help with ailing betta - what are my options

[pastkeeper]

I've had my Betta for two weeks now and he's been in a 10-gallon tank with a filter and heater. I know now that I shouldn't have put him in an uncycled tank, but I've been using a liquid test kit to check for nitrites and ammonia every day. My pH is 7.5 and the temperature is at 85. I just tested the water an hour ago and saw that the ammonia level was 0.25 ppm, so I did a 75% water change with conditioned water that's the same temperature.

My Betta's been acting weird for a few days - he's been lying at the bottom of the tank or on the heater, tilted to one side. When he swims, he does this weird curve, like his face is bent towards his tail. I'm getting really worried about him, especially since he had fin rot when I got him. He's not eating much either, but when I fed him a single frozen pea (I heated it in the microwave for 30 seconds in water from his tank, then shelled and cut it up), he ate a lot of it. Can anyone help me figure out what's going on with him? I'm really scared and don't want to lose him.

[village]

I think you might want to try gradually lowering the temperature to around 80 degrees. Are you still getting any ammonia or nitrite readings? If so, you could consider adding Prime water conditioner, it's supposed to help minimize the harm from ammonia and nitrites. Has he shown any improvement with the fin rot, or is it still a concern?

[goldminer]

The temp is at 85. I know, it's high. I'm using a heater and it's set to that. I've got a 10gal tank, it's got a filter too. The current isn't too strong, I think. The tank isn't cycled, I know I messed up. I change the water every time the ammonia gets too high, like yesterday when it was 0.25 ppm. I did a 75% change then. I don't vacuum the substrate yet, I don't know if I should. I use a dechlorinator, it's just a basic one. My water test kit says the ammonia was 0.25 ppm, I don't have nitrite readings, and I don't have a nitrate reading. When I clean the tank, I just change the water. I feed him frozen peas, just one a day, heated up in the microwave. No tank mates. I've had the Betta for two weeks. He had fin rot when I got him. No plants, just decorations. I don't have a close up photo of the fish, but I can try to take one. I can take a photo of the tank too.

[pastkeeper]

The temp is at 85. I know, it's high. I'm using a heater and it's set to that. I've got a 10gal tank, it's got a filter too. The current isn't too strong, I think. The tank isn't cycled, I know I messed up. I change the water every time the ammonia gets too high, like yesterday when it was 0.25 ppm. I did a 75% change then. I don't vacuum the substrate yet, I don't know if I should. I use a dechlorinator, it's just a basic one. My water test kit says the ammonia was 0.25 ppm, I don't have nitrite readings, and I don't have a nitrate reading. When I clean the tank, I just change the water. I feed him frozen peas, just one a day, heated up in the microwave. No tank mates. I've had the Betta for two weeks. He had fin rot when I got him. No plants, just decorations. I don't have a close up photo of the fish, but I can try to take one. I can take a photo of the tank too.

My tank is 10 gallons, with a heater set to 80 but it got up to 85, I've since lowered it. The current isn't too strong, and unfortunately, the tank isn't cycled yet. I change the water when I notice the ammonia or nitrites are too high, usually around 50-75% at a time, and I do vacuum the gravel. I only use API Stress Coat as a water conditioner. My tap water is what I use, and my liquid test kit recently showed 0.25 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites, and 0 ppm nitrates. For food, I give him Blood worms every other day, just 2-3 little bits, enough for him to finish in five minutes or so, and on the days he doesn't get those, he gets API Betta food, 2-3 pieces. Lately though, he's been ignoring all food and hasn't eaten in three days. He's alone in the tank, and I've had him since early January. There's a single large skull decoration in the tank that he likes to hide in. I'm having trouble posting pictures, the server says they're too large.

[pastkeeper]

I think you might want to try gradually lowering the temperature to around 80 degrees. Are you still getting any ammonia or nitrite readings? If so, you could consider adding Prime water conditioner, it's supposed to help minimize the harm from ammonia and nitrites. Has he shown any improvement with the fin rot, or is it still a concern?

From what I can see, he's still showing some signs of fin rot, but it doesn't seem to be getting worse. I'm a bit hesitant about using Prime as I've heard some concerns about its safety when it comes to lowering ammonia levels.