Gill inflammation?

[freeflow246]

I posted this a little bit ago, but it was in the wrong part of the forum. :P
I got little Jalen this past Friday, and a day or two ago I noticed that his right gill was sticking out a little farther from his body than usual. I have lost two pet store bettas to acute gill inflammation before (I brought them home already sick), so I was immediately worried. However, I read somewhere once that the nasty water in pet stores can cause the gills to scar and kinda appear inflamed, and his water at the pet store was pretty filthy.
I would check for redness, but his gills are completely clear (he's a cellophane), and I can just barely see them when he flares. It doesn't help that he darts for cover like a little wimp. :P
He isn't showing any other signs of sickness. He has a healthy appetite, is very active, and even blew the world's smallest and most poorly-anchored bubble nest this morning.
I know that the best way to cure gill inflammation is to have frequent water changes, but if he's not actually sick I don't want to stress him out. I put a few drops of this betta 'revive' stuff (it's that blue antibacterial medicine) in his tank, but I didn't give him the full dose, just in case he was fine. I haven't changed his water yet, because I've had him for just over three days.
I would post pics, but I don't have a camera, and his gills probably wouldn't show up anyway.

[freeflow246]

Oh gosh, the questions. Lol.
Housing
What size is your tank? 1 gallon
What temperature is your tank? Around 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? Nope, I live in Florida lol
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? Naw

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Three Aqueon Betta Pellets (a trial packet that came with the tank, quite large) and about one or two Tetra freeze dried bloodworms a day
How often do you feed your betta fish? Once a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? I plan on changing the water at least once a week, twice if it looks murky. I've only had this guy for two days. :P
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? Not sure yet. Should I be doing 100% or 50%?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Aqueon Betta Bowl Plus (a water conditioner)

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? I haven't tested the water yet.

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

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? None
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? None
When did you start noticing the symptoms? A day or two ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? I've added a few drops of Betta Revive
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Well, he IS from a pet store...
How old is your fish (approximately)? No clue; he's a pet store mutt :P

[Oldfishlady]

The best treatment for a neglected Betta...is clean/dechlorinated like temp water from water changes....since he is new I would start a daily 50% water change for 3 days then get on a regular schedule of twice weekly...1-50% and 1-100% in a 1gal unfiltered tank to maintain water quality.....

Nutrition is also important...good quality varied diet fed in small frequent meals.....

Look forward to pics.....

[freeflow246]

Thank you! I would definitely post pics, but my camera is broken, and I have no idea when I'll be able to get a new one. :/ Again, thanks for your help! I would hate for this little guy to get sick. I'll let you know if his condition improves or worsens.

[freeflow246]

Alright, so he hasn't gotten any better or any worse. He also is just as active and hungry as ever lol. How long does it usually take for gill inflammation to clear up?

[Oldfishlady]

It depends on the root cause and if he has scar tissue or not and how much....as long as he is active and eating...otherwise acting normal....maintain water quality and good nutrition and enjoy.....

A pic would really help.....

[freeflow246]

Sounds good! I almost wonder if one of his gills is just permanently messed up from being in such a dirty cup.

[Oldfishlady]

They can be....with long term ammonia burn they can end up with scar tissue once they heal up and not a lot we can do about it except provide quality water and nutrition......

[freeflow246]

So today I set out the water for his 100% water change tomorrow. Hopefully with some cleaner water he'll start to improve faster.
How long does it usually take for bettas to get over gill inflammation? Is every fish different?

[wildflowers]

Hun, your fish is a similar color to mine. The only way you can will see a protozoan which could be causing inflammation is if you shine a flashlight on him.

Do you see any gold or rust iridescence on his gills? that is velvet and I discovered that the protozoan attacks the gills first as it feeds on his nutrients. Betta Revive is helping me, but quick grab a flashlight and see!

Hope this helps you as it helped me a few days ago to determine she had velvet!