Possibly Sick - Need advice PLEASE

[WendyT]

Hi. I have two bettas that are separated. I've had them for just over a month and I've fallen love (I'm sure you all know how that works). Louie was fine when I left for work this morning. When I got home 10 hours later, he is not looking like himself. He is normally a deep red color, body so deep in color that sometimes it looks black. This evening most of his body is looking greyish. His face is almost light gray. I can actually see his eyes, where I really couldn't before. The lower section of his tail is looking 'separated' not really ragged, but not as 'flowy" and pretty as it did this morning or last night.
I've read so much stuff that I'm getting Betta Disease-itis...

I fed him and he ate like usual, gobbling his pellets. He has always been very active and jerks frequently, but it subsides. Tonight he is jerking more than normal and staying close to the glass.

He is in a 1 gal tank. I keep them under a lamp during the day and a 'moon light' during the night. (Today was warm so I did not turn on the lamp, but opened all the blinds for natural light.) Temp stays in the 78-80 degree range. I was going to change their water tonight. But now I am scared of stressing him or making it worse.

Sorry to be so wordy, but I am so worried. If anyone can shed some light on what this might be. Maybe it's something that is normal??? Please help!

Worried Wendy

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

A picture would help us out. It sounds like fin rot or he's biting his tail, but a picture will help us narrow it down.

[kelly528]

Okay first off, 1g is too small. You can't fit a heater in it (they don't make one that won't cook such a small volume of water) and in order to keep dissolved fish waste at a safe level you need to change the water every 2-3 days.

The light will not heat his bowl. The incandescent day light will, but the 'moon' light, I am assuming, is flourescent and therefore does not heat the water. The temperature swings won't do him and favors.

Keeping direct light on a betta all day is also very stressful. If the fin is split along the rays, it sounds like he has 'blown' it from flaring for too long at his own reflection, which is probably cast by the angle of the moon light upon the glass when the room is dark.

Get a 5g tank and divide it for both your guys. This should pretty much solve things.

Good luck and welcome to the fish forum!!!