something is wrong with my beta!

Question
Hi Lynda- I have a pale colored beta fish. i have had him only for a few months. he has been very healthy, growing and eating like a pig, now he wont eat and has developed a red rash around the center of his body. where the rash is it looks like his skin is coming off. he lives in a gallon tank with air bubbles. i feed him pellets and flakes. i don't know what do do to help him and i don't want to lose him. any suggestions to save Samson?

Answer
Hi Jessie,
You have overfed your betta, and now he is having a reaction to this.  I would try treating him with Melafix.  When a Betta gets sick, and is in a one gallon tank, it is very hard if not impossible to cure him.  Maybe the Melafix will help him recover.  If he is still eating give him the pea treatment, mention lower on this page.  Make sure his water is very clean, and free of ammonia, before treating him with Melafix.  You will also have to buy an eyedropper.   Follow these directions carefully...

First take a glass and fill it with the betta's tank water. Shake the bottle well.  Add three drops of Melafix to the water, then mix it in his water.  Next day do the same thing, but this time only one drop should be added.  Add one drop everyday for three days, then change the water, and be sure you add a good conditioner such as Stress Coat or AquaPlus.  Always remember to shake the bottle of Melafix well before adding the medication.  If he looks better, stop there, if he doesn't repeat the treatment.

Here is some information on Bettas that may help you:


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 a frozen pea until it is well cooked and tender.  Remove the outer layer, and cut into tiny pieces.  
Feed your Betta one piece at a time making sure it doesn't fall to the bottom of the tank.  This helps to clean out his system.
A betta is prone to constipation, and constipation leads to Swim Bladder Disease.
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.
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