Please Help Calcifer!

[morrothewhitewolf]

This is Calcifer.

He's a year old- I got him last year. He used to reside in a large 2-3 gallon vase in my kitchen, but about a month ago that vase broke. Badly. I did the only thing i could and i put him in a .5 gallon bowl. It wasn't until 3 days ago that I put him in a new tank- a proper tank with a filter and the like. I don't have a car and the nearest pet store doesn't carry fish supplies. It wasn't until a friend offered to give me a ride to a pet store that I was able to get the tank. I still need to get some things for him (IE a heater and some plants) but he is visibly improved. The things that worry me are the black spots around his gills.

Calcifer is a spunky little guy (as i was taking the pictures he was trying to bite the lights and such) and is highly aggressive and swims normally.

Any tips on what I should do to improve his health?

[morrothewhitewolf]

Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5 Gallon
What temperature is your tank? 70 (Need to get a heater, will be getting that today)
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
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? none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? 3-4 betta pellets a day, plus bloodworms every 3 days
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? every 3 days
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50
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?

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

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Black spots around gills
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? no
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 3 days ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Don't have the supplies to treat him
Does your fish have any history of being ill? no
How old is your fish (approximately)? about a year, maybe more

[MissRockyHorror]

:(

[kumi]

The heater will help a huge amount. Is he eating normally?

What I cannot tell is whether he has some fin rot at the moment. Read up on it in the stickies. You can use Kosher salt to treat it as well as the aquarium salt listed in the sticky as long as the kosher salt has NO additives--read the ingredients carefully. Salt should be the only thing listed. I'm mentioning that because without a car, it might be easier for you to get the kosher salt. Once more, the heater is going to help with fin rot if he has it (looks like he did have it, just not sure if it's on going).

Kumi

[morrothewhitewolf]

Before and After!

So. Took out that little cup and replaced it with a little cubby hole, bought 2 amazon swords and some anachris. Got a heater, temp set to 78. Unfortunately i bought a box of test strips but when i got home i realized there were no test strips in the box i had bought. gonna go back to the store once i am able.

don't think he has fin rot currently, i think he's just a bit of a fin biter. Silly Calcifer. In any case, he looks better now. Is tons more active (although to be honest I have no idea how that's possible, he was already really active to begin with)

Found out that the black bits behind his gills are just his beard. He has a big beard.

He eats regularly (like a pig) and has no lethargy whatsoever (I swear, this fish is on caffeine. 24/7. Weirdest thing ever, man).

Anywho, I will keep this updated as time goes on. Thanks for your help, kumi!