Old fish Tony with eye problem.

Question
Dear Chris,
I have had my beta Tony for about 2.5 years, so I know he is at the end of his life. Just recently it has been very cold in our house (60s) and he has developed an casing over his eye (it looks swollen) and he is not eating. I have been consistent in the cleaning of his bowl and his feeding, but he is losing steam. He is burying himself in the rocks at the bottom of the bowl and not moving much.
It has been reccommended to me that I "put him down," but I have no idea about the humane way to do this. Do you have a suggested way to help him or to "let him go?" I don't really want to do this, but I don't know what to do and hate to see him like this (non-aggressive, bumping into the glass, etc.) Your help would be appreciated.  

Answer
Hi Heidi;

Poor Tony. You might try putting a light on his bowl or lay a heating pad on one side of his bowl to raise the temperature. (Just be careful that your heat source doesn't get wet!) Some bettas can live to be 4 or 5 so if he can get the temperature he needs it might help him. He needs to be 78 to 80 degrees all the time or his body just can't function properly.

If it turns out you do need to put him down, here is a good link with helpful suggestions and methods of euthanasia;

http://www.nanfa.org/euthanasia/EuthanasiaTFH.htm

Hoping for the best for you and Tony.....

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

Come on over and join us on the freshwater fish forum at About.com to get even more information too;
http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/questionsanswers/a/naavigateforum.htm

My member name is ChrisR62. See You There!