Sick Betta Fish, possible bladder infection

Question
QUESTION: I confiscated this female betta from someone who was not taking good care of her.  At first I did not believe she was a betta because she was so ugly.  At first she flourished.  Her color returned and she would get excited to see me.  She was in a 1 1/2 gal bowl.  I changed the water completely about once a week.  Being new to fish care I made a lot of mistakes (over feeding).  

About a week and a half ago, the weather turned and it got pretty cold in the house.  Wendy, my betta, slowed down. I attributed this to the cold.  I purchased a thermometer.  It did not even register her water was so cold.  I put lights around her bowl and wrapped her bowl in a towel.  I began searching for a suitable tank.  I was gifted a 10 gal aquarium.  It took a couple of days to set up so I kept the lights and towel in place.  Through all this Wendy is not eating and her tummy is swollen.  I am sure she is constipated because I found out I have been over feeding her.  Since she wont eat at all, she has been fasting for over five days now.  I have tried the cooked pea and she wont take it.  Anyway, the tank is ready and warm so she made her transition today.  In the bowl she did not show any signs of swimming problems just lacked desire.  Now in the 10 gal tank she appears to be struggling.  She has trouble swimming, when she is on the bottom she appears to be fighting to stay down.  She is easy moved around by the filter and she looks to be gasping.  Now I think it may be her swim bladder.  

The tank is 10 gal.  I put in 3 tsp. of aquarium salt.  The temp is between 78 and 80.  I used on capful of Animal Planet Tap Water Conditioner and a sample of API Stress  zyme.  Again she has not eaten in five days.  She was obviously constipated because she has gone at least twice in the last two days and she appears to still need to go.  The swelling in her abdomen has gone down since 11/6.   Late on 11/5 she had a white ball near her rectum.  I thought it was poo but she has gone twice and the ball has not moved.  She does not have any other outward appearance of illness.

ANSWER: Kristy,          You have to add more more salt. 1 tblspn per five gallons. So you have added only 1 tblspn add another.I think you should add Melafix. A broad spectrum antibiotic and all natural. 7 days. In the meantime... I would do a few Epsom salt baths 1 tbspn to 3 gallons. Soak her in there for about 15 minutes 2 times a day this hopefully will make him relieve himself of all them liquid wastes building up in him and making him swell. Good Luck,Tina

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QUESTION: I have added another Tblspn of salt to the aquarium and she has had two days of Melafix treatment in the 10 gal tank.  She appears to be swimming more when I shut off the filter for about an hour but I have not been able to get her to eat.  I have tried her original food (flakes for tropical fish), betta pellets and freeze dried brine shrimp.  Last night she ate a tiny bit of the brine shrimp.  Her face is getting blotchy with grey, black spots.  She does not have any white spots but she does have a couple silver spots under her mouth and one by her eye.  Again she has regained some energy and is playing a little when I shut off the filter but her appearance is now questionable.  Also, I have read conflicting information on feeding live brine shrimp.  She seems to enjoy chasing things.  Where can I get safe brine shrimp for her to play with?

Answer
Kristy,          Brine shrimp is great for her. Sometimes filters bother them. They make their water to busy. Iknow this sounds crazy , but true. You can go to your pet shop and buy the eggs. They are the sea monkeys we used to have when we were kids. You can raise them in a separate bowl. Do not over feed him though. Good Luck, let me know how it goes , Tina