Betta Illness??

Question
QUESTION: My male betta suffered ammonia burn close to 4 weeks ago(I purchased him this way without realizing it).  I Have been medicating with Melafix as instructed, which is .25ml daily.  He lives in a half gallon, unfiltered bowl with 25% water changes every couple of days and a 50% water change every 8 or 9 days.  He has heated water that is regulated at 75 degrees.  He has been well until 2 days ago when he started swimming 'twitchy' and staying at the front of the bowl.  As of yesterday his gills are partially open and he still swims a bit twitchy but is less active.  He does not appear to have parasites and does eat well(I feed him 2 pellots 6 days a week, one additional pellot once or twice a week, and one day of no food).  I was told to double his medication for 7 days.  Do you have any other advice?  I also have tested his water weekly and it has been testing perfectly.  I'm worried he may have Gill Hyperplasia but can't seem to figure out the twitchy behavior as his water conditions are good and he doesn't have external parasites.

ANSWER: Lori,
DO NOT double the medication. Melafix is not a good medication for Betta fish. It will clog up his gills and cause him to suffocate. The minimum size tank for a Betta is 2.5 gallons where a 5 gallon is better. No fish should be in a bowl. His water temperature should be at 80 degrees, not 75.I think he is reacting to the medication. Do a complete water change today to get rid of the medication. Remember to add the water conditioner and make the new water the same temp as the old water. I would suggest getting him a 5 gallon tank with a heater that will keep his was at 80 degrees at all times. I think after the water change and getting him a bigger home with warmer water, he should get better quite quickly.

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QUESTION: I do understand that fish ideally should be in larger 'tanks' but can do very well in small areas IF the water is kept clean.  He has been doing quite well in his 'small' environment until recently and his water has been kept clean and of good quality.  However, I have followed your advice and stopped his meds.  I am nervous to do a complete water change because of the likelyhood of stressing him out.  I did a 60-70% water change yesterday and another 50% change today in hopes to dilute the melafix until it is gone without stressing him out with a complete water change(I plan to continue with 50% water changes for now).  He does seem better today but his gills are still partially open.  If his gills were just clogged will they unclog themselves just by getting the meds out of his water??

Answer
Lori,
Yes, if they were clogged up, getting the medication out of the water should help that along. Unfortunately, in order to keep his water clean at all times, because he is not in the right size home, you will have to do complete water changes daily. The larger the tank, the easier it is to keep everything right. He is a tropical fish and needs his water to be at 80 degrees at all times and that is impossible in a 1/2 bowl/tank. He is a fish and needs to have room to swim. In that small of a tank, he cannot do that. People have been misinformed about the care needed for the Betta fish. Surviving in a small home is not the same as thriving in the right size home. There is no fish on the market that can thrive in a bowl or very small tanks. I am not trying to make you feel bad or say that you are not doing the right thing for your fish. I am saying that pet stores are giving the wrong information about these guys. Some times I tell people to try to imagine living in a closet. Yes you will survive but you won't be happy and healthy. I hope that I have not upset you but I only have the Betta's best interest at heart.