Beta Male Fish

Question
We have a beta male named Flounder for almost 10 months now.  The last month his behavior has changed a lot. It looks as if his tail end is lame. Feeding time is an effort, he swims with difficulty to the top to feed, then sinks all the way back to rest on his plant.  Often we find him lying very still on his side in the bottom of his bowl, for long periods at a time.

He is the only fish in the  glass bowl which takes about 5 litres of water.  I change the water weekly and there is no filter in the tank (we throw anti-chlorine drops into the water)We feed him beta male fish food supplied by our local pet shop (SA) - 4 pellets a day.


Would appreciate your advice.

Thanx
Vanessa

Answer
Vanessa,

 The first thing I would do is remove him from the bowl. NO fish belongs in one. He should be in a 5 gallon aquarium with a heater. 5 liters is not big enough for him. With him being in such little water, the water changes should be more often. Make sure when doing water changes you add the conditioner to the new water BEFORE you add the water to his tank. He is tropical and needs his water at 80 degrees at all times. Even if the weather is warm a heater should be in his tank. Temps tend to drop in the evening and if his drops more than 3 degrees he will start having problems. The main thing right now is the fluctuation of the water temp. He might be suffering from fin rot. this will continue to happen as long as he is in the wrong home. You can buy any medication for fin rot at your local fish store. Make sure you follow the directions on the bottle. DO NOT buy Melafix or Bettafix. Both of these medications can harm your Betta. Keep his water very clean and warm while treating and after to keep him healthy and happy. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.