Betta checkup - am I doing this right?

Question
Hi Stephanie,

This isn't so much a specific question as a general runthrough of my betta care, but I hope you can help me out. I don't need very detailed answers, I just need you to point out if I should be doing anything differently.

Basically I just received two bettas about a week ago, as a gift, and I really want to know if I'm treating them properly. I've done a lot of reading up, and have read a lot of different answers to all my questions, so in the midst of my confusion it would really help to have an expert's opinion.

I have two male bettas in two bowls, both with glass marbles at the bottom. They are in about a gallon of water each. I feed them about four bloodworms a day, two in the morning and two in the evening. I do a water change every three days, about 50-75%, and while doing so put in about half a teaspoon of aquarium salt.

Their water temperature is pretty much okay, as I live in a tropical country, and the water temperature is pretty warm throughout the day.

One of them seems perfectly happy; the other one seems to have developed some fin rot, so every day I put in a couple of drops of a product called Melafix (the instructions say 1 ml per 10 gallons) and have been doing so for about four days.

Basically I just want you to check up on me as a betta owner and point out whether I'm doing anything wrong. Especially with regard to the amounts of aquarium salt, food, fish rot medicine, water change. I asked this to Megan on this site and she said I shouldn't change water so often, but as they're in bowls (my mother won't let me get a larger tank or a filter) I've heard that I should change them every 3-4 days; she also recommended that I ask others which is why I'm asking you.

Thanks a lot, and sorry if this is too much :P

Answer
Hello,

I agree that you shouldn't change as much water, but I think changing every 3-4 days is ok. You shouldn't change more then 20-25% though. Changing too much can cause even worse water problems instead of remedying them.

As for the aquarium salt, it seems like a bit too high of an amount. Reread the instructions on the box and make sure you are using a proper amount. If you need help figuring it out, feel free to send me the instructions and I can help you make sense of them.

Melafix is a great product for fin rot. Because it is fairly natural, 1 or 2 drops should be a fine amount for your bowl. If your bowl is a gallon, you should only need 0.1 mL of Melafix for it, which is quite a small amount. I would say no more then 2 drops. If you can find a measured dropper, that would be quite beneficial.

Other then that, sounds like you're doing great! Good-luck with your new bettas.

Regards,
Stephanie