Stressed Betta

Question
Hi Lynda,

I'm in a strange predicament...and I don't know what to do...  I have had my betta, X, for almost a year now.  For awhile he lived in a bowl, but I moved him into a 2.5 gallon tank, because I can't afford a 5 gallon.  Our heater died the other night, so I was forced to move him downstairs so he wouldn't freeze to death (our temperatures have been about 20 below Fahrenheit).  I noticed when he started letting his back fin hang a bit as well as the fin on his back.  He rarely flares them unless he stares at the back of the temperature strip in his tank.  He's eating fine, but spends a lot of time at the bottom in the tank.  I will mention recently that I did put a bunch of live plants in the aquarium to help with ammonia.  When I did that, I left the water in since I had recently done a 35% water change.  When cleaning the tank I removed the rocks, cleaned them with hot water (as hot as I could get it), filtered the water that was in there, put the rocks back in, then put my betta back in the water.  The filter is still in the water, which wasn't there before because I felt it was too strong because he would hide behind it.  I am wondering why he's still stressing out.  As for physical changes, his fins were once blue, but now they're slowly turning red.  I noticed he has tiny specs on his eyes, which are around both...and that's the only area they are at, and I don't know if it's ich or not.  I feed him betta pellets, no blood worms, and I feed him once a day, six days a week.  For his water, I do about a 25-35% water change each week, adding in dechlorinator before letting the water sit anywhere from a day to a few days to help age the water a bit.  I do not add water conditioner.  As for the levels...everything appeared fine when I tested it, but the nitrite and nitrate were both odd colors that didn't even appear on the chart, which scared me.  I don't have ammonia strips...but they're on my list of things to get (that and a siphon).  Should I do daily changes of about 10% to help with the nitrite and nitrate?  I just want my little buddy to feel better and be happy again.  Any tips would be lovely.

Thank you so much,  Melissa

Answer
Hi Melissa,
A sudden drop in water temperature can kill a fish, as well as bringing up the temperature too quickly.  Bettas are tropical fish, and need 80-82 degree water.  They are cold under this temperature, and will get sick.  When bringing up the water temperature for a fish, this must be done very very slowly.  One degree every two days until you reach the right temperature.  Bettas kept in 2 gallons tanks without a filter must have their water changed completely every 5 days, sometime twice a week.  You should use tap water, hot, and cold until you reach the same temperature as the water he was in, and always use a good water conditioner such as "Stress Coat" or "AquaPlus"
Complete water changes are important for a betta.  Ammonia, and Nitrites build up quickly, and they are the number one killer of fish.  
If you should want to cycle your tank, then you must house your betta somewhere else until your water chemistry is perfect.  Buy a used sponge from the pet store, and put it into your filter, and let the water of his tank run through it, adding only water that has evaporated.  This may take up to two weeks for a 2 gallon tank to cycle.  This means that your water should have zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and nitrates should be low when you put your betta back into the tank.  After this, 25% of the water should be changed every week.  I would prefer to change all the water in a 2 gallon tank, but this is up to you.  Adding 1/2 teaspoon of diluted aquarium salt will help with stress, and parasites.
For now do a complete water change, add the salt, and heat his tank slowly.  Hopefully this should help him get better.  Water changes are always good for bettas.  However, he may need medication if his condition gets worse.
I would also like to mention that bettas need varied diets.  They should have Betta Pellets, Betta Flakes, Daphnia, Plankton Flakes, Bloodworms, Mealworms, Glassworms, and Frozen Brine Shrimp.  The more you vary, the healthier he will be.  Fish need vitamins, and minerals much like we do, and they find what they need in different foods.
Feed your betta twice a day in small amounts.  Example:  2 pellets, or 2 flakes for one meal.  Small meals, and not one big meal.  Their tummy is the size of their eye, and we must always remember this when feeding them.  One day a week, feed him one frozen cooked pea cut into tiny pieces with the outer layer removed.  Feed the pieces one at a time to your betta making sure he eats them, and that it does not fall to the bottom of the tank.  On the day you choose to feed him the pea, feed him nothing else.  This is so he can clean out his system, and avoid Swim Bladder Disease.  Daphnia is very good for Bettas, as it helps them with their digestive system, and should be fed to them one or two days a week.
I hope this will help, and that your betta will soon be feeling better.  If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to write me.
Lynda