my fish wont eat!!!!!

Question
QUESTION: Dear Chis Robbins,
My poor siamese fighting fish won't eat!!
I've read the e-mail about Maxine and Terry.
My fish is blue as the sea and sky.
The first year I spent with my fish was nice,but after I went on a vacation in summer and left my fish with a girl that is 17 years old. I gave her the intructions. I came back from my vacation and my fish was not blue! It turned to a dark-ish color. It eats special food for it's color to come back. I did my best to take care of it. Then,now it's winter and it does not eat!What can I do? It lives with a  fresh water watersnail that eats algae,plants that grow on walls of the fish tank,and fresh vegetables.

Sincerely,
Samuel

ANSWER: Hi Samuel;

Could he be too cold? Put his bowl in a warmer spot to get his water temperature up to 76f or higher. Bettas will stop eating if their bodies can't process food. They are tropical fish and need warmer water to function properly. Also change his water very often. Bettas need their water changed at least once a week. He is an old guy now so it's even more important to keep his water fresh and warm.

Look at his belly too. If his belly looks very rounded he may be constipated and just can't eat. Here is a web page that will help you with that;

http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/12/332/

I hope he gets better soon...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Chris Robbins,
Will my water-snail help clean the fish tank?

Sincerely,
Samuel

Answer
Hi Samuel;

Snails do clean up algae and extra food but they make more waste behind them than there was before. Snails are basically 'eating and pooping machines'. As long as you clean your betta's tank at least weekly like they all should be cleaned, it's okay to keep a snail in the tank. We just can't expect a snail do our job for us. We need to be cleaning up after snail messes too.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins