help? Depressed betta? parasites?

[aokashi]

I got a betta recently as a gift, its fairly large compared to the frys sold in pet shops. This fellow came with a grey/white chin(internet research tells me its a sign of age) so I thought it was probably previously owned.

I placed him in my gallon jar on my table with a potted anubias, dwarf saggitari
ia a stray piece of java moss and a stray java fern leaf that came when I bought
my ghost shrimp. He was pretty happy the first few days and such. But now, he just sits and sulks and sometimes randomly does a lap around the jar shaking his head (which led me to think he has parasites). Today when I came home, he was swimming whilst moving only one pectoral fin. I panicked and did a full water change (I usually do a halfwater change everyday ), I gave him a salt bath (1tsp aquarium salt in 1gal plastic tub) for about half an hour.

Ive added some aquarium salt to the jar (after researching my plants salinity compatibility) and a bag of pure roobis tea for tannins. And placed him back in the jar. Fish is now sleeping near the waters surface but still darted a bit before sleeping.

Jar is unfiltered 1 gal, room is at constant temp of 76-77F, 50% water change everyday, 1ramshorn snail (will probably remove soon to harder waters) 1 ghost shrimp and 1 veiltail 2 plants, 1 huuuuge lucky bamboo, no substrate

Im currently on a budget and fish medication is too expensive for me as of now, Ive done my best to optimize the bettas living conditions and is not sure whether he is succumbing to old age. Im worried about his seemingly lack of energy and parasite(?).

He still eats like a pig( max 4 hikari pellet/day -2 feedings, and the occasional fd blood worm), flares at his own reflection and swims upright. Pretty mild tempered, will jump for food and loves to attck the turkey baster when Im cleaning the bottom.

Any suggestions are most welcome and appreciated, I hope Im just over concerned...natural/household remedy suggestions are loved

Oh before I forget, he did have a bit of a tail rot coming to me and it seems to have grown back until he ripped it again on a seashell i have in the jar w days ago. It seems to be fine and no fin rot so far.

[Pataflafla]

the bioload in your 1 gallon is too large.

remove the ramshorn as soon as you can as well as the ghost shrimp.

It sounds more like he's stressed from cramped living space and constant water changes. 50% every day is very stressful, which could open him up for disease.

A 1 gallon with just a betta should be changed at least 100% once a week and a 50% in between. there is such a thing as water that is too clean since the betta will not have the correct immune response if it's never experienced bacteria and mild disease in the water.

[aokashi]

Thankyou so much, that explains it I guess, he really doesnt like his water changes. I removed the snail, but the shrimp has no where to go...

Im thnking that ammonia might spike if i dont change water everyday and the shrimp will just die....

[aokashi]

Thankyou so much, that explains it I guess, he really doesnt like his water changes. I removed the snail, but the shrimp has no where to go...

Im thnking that ammonia might spike if i dont change water everyday and the shrimp will just die....any suggestions on the parasites, although as of this morning hes stopped flashing and is more accurate in his "food jump". How long do I steep tanin for? Ive had a bit of tea in a seashell and its been in there for an entire night now, neither fish nor shrimp seems to mind.

[Pataflafla]

He may not have parasites at all. His reaction could have been purely out of stress and discomfort.

For now, just let him be with less water changes so he can recover from the stress. If he's still displaying the head twitching after a few days have passed, then look into a method of treatment.

Often clean water is enough to boost the immune system into taking care of the issue.

[aokashi]

Should I put him in a jar with no plants? I got a tube a while ago to siphon out the water, it has yet to arrive... would that make water changes less stressful for him, Im so paranoid, the only fish we used to have were 5 or 6 gold fishes we threw in a large pot with a lily plant and duck weed (around 50 gals?) and they were fine on their own, living off whatever was growing inside that pot and such. My grandparents looked after it and almost never made any water changes. They thrived in that pot and the largest one got pretty big before a kingfisher decided to make a tasty meal out of him....

[Pataflafla]

If you have nowhere for the ghost shrimp, then you can keep them together for now.

Definitely use the hose to siphon out the water. You can do 3 50% changes for the week and still be ok.

Any vegetation in the tank will help your betta feel more secure.

[aokashi]

Got home and took the snail out, thanks for all the great advice Pataflafla! Betta rewarded me with a big bubble nest under one of the leaves today when I got home =D He's still twitching from time to time so I'm going to keep an eye out, I cant wait till pay day so I can get some meds in hand. i'll keep you updated :D

[aokashi]

image of fish in question. his fins has been droopy like that since day 1... Im not sure how normal it is

[Pataflafla]

He's probably just a little bit cold and still a tiny bit stressed. Some time to settle in and relax should have him flaring up more.