[Fritz]

I have had my Betta for around six months now and he was shy at first but then he opened up. However for about a month now he has stopped eating as far as I can tell and he now has these black patched on his scales and inside his gills. I have included a picture.

I used to think that I knew how to take care of bettas, but now I'm not so sure. The guy at the pet store said to feed him every other day. some people say to do full water changes while others say to do 10%. I heard that salt baths might help, but I'm not real sure.

I'm lost and could really use some help.

 

[Fritz]

I'm new to this and as I am finding out while looking at this site I have been doing it all wrong. This is the situation he is currently in.

Housing
What size is your tank? Was in a 2 gallon, but yesterday I moved to a 1/2 gallon tank. I thought it was cute. Now I realize it was a bad idea.
What temperature is your tank? room temperature 64ish (I now know that that is bad as well)
Does your tank have a filter? no
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? I previously had ghost shrimp with him, but now he is alone

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Top fin Color enhancing Betta bits (pellets)
How often do you feed your Betta fish? every other day, but he has not been eating.

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? monthly (Now I know this was really bad for him but that was in his old tank. now weekly)
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? API stress coat+ fish and tap water conditioner

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? No

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?yes, his color has faded and he now has black patches on his scales and in his gills
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Yes he is lethargic and not eating. Always hiding in the same plant.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? The black in his gills has been there for a couple months but I recently noticed it on the scales of his body.
Have you started treating your fish? no
Does your fish have any history of being ill? no
How old is your fish (approximately)? 1yr