Not enough information. I wouldn't keep them even in divided tank, too much stimulation and causes stress. Also disease gets spread. What size tank, heated, ph nitrites/nitrates... Temp? so on.

Your betta sounds like it has swim bladder disease. Too much food. Blanche a pea, and take out contents and give him a smashed bit if he is eating. Dont' feed regular food, just a little pea. I used castor oil for mine as I know it is a laxative. (dipped pea in teeeny bit of oil, worked like a charm) (rescue betta came that way, floating couldn't sink).. Once swim bladder is damaged hard to keep corrected, so one has to be careful with feeding. Can also be caused by bacterial infection, which may be the case since you mentioned pop eye and fins rotting, sounds systemic at this point. Not a good sign. Dirty water.

Maryson 2 won't help much with pop eye, and it seems like you have internal bacterial infections, which is what causes it in most cases (I know I did mucho research as one of mine got it - no more store bought bettas from those filty dirty cold little bowls for me)

To be honest you might want to put him down, as with fin rot/pop eye, swim bladder and one death... might be too far gone. It means the bacteria is eating him from inside/ it lines the arterial walls and eats away.

(If you do, please make it humaine. ( I take them out and belive me only at the very finish line, ie when bacteria starts on body and beyond tails, it hurts at that point, - any one doesn't think so, woman scientist did much research on fish pain sensitivity ie those fishermen who catch and release, found mouth extremely sensitive to pain, as was the entire nervous system)

I give them all I got but if too far gone - put them quickly in wet paper towel, fold over - hospital tank taken to very dark room and put on hard bathroom floor, and mack them hard with my sculpture mallet. It takes a second or two, from fish in hand, to towel, to death. I always cry when I do this, not easy, but I can't imagine freezing them to death, and would never flush alive. I have yet to try the clove oil I once bought. Any way these were all rescues, and out of 8, only three survived, one female is still struggling) (just so you don't think I am a fish killer, lol, they were in horrific shape and floating about in filthy water, left overs from shipment, weeks later, and they were flushing them, so I said I'd take them, now I just go by in another isle, heartbreaking how they are treated)

This site has much information from a great breeder. Photos as well, to help with identification,and set up and needs to care for betta. Best Sherry

http://www.bettatalk.com/

http://www.bettatalk.com/

Okay, thanks for the advice, Sherryazure.

In answer to your questions: I just changed the water, so it should be pretty clean in there....The tank is 2.5 gallons, it doesn't have a heater or thermomentor (too small, I thought, but should I get one for him?). No idea about the ph nitrates......

I don't know if he really has fin rot and pop eye, it might just be normal...All I know is that he isn't eating and he isn't flaring and sticking up his fins like he used to.

I have no idea how to blanche a pea. Help? Besides, he isn't eating his freezedried bloodworms, which I know he loves, so I don't know if he is going to eat the pea or not, and I don't want it to rot in his tank.

How do you know when to euthenize or not? I really don't know. I feel bad for the fish, and I don't know if I should even try to help or not.

Maybe I shouldn't be a fish owner....I don't seem to be doing so well on this.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"In answer to your questions: I just changed the water, so it should be pretty clean in there....The tank is 2.5 gallons, it doesn't have a heater or thermomentor (too small, I thought, but should I get one for him?). No idea about the ph nitrates......"

I would get a larger tank, like a 10 gallon "complete" set up, about $50 at WalMart. It comes with a heater, filter, cover and light, and a not so good thermometer (sticker type). I would invest about $2 for a glass one with the suction cup. Another option is buy a plain glass 10 gallon with nothing else, then order the other stuff from Drsfostersmith .com, it will come out about the same price and you can get the extras cheaper also. . When you first set up an aquarium tests are important for cycling. A good reagent test set is best, and costs the least in the long run. Water temp should be consistant and a heater helps with this. Knowing pH ammonia levels and temp. will help you determine how toxic your tank is.

"I don't know if he really has fin rot and pop eye, it might just be normal...All I know is that he isn't eating and he isn't flaring and sticking up his fins like he used to."

A bulging eye isn't 'normal", but it's not uncommon or usually life threatening. Popeye is more of a symtom, like a bacterial infection from bad water quality. Bad water quality doesn't mean your tap water is toxic, it just means your tank water is. Ammonia and nitrites are toxic at any level over 0.0ppm. Fin rot is fins that look like they where torn or singed by fire, not normal. Also fish staying at the top constantly is a sign of stress.

"I have no idea how to blanche a pea. Help?"

Just boil some water, drop the pea in for about 30 seconds, and pop it back out. Run it under cool water and then peel the skin/shell away. I usually just run a frozen pea under hot water and squeeze it until it pops out of it's shell.

" Besides, he isn't eating his freezedried bloodworms, which I know he loves, so I don't know if he is going to eat the pea or not, and I don't want it to rot in his tank."

If he doesn't eat at all, the pea won't help. If this happens use epsom salts it has the same effect as the pea, flushes the fish out. Any uneaten food should be removed after 2 minutes.

"How do you know when to euthenize or not? I really don't know. I feel bad for the fish, and I don't know if I should even try to help or not."

Its a tough call to know when. Usually when the fish doesn't respond to treatments and seems to get worse, then "I help it along".

" Maybe I shouldn't be a fish owner....I don't seem to be doing so well on this. "

It sounds like you would be a great fish owner because you seem to care. Do the research and figure out the "science" and it will all come together for you. It really makes this hobby more rewarding when you know why something "works". You also will be able to figure things out when something goes wrong.

"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Read the link below, I reccomend a fishless cycle of a 10G for your first tank. Use the 2.5G for a hospital/QT tank. If you have any questions feel free to email me, just click my boardname and hit the send me a message link. A fishless cycle takes about 4 weeks without any "seed" material. This is one of the safest, most humane ways to start a tank. The other option is start a planted tank. Have the planted tank set up for a month to make sure the plants are OK, then add fish.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nitrogen Cycle

Okay, well, Stormy died a couple of days ago. Thanks for all your help.
I want to get another betta for the 2.5 eventually, but if you guys really think I should get a 10 gallon for a betta, I'll just get a different fish that can take a little bit cooler temperature. I can't really afford a 10 gallon right now.
Thanks again!
Tighe

I'm sorry to hear that you lost your bettas.

About the only fish that I can think of that might do ok in you 2.5 gallon tank would be 3 white clouds. They are capable of handling a bit cooler water. Make sure your tank is cycled first though. As you can afford to make purchases....a heater and a test kit should be the first things on your list. This way you will know exactly what your water is doing.

Good luck,

Sierra