Old Betta fish had ick... got a new one?...

Question
early this week I bought a Betta, it started out not eating then we noticed the tail was black and looked like it was ripping off. We went to the store today and bought this medicine called QuICK-Cure (here's the website www.aq-products.com)We came back and our poor fishy was dead. it looked like it was wearing a fur coat. We bought a new Betta and my husband cleaned the tank with hot water and replaced the bubble stone, rocks etc... I told my husband not to put the Betta in the tank but he did anyway. Do you think that was a bad idea? and if so will that medicine be ok to use if this betta gets sick?
Thank you
Nicole

Answer
Hi Nicole,
I would have had to see your Betta to be sure of what he had.  It could have been fin, and tail rot, and Quick Cure does not cure this disease.  Fungus is a disease that eats away at the fish.  When you first notice it, you must act very very quickly.  There are cures for fungus, and fish are saved if caught in time.  However, if it was a parasite, Quick Cure is good for this.  Poor Betta...he was sick when you bought him.  When a betta stops eating, it is because they are sick.  Your hubby cleaned the tank very well...I don't think you have to worry.  Fungus attacks fish when tanks are not kept clean, and fish are living in dirty water with ammonia.  Your poor Betta was living in these conditions at the place where you bought him, so this is why he was sick.  
If your betta ever gets sick, write me, and I will help you find the right medication.  Medicating with the wrong medicine, is worse than not medicating at all.
Here is some information on the Betta, and how he should be kept.  You might know most of these things, but will type them out for you just incase.

A betta needs 5 gallons of water to be healthy, and happy.
In his habitat the betta may live in shallow waters, but he has 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.
He needs a heated tank,  Temperature should be 78-80 degrees.  He is a tropical fish, and is cold under this temperature.  Cold bettas get sick, are miserable, and live unhappy lives. ( Always remember that when heating a tank, do this very very slowly..1 degree every two days, as bringing up the temperature too fast could kill your Betta.)  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.   You may add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt in his water which has been diluted before adding to his tank.  1 teaspoon to 5 gallons of water.
He needs 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 frozen cooked pea a week, and on the day you give him the pea, he should fast.  (Cook the pea until it is well cooked, and tender.  Remove the first layer, and cut it into tiny pieces.  Feed the pieces to your Betta, one by one making sure that he eats them, and that they don't fall to the bottom of the tank.)  You may have to tease him a little for him to eat the pea at first.
A betta is prone to constipation, and constipation leads to Swim Bladder Disease.  The pea cleans out his system, and keeps him healthy.
He should have 2-3 small meals a day, and not one big meal.  We must remember that his tummy is the size of his 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, and be a very good friend.  
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, and tanks, 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.
I hope this helps, and if you have more questions, please write me again.
Lynda