beta fish sick

Question
Hi, my beta fish is having trouble swimming and constantly lies on his side at the bottom of the bowl. I have not fed him now for 4 days and gave him the inside of a pea. I am not sure if he ate the pea or if it just disintegrated. He still constantly swims around the bowl and is always coming to the surface for air. I have taken out all the things in his bowl thinking they might be polluting the water. His body seems contorted as well. What can I do?

Answer
Is he in one of those betta bowls? If so, GET HIM OUT OF THERE! Those bowls kill fish! Get him in a nice little tank with a filter, some real plants, a submersible heater (not an under gravel type), and an air pump. Your betta is probably cold and that is more than likely why he is not moving or eating.
If he is not in a betta bowl and in a proper tank, I would try changing his food. Sometimes the food can give a fish constipation which can be mistaken for swim bladder disease.