my friends betta is sick

Question
ok my friend has a red betta which hes had for like 3 or 4 years and Willinoly (you know from jay and silent bob strike back well i didnt pick the name) ok first he gets left every weekend then we get back and change the water but theres always some funky stuff on top like first there was these funky gooy bubbles now theres this white powder looking stuff and my friend has been using distilled water and i read thats not good for bettas willinoly used to dance with music now he seems like he's too heavy and every-now-and-then he has the swimming sideways problem but thats normally when his water gets low but now he has this growth looking thing and i read some q&a and i dunno if its his bladder thingy or constipation... i dont think its constipation cus he just pooed but i my friend left me with a sick fish and things seem to die around me and i would like the fish to be super healthy when he gets back....oh yea the temp. here since the a.c. broke is about 70-80 something so i dont think its the heat oh my friend will be back around mon or tues and its sat now this would make me so happy to fix the fish and to learn more about animals thnx :)

Answer
Hi Cheshire;

Poor guy. Don't worry about the heat. Bettas like it hot. They need about 85 degrees for breeding. So actually the heat would help him rather than bother him. The bubbles you find when you clean are his bubble nest. He's preparing to breed and shows he is a normal healthy male. The whitish stuff could be fungus, bacteria and/or rotting food. If he isn't eating well that would explain it. If the whtish stuff is on him, he needs medicine. Check your local fish store for something that treats fungus.

He may have a swim bladder problem too. There is no "cure" for it but just waiting to see if it heals. Most don't though, unfortunately. They live out the rest of their lives that way. He is a very old fella too. The average lifespan of a male betta is 2 to 3 years. They are about a year old when we buy them so he could easily be at least 4 by now! It's rare, but I have heard of bettas living over 5 years. It means you guys have taken excellent care of him. Good Job!

Old bettas need their water changed frequently, especially if he isn't feeling well. It helps keep the immune system and metabolism stronger. If his bowl is less than a 1/2 gallon change the water at least twice a week. If it is a gallon or more change the water at least once a week. Use regular tap water and add a good water conditioner every time before putting him in it. Also make sure the new water is the same temperature as the old water.

Here are a couple of sites to know more about bettas;

www.bettatalk.com
www.healthybetta.com

Hope he feels better soon and breaks all the records!

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins