Sick Betta do not know what to do!

[TwilightNite]

• Hey everyone, I have concerns about my sister's fish he is very lethargic not eating pale no bloat no visible signs of anything wrong but I know that there is something up it is very unlike him to be so lethargic he is usually very active a blows lots of bubbles and along with being pale he is losing color. I have no clue what to do! I am changing his water every other day and putting in AQ salt in. I need help! I want to help this poor guy!

[TwilightNite]

Here is info on her tank
Housing
What size is your tank? 1 1/2 gallon
What temperature is your tank? Room temp
Does your tank have a filter? no
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? sort of, I put an air stone in for water circulation.
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? Betta min flakes
How often do you feed your betta fish? twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? 100% weekly but for now every other day
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Water conditioner & AQ salt for now

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: N/A for everything
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Breathing heavy very pale
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? dose not eat anything dose not move
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 1 week ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Every other day 100% water changes 100%
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No
How old is your fish (approximately)?Maybe a year since she has had him

[TwilightNite]

Anyone?.....

[Oiseau]

He is probably cold! Your betta's tank is a bit colder than room temperature. You can buy a small adjustable heater for him from your local pet store. I'm not sure what wattage you'd need for a 1.5g but I'm sure someone else will. :)

[ErrantWhimsy]

The problem is almost definitely related to his tank setup. The typical rule is one gallon per inch of fish, so you want at least 3 gallons for a happy betta.

You will also notice vast improvement with a heater and filter. Pick up some Seachem Prime water conditioner. Remember, they are tropical fish. You would be lethargic too if you were stuck somewhere 30 degrees cooler than your ideal body temperature.

Keep an eye out for any changes in his appearance. Hopefully the problem just comes down to setup and water quality! Good luck!

[TwilightNite]

Thanks guys. It is my sister's fish so I will see about it....... But, there is something worse about it he has lost almost all color and labored breathing on his side can't swim strait....... He will barely move...... What should I do?? Is it still related to water/set up?

[TwilightNite]

Really........ I need answers I really do not know what is going on
he is barely breathing, and can't swim right super pale this all hit him at one time and has been like this for a week..... his weak little body is trying hard..... I can tell.... PLEASE I REALLY NEED HELP! I am sorry for freaking out but I don't want God to take him yet! I promised to help my sister and I have grown fond of the fish........... Please help asap!

[EvilVOG]

Well as the two other guys said it's probably a water/temp problem. If it's not a bacteria infection AQ salt is probably not necessary. Can you get some pictures? That would help some. And take a look at the stickies for common diseases and treatments to help diagnose the problem.

[TwilightNite]

Yes..... I will try to get some pics up as soon as I possibly can........