I think my betta fish is sick :( need help please!!!

[Kham905]

Hey fourm!
This is my first post !

I bought my betta when he was very very small 7 months ago which leads me to believe hes about 8 months old. I also bought a Betta kit with him small tank but he always seemed happy with it! I regularly change his water once a week sometimes sooner! and feed him Tetra's BettaMin Food. I am usually always around him if I'm not in class or at work and he's very energetic.

This past week I've noticed his gills has become alittle swollen and hes starting to loose colour he's also sitting at the bottom of the tank in a vertical position and hasn't eaten in acouple days !!!

I have a picture of him here, that i just took as you can see he's sitting upwards some one please help

[veggiegirl]

Hey there,

Welcome to the forum!! Your poor betta does not look too well if you look at him from above are his scales sticking out like a pinecone? A tank that size would need to be cleaned 2-3 times a week probably two 50% changes and a 100% change. Bettas also require a heater to survive, like all tropical fish they cannot handle temperature fluctuations because it causes stress and compromises the immune system which puts the poor bettas at risk of all sorts of terrible diseases.

[sainthogan]

I posted on your other post, you need water conditioner, a bigger tank, and a heater.

[callistra]

Water conditioner is not optional.

In a tank/bowl of this size I would do daily water changes - alternating 50% and 100% every other day. He should be scooped in a little plastic solo type cup and not use a net. New water should be the exact same temp as old water - matched using his in tank thermometer. Water and conditioner should also be premixed (you can use fresh water jugs from the grocery store - rinsed well in hot water but not chems).

However, bettas cannot be kept healthy for too long in a container of this size. 2 gallons is minimum.

He is also freezing at room temp, and any swings (like if you let your house drop at night) are hard on him. They can even be lethal. You need a heater that can keep a constant unchanging temp between 78-80F. In a 2G you can get a 25w adjustable heater. Make sure any heater you get is tested 24hours in similar size container to make sure it will maintain a constant appropriate temp. You must always use an in tank thermometer to monitor the temp. He must be acclimated to the water water either by floating in a cup inside the already fully warmed water for a hour, or by adjusting the heater to increase no more than 1 degree per hour and 5 degrees per day.

He should be getting two small meals a day, at least a couple at a time and one fast day a week. However, your pellet is low quality which can lead to constipation issues. You should look for a pellet whose first two or three ingredients are whole fish and not fish meal or wheat.