betta fish home

Question
I have just moved my almost year old betta to a larger vase (about 7 gallons).  Is this too much water for him?  He has not been eating well since the move.  I wanted to place him in a warmer place and be able to see him more often.  He always seemed stressed when I changed his water so I thought this would pass but it has been about 4 days now.

Thanks for any help.

Answer
Hi Judy,
Keeping Bettas in small bowls, tanks, and vases is not the right way to keep a betta.   Little information is given on how to keep these fish, and vendors seldom tell you the truth.  They are there to sell, and all that counts for them is the almighty dollar!
A betta should be kept in a heated 5 gallon tank, or bigger.  When raising the temperature for the Betta, or any other fish, this must be done slowly.  One degree every two days, as bringing up the temperature too quickly would be deadly.  Always make sure that the temperature of his tank is the same temperature he was in when changing his water, always using a good water conditioner such as "stress coat" or "AquaPlus."  In the betta's habitat, the water may be shallow, but they have lots of room to swim.  They are tropical fish, and they need a thermostat.  His water should be 80-82 degrees.  Under this temperature, the betta is cold, and will get sick.  Never heat the water with lights or lamps.  Lights may heat the surface of the water, but under the water is not the same temperature, and the betta prefers the light of day.  Lights, or lamps cause the water to  fluctuate, and this is very bad for fish.  He should have a silk plant to rest on, and some little toy he can go through.  There may be many reasons why your betta stopped eating.  Changing his move to a bigger place is not one of them.  He may be cold, he may also be sick.  Check his tummy to see if it is swollen.  His tummy is located just under his chin.  Bettas are prone to Swim Bladder Disease.  This disease is caused by overfeeding, and poor diet.  The betta gets constipated, which leads to Swim Bladder, and if left untreated, will lead to Dropsy.  Check his tummy.  The betta should have 2-3 small meals a day.  Example:  2 pellets or 2 flakes for each meal.  He should also have one cooked frozen pea with the outer layer removed, and cut into tiny pieces once a week.  Feed the pieces to your betta one, and a time, making sure he eats them, and that none fall to the bottom of the tank.  The betta's tummy is the size of his eye, and we should always remember this when feeding them.  When you feed the betta the pea, he should have nothing else for the rest of the day, so that he can clean out his system, and avoid Swim Bladder Disease.  If he refuses to eat, and he has this disease, then you must cure him with "Kanamycin" which is very good for Swim Bladder, but sometimes difficult to find.  If you cannot find it, then buy "Tetracycline" or "Furan-2."  Follow the directions on the package, and be careful not to overdose.  Keep his water very clean.  He may not have Swim Bladder Disease, but I am writing this just in case.  Check to see if his tail or fins are split or ragged.  Also, check to see if he has clamped fins, or white dots the size of salt somewhere on his body.  
My guess would be that his water temperature is too low.  Check all of these things, and write back to me, so I can help you more.
Lynda