Betta ill

Question
Hello Lynda, thank you for answering this question.
I have a male betta who, about 3 or 4 weeks ago, started lying on his side on top of the water. So, I withheld food for a few days and started only feeding him every other. He righted himself. But, he would stay at the side and very still. I noticed yesterday he could barely right himself and would really struggle to swim. Today he is back to just sitting there.
I have done a couple of complete water changes. I use a conditioner and tap water (I never had a problem with that before. I have another Betta a couple years old and have always treated the water the same way). He is not in heated water, just a bowl.(The other fish isn't heated either).
We have caught our cat drinking his water.
His color looks good and he does eat. He is a very startly fish. If you put your hand near the bowl too quickly he darts all around.
I think that is all the info  I have. Would love for the little fellow to get well. He's a pretty boy.
thanks--laura

Answer
Hello Laura,
Your betta is showing signs of Swim Bladder Disease.  This is caused by poor diet, overeating, which leads to constipation, then Swim Bladder Disease.  Feed him a cooked frozen deshelled pea.  Cut the pea into tiny pieces, remove the outer layer, and feed this to your Betta.  Feed him nothing else but the pea for two days.  He must waste.  The pea cleans out his system.  Hopefully this should do the trick.  If it doesn't and he is not getting any better in two days, your will have to treat him with an antibiotic.  "Kanamycin" is the best one for Swim Bladder Disease.  If you cannot find it, then buy "Tetracycline" or "Furan 2".  Follow the directions on the package, and never overdose.

Here is some information on Betta's that might interest you:

A betta needs 5 gallons of water to be healthy, and happy. A 4 gallon tank is okay...
In their habitat the betta may live in shallow waters, but they have lots of room to swim.  
Keeping Bettas in small bowls, containers, vases etc, is cruel.  The Betta is one of the most mistreated fish on the market.
They need a heated tank.  Temperature should be 78-80 degrees.  They are tropical fish, and are cold under this temperature.  Cold bettas get sick, are miserable, and live unhappy lives. ( Always remember  when heating a tank, do this very very slowly..1 (one) degree every two days, as bringing up the temperature too fast would kill your Betta.)  The temperature should always be stable.  Fluctuating temperature is very bad for bettas, and any other fish.  
They should have a silk plant in their tanks, so that they can rest on the leaves  They also need a little tunnel or some knick knack that they can go through.   One teaspoon to five gallons of diluted aquarium salt may be added to his water, when a Betta is well.  
Aquarium salt helps them with stress, and helps with parasites.  However if a Betta is showing signs of a swollen tummy, salt should not be used.
They need a varied diet. This is very important.  Betta pellets one day, Betta Flakes the next, Daphnia the next, and bloodworms should be given once a week as a treat.
He should be given one well cooked frozen cooked pea a week, and on the day you give him the pea, he should fast.    
A betta is prone to constipation, and constipation leads to Swim Bladder Disease.  A frozen cooked pea a week keeps them from getting constipated.  Always remove the outer layer of the pea, and cut it into small pieces feeding it to your betta one piece at a time.
They should have 2-3 small meals a day, and not one big meal.  We must remember that their tummy is the size of their eye.
Example:  2 pellets for one meal.
Water changes are very important.  Water changes must be made every week without fail with a good water conditioner such as Aqua Safe or Stress Coat.  There is also a conditioner made especially for bettas.   Never put two bettas in the same tank, they will kill each other...male or female.  The Betta male is a loner.  Females can be kept together in a big enough tank.
When treated well, a betta can live up to 8 years, if you buy him when he is very young.  (Unfortunately we do not know their age when we buy them at the Pet Store which is why some bettas die two or three years after we have bought them.
He's an intelligent little fish, and should be treated with kindness.
Too many vendors know nothing about the betta, and don't care...so don't give good information on how to keep them.
They are there to sell, and will say anything just to make a buck.  They send you home with your bought betta, telling you a small bowl is perfect, and bloodworms!  The poor customer thinks he has everything he/she needs, and then the fish gets sick, money is spent to cure him, and eventually the fish dies.   
This turns my stomach over.  Unfortunately there are no laws to protect fish.  
Bettas kept in small bowls, one gallon tanks, and vases, will get sick, and are very hard to cure in such little water.  They end up dying, and
that hurts the person who has grown so attached to them.  They don't deserve to be treated this way.
This is how a Betta should be treated.  If treated this way, you will have your friend for a long long time.  I have bred them, love them, and know what is good for them.  If you have anymore questions, feel free to contact me anytime.
Lynda