and 100% the next.

You must be very careful with all these water changes not to shock:

To do a water change, use a little cup like a plastic solo cup - this cup must be only for him and have never been used with soap or other chems. Scoop him up in this cup (keep him in the cup about 1/4 full of water - it doesn't need to be much because he won't be in it for long) and leave him in the cup while you change his water. To do the 50% use a turkey baster - dedicated only to him that has never seen soap or chems - and drag it through the gravel and try to suck as much of the poop out as possible, in addition to 50% of the water. Use a thermometer under the running tap to get it to be the same temp as the water that is normally in his tank. When the thermometer says the flowing tap is the right temp, fill back up his tank. At this point, add the conditioner (dose for how much water you change - if you change half the water you add half gallon worth of conditioner, If you do a 100% water change dose for the full gallon change). Float his plastic cup with him in it in the new water. Slowly add a couple tablespoons of the new water into his cup every 10 minutes for at least an hour. Finally, dump him in gently but try to get as little of the old cup water back into the tank as possible. When you do the weekly 100% you will do mostly the same thing except empty his tank fully and rinse everything in it very well under warm water but never use soaps or chemicals. Once it's fully cleaned/rinsed you can refill it and repeat the cup/acclimate phase.

I would also add stress coat at 1 ml per 1 gallon to the water and aquarium salt at 1 tsp per gallon predissolved - so for you that's half a tsp. You only have to redose both after changing the water. Do this for 10 days and after that you can discontinue. Hopefully it will be enough.