is my betta dying??

Question
Hi I was reading an answer you gave to someone about betta fish. My little betta is probably an old man now i've had him for about a year and a half. I recently cleaned his bowl, I used soap to get all the yucky stuff off. When I put himm back in the bowl he wasnt his normal self. he floats at the top of the bowl and breathes hes not eating at l all or he'll lay at the bottom and kind of roll on his side. I was thinking maybe he has swim bladder disease or whatever its called. He floats down to the bottom but then he quickly swims back to the top till he falls back down. Hes never done this before and its only been a day since its happened. please help! :(

Answer
Hi Cindy,
  Unfortunately you should never use soap around fish.  The soap dissolves the protective mucous on the fish.  

  You need to get him out of that bowl and then clean the bowl again extremely thoroughly using LOTS of water and no soap or any other cleaner.  

  Then put him back in the bowl and add Stress coat.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>