PLS HELP! My Betta is freaking out, hurting himself.

[ESalvi]

Hi all, hopefully one of you can help me.
I bought two male Bettas a couple days ago. I have one of them in a 5 gallon round bowl, and another one in a 2 gallon square tank. "Pony", the one in the 2 gallon square tank, started freaking out one night when i awoke around 2 in the morning to use the bathroom and i turned on my bedroom light. The light must have scared him, because he darted immediately, banging his head against the side of the tank... after he did that, he floated to the top on his side.. i thought he had killed himself, but he was still breathing, and eventually straightened himself and started swimming like normal. I returned to bed, but got woken up frequently to him swimming erratically, banging up against the sides of the tank, flopping out of the water, almost jumping out of the tank. This has been going on for almost 2 days. If i go anywhere near the tank, he flips out, starts swimming into the walls and into the rocks, hurting himself. Sometimes i see him just floating around, looking like he is dead... but he isn't! Will this go away? Is there something i can do for him? I feel like maybe he banged his head to hard, and now hes mentally handicapped! I dont know! I know thats awful to say, but i really dont know what could be wrong with him. Ive searched his symptoms on this website and all over the net and havent really found anything that fits. Please help!


Housing
What size is your tank? 2 gallon, square
What temperature is your tank? 76 degrees
Does your tank have a filter? no
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? lamp heated
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none, except a small plant!

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? i keep it interested in what its eating, flake food (Betta Max CE Flakes) Crisps (TetraColor Tropical Crisps) Freeze dried bloodworms, Frozen Bloodworms (some days), Brine Shrimp (some days)
How often do you feed your betta fish? twice a day, couple flakes, couple crisps, a bloodworm, maybe.

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? 50% once every 2 days, 100% once a week. (its a small tank... gets dirty fast)
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? see above
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? freshwater salt, stress coat, nutratfin water conditioner

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? i have no tested my water.

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

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Pony has remained his normal color which is a light pink, with red points on his fins. his eyes seem to be a little bigger, but not "popeye" big... he just has a "surprised look"
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? see original story above.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 2 days 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)?

[Oldfishlady]

Could be swelling on the brain since his eyes are showing signs of pressure

I would do an Epsom salt 1tsp/gal along with 100% daily water changes, cover the bowl with a towel or something for 7-10 days

I like to pre-mix my Epsom salt 1tsp/gal (not aquarium salt) in a 1gal jug to make water changes and dosage easier

The Epsom salt will help with swelling.

[ESalvi]

I heard about covering the tank. I'm just worried that when i uncover it, It will REALLY freak him out since he seems a little skittish to begin with. I will try ANYTHING though. I feel so bad for him. Thanks!

[Oldfishlady]

When you remove the cover do it slow and one side at a time until it is completely un-covered-or move the tank to a low traffic area and only partly cover it and slowly move him back to the location you want him as his tolerance increase...some never get used to movement-also put something in the tank with him that he can hide in if you haven't already like a coffee mug or cave of some type-also live or silk plants can help make them feel more secure.

[ESalvi]

i have a plant in there now.. and it actually seems to be a hazard. because of his quick movements (they are almost seizure like) he hits the plant, and sometimes gets stuck in between the stems. i was actually thinking of removing it.. but ill keep it in there for a little while longer. i had a figurine in there that has a little "hiding place" but, he kept on ramming into it and i was assuming that it was also a hazard, so i took it out. the more things in there, the more things he hits. i feel like giving him a big open space so he can spazz out without hitting anything!

i covered the tank with pieces of cardboard. i havent heard any "flopping around" in the past 10 minutes. we will see how this goes!

[fishman12]

gosh that sounds horrible. Do you keep your light on all the time? If not, you should look into a heater. For two gallons the hydor mini heater is best. 78-80 is a better temperture range. good luck!

[Adastra]

You should definitely get 25 watt adjustable heaters, like this one: http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+11368&pcatid=11368 a lamp will not heat the water evenly and whenever you turn it on or off, the fish will suffer from the consequences of rapid changes in temperature. Bettas are a blackwater species, this means that the water they come from is dyed a dark brown from all the leaves falling into it, like tea. For this reason, they can become stressed out by intense light, and like other animals, they need a day/night cycle.

I would put more decorations in your tank--if you're worried about your fish injuring himself, a few live plants would be the best option. Java moss is very very soft, and it's extremely hardy. It will also grow onto hard surfaces, so if you have a cave, you can tie the moss onto it so that it has a soft, cushy surface in case he gets startled. For now, pick something smooth, like a coffee mug, so that he has a place to rest in and feel secure. He's probably quite stressed out by the fact that he has nothing to hide in, making him vulnerable to predation.

[ESalvi]

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I plan on going to the store tomorrow and getting a regular tank heater. i usually keep the lamp on til it gets about 80 degrees. which happens pretty fast, so i dont keep the light on too long. and then i turn it off.. about a day later it will drop to 75-ish and i turn it on again.. so it goes between 80a and 75 daily. is this bad? i didnt think it was a big deal.. a 5 degree change. maybe thats whats bothering him.

however. i have another question...
while im at the store tomorrow.. should i pick up a bigger bowl for Pony? Maybe a 5 gallon? I would be fine with putting a mug in there... but honestly.. a 2 gallon with a mug could get crowded. in fact a 2 gallon with anything is a little crowded. but, i dont want to change his surroundings so fast again. im SURE he will flip out. he is just about the craziest fish ive ever owned. I have had about 4 Bettas... and the last one i had, Kitty, (yes his name was Kitty) was so amazing. so personable.. LOVED ME.. loved everything i did.. was so interested in me.. i had him for 4 years.. i lost him about 3 weeks ago.. and of course, i mourned... and then went out to buy more! If they were anything like Kitty, i would LOVE them. but this guy is stressing me out. I feel so bad for him.. it keeps me up at night. He is nothing like Kitty at all. But, of course, i will do anything to make him feel like one of the fam.
should i pick up another tank and maybe a bigger figurine to hide in? or should i keep him where he is and cover the tank and not worry about it right now?

[fishman12]

Well, a 5 gallon is good. It takes less water changes and gives the fish more space. You can cycle it. But the kits are expensive. At my petco the cheapest kit is like $40. I'm not saying not to get it, but keep that in mind. Do you have a wal-mart nearby? Well if you do, then you should get a 3 gallon or so if you are worried about money. I think you have to go on their website and get site-to-store shipping. (free) Also, I think petco is still on the $1 per gallon, but it is cheaper for you to just buy a kit.

[brandonwlee]

If you can find Indian Almond Leave at your place, just wash it clean and put some in his tank, the natural 'tea colour' extract of the almond leave will have a soothing effect and the tannin have properties that controls bacteria and good for the fish's scale. it lowers the PH and simulates his natural habitat and reduce stress .he would definitely appreciate it . good luck!