Longevity of a beta fish

Question
I have a male beta the blue and red mix, for a year now. Have him in a gallon glass bowl with only spring water which is changed regularly. Just recently he has been staying by the bottom alot and laying in the shells at the bottom. This morning he was verticle with the head up, saw me and swam around then fell to the bottom again his body is also taking a slight curved shape.Basicallly is head is up and his body rests at the bottom in a half vertical position. Is he just getting old?? Or is he sick

Sharon

Answer
Good evening Sharon, thank you for your question.

Under the best possible care, bettas can live up to six years! Their average lifespan in the aquarium is about two years - in a heated, filtered tank. It can be considerably less for bettas in bowls, and there are many reason for this. The key reasons are the fluctuations in temperature and the reduced biological filtration in a bowl.

Bettas like it warm! Their ideal temperature is between 78-80 degrees, I personally keep mine at 80 degrees. There are a few filters on the market for bowls, including one by Hydor that is only 7.5 watts. You may consider buying it, if your plan is to continue keeping your betta in a bowl.

I would personally recommend you move your bett to a 3 gallon (at least) filtered system. Eclipse makes a kit this size. If you don't mind the extra bulk, a generic kit (made by Marineland but without the Eclipse name) is available at Walmart for about $50. It comes with an acrylic 5 gallon tank, a bio-wheel filter, and an overhead light. All you need to add is a heater and a thermometer to this setup!

A water change and some aquarium salt will perk your betta up for now. I would add 1/4 teaspoon to a little glass of warm water and pour it in to his bowl after it dissolves. This lethargic behavior can be helped by performing a water change, but nothing will help in the long run nearly as much as moving your betta to a filtered tank. More swimming room, some decor in the way of some silk plants perhaps, will help your betta psychologically. The higher water quality will be of the most benefit to your betta, because a larger volume of water dilutes wastes more effectively and a filtered tank supports the growth of beneifical bacteria, i.e. biological filtration. This should be about all he needs to live happily another number of months, or perhaps even years.

Especially if you plan on replacing your betta after this one passes away, investing in the new tank will definitely be worth it for you. Read here about acclimating a betta to a new tank: http://www.bettatalk.com/betta_care.htm

There you can also read about different foods to feed a betta, besides pellets which are usually their staple. A varied diet high in protein and fiber is another key factor in a betta's longevity...just like people, I suppose!

Thank you for writing in! Feel free to write again,

Nicole

P.S. Since you have been using bottled water all these years, I am reluctant to tell you to stop, but it is really better for your betta to have his water changed with dechlorinated tap water. Prime is the dechlorinator I recommend. The reason for this is that bottled water is stripped of the minerals and trace elements that fish need, just like people. Even though it is absolutely free of sanitizer (chlorine) it is unfortunately also free of other earth elements your betta would benefit from.

Especially if you get a larger system, consider a switch to tap water, treated with a dechlorinator such as Prime.