2 Betta fish with popeye and other questions

Question
I have 2 betta fish in seperate glass containers, 1 is white named Albert he is sometimes normal and others swims around alot, he seems to know when you are watching him and shows off. The other is blue named George he has been more mellow than usual. They both have popeye which I've tried treating but doesnt seem to go away. Albert only has it in 1 eye but George has it in both. I have been cleaning there water every 5 days and switch glass vases each time. I also feed them 2 times a day about 5-10 pellets each, the water doesn't look dirty and if it gets that way I change the water sooner. I know they are getting older especially George. I used Macarym-Two to treat the popeye but it didn't work and use splendid betta water conditioner in the tap water and change out all the water. Should I use something else to treat the popeye? Can i use the conditioner at the same time as the treatment? Will the popeye go away completely? Should i be changing out all of the water? Is it okay to switch vases? And do real plants help? Also the real plants i have in there seem to get dirty? Should i be cleaning the plant and do I need to break off the end of the roots? Am I overfeeding? As they seem hungrey so I feed them twice a day, especially Albert he seems like he's always Hungrey. And should I be feeding them more than just pellets and every once in a while dried worms? Also how can I check the water temperature and what is too hot because I was thinking of putting them near my gas fireplace in the winter for added heat. I noticed they don't like red either as they puff up alot when they see it.they are also in seperate vases but placed near each other is this a bad idea because George seemed like he used to be more active before we got Albert. I also used distilled water mixed with a little tap water will this hurt the fish? Would a different home be better and one with a filter and or heater? i am worried about both of them.
Thanks in Adavnce
Sherry

Answer
Hi Sherry;

It is good to change all the water if there is no filter. Since they are vases, it is especially important. Use water conditioner every time and just use regular tap water. Distilled water isn't good for bettas because it doesn't have the minerals in it they need.

I do think they are being overfed. Bettas only need 2 or 3 pellets each once a day, or 4 or 5 if the pellets are really small. Overfeeding will also cause the plants to get very dirty. Once you cut back on feeding, the plants won't be so dirty anymore. Cleaning the plants is okay as long as they keep doing well, but less disruption is better for them. If the roots get too long  and dense you should trim them. Otherwise your bettas could drown from being unable to get to the top for air.

Bettas really need heat. Get a little aquarium thermometer that you can place in each vase for a few minutes to check the temperature. They need to be at 78 to 82 degrees all the time. If you move them closer to the fireplace they will get warmer, but be sure the plants get enough light. Also, if the fireplace isn't on all the time the temperature will fluctuate and that is very bad. What would be better is an aquarium with a heater. You can get some nice little tanks that are made for bettas with a divider in the middle. It is healthy for them to see each other. It keeps them more active and they will do that more with more heat too. It is quite normal for them to flare at red or other bright colors. It is their nature to try to fight or chase away other bettas. They think another male betta has invaded their territory when they see those bright colors. George will probably perk up in the heat. It may just be a coincidence that he has become more shy since you got Albert. If the weather cooled off at the same time, that is a more likely cause.

If they were in a new warmer tank with a heater and food is reduced I think the popeye will probably go away on it's own. Popeye is caused by dirty water and the fish can't heal if the temperature is too low. An aquarium heater will keep the temperature the same all the time, which is what they need. Change 25% of the water twice a week, even if the new tank has a filter. It will go through the break-in period and will need the 25% water changes for the fish to get through it safely. The break-in takes 6 to 8 weeks. After that is over, do a 25% change every week.

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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