Panicking fish

Question
I have a comet goldfish (less than an inch long) in a 1.5 gallon  tank without a filter. I intend to move it into a larger tank with a filter in a couple months when I can.

My fish started getting ammonia burns so I do a 20% water change everyday (water sits out in open container for 24 hours before I use it). I have started using melafix to treat it's burns.

Recently my fish has been very jumpy. It has not been leaping above the surface of the water or anything like that but it seems like it's freaking out all the time. It moves very fast but doesn't bump into things. It doesn't swim around calmly searching through the gravel like it used to. It spends most of it's time nudging (not running into) the walls of the tank looking like it wants to get out. It still eats. Also it's gills (inside) and the areas where the fins attach to the body are very red. I thought this was because of ammonia but is that possible since i change the water so often?

I've checked the ph and it is around 6.9-7.2 is this what is effecting my fish?

What is causing my fish to panic like this?

Why are it's gills and the areas where the fins are attached to the body so red?

Thank you

Answer
ok... first of all... are there other fish in the tank with your comet?  Something is making the fish very afraid.  Fish do not just race around unless they are in danger.  

2) You need to get a filter... People should not buy fish until they have the means by which to care for them. This means that they need to have an environment that they can survive in and that means a filter, an air pump, regular water changes, gravel cleaning, consistent feeding, and water that is the correct temperature.  

3) Ammonia burns:  If you had a filter, and did proper water maintenance the fish would not have ammonia burns. 1.5 gallons of water is what we consider to be a small volume of water and it requires more attention then say a 25 gallon tank.  You need to be be doing 20% water changes three times per week, cleaning the gravel at least once per week, and checking your water chemistry values weekly.  I have already talked with you about the smaller filters for fish bowls...cost under $20... GET ONE.

4) Jumpy fish... If you were in an environment that caused you to have ammonia burns, hurt you every time you tried to breath you'd jump too.  Fish pass the water in their tank directly over their gills... so if the water is toxic then their gills get burned too. People who die in house fires almost always are overcome by the toxic fumes and the heat long before the fire actually gets to them.  What happens to humans in a house fires is that the heat burns their lungs to the point where they can no longer breath or exchange air and they die.  The toxins in smoke are absorbed through our blood and then transferred to places like our brain where it makes it difficult to think and confusion sets it.  It is no different for fish who are in a toxic environment.  You need to get a filter for your fish or you need to find another home for your fish where it can be taken care of.  

dave