sick beta... bulging eye, peeling skin

Question
I got a beta fish about 2 months ago... yesterday I noticed a sudden change. One eye looks swollen and cloudy. It looks like some of its skin is peeling off, it hasn't eaten at all today and hasn't been active. what can I do?

Answer
Hello Anna,
When is the last time you cleaned his tank? How often are you cleaning it? How large is it, and how much are you feeding him? I do ask for specific details from all my questioners, as there are so many variables in a fish's health, it is quite hard to tell exactly what the issue is, why your fish is sick, how to cure it, and how to prevent it in the future. Since I've only got so much information, I'm going to assume that the water needs to be changed out more often, since poor water quality is the most common trigger of most fish borne diseases. Most people keep their betta's in a tank one gallon or even less, I don't recommend this. Honestly, no fish should be kept in anything smaller than a 5 gallon. Plus, the larger the tank is, the easier it is to keep your fish alive. I would assume his water is stale and full of ammonia (have you tested it?) and it needs to be changed right away. If you have  1-5 gallons, change out the water at least once a week, no less, and always be sure to use tap water conditioner. If your tank is less than a gallon, change out the water two or three times a week, and seriously consider buying your fish a larger tank.
Lastly, you should keep watch on that eye of his, it's very possible that once he is no longer surrounded by his own toxic waste he will begin to recover on his own. If he does not look better within three days, buy some Mardel medication for cloudy eye, and follow the dosages EXACTLY, as if you overdose your fish, you could do much more harm than good, if you under dose, the meds may not do any good.
Be sure you are not overfeeding him, No more than 2 or 3 betta pellets a day.