I think I have a sick Betta on my hands..Help!

[Fraulein D. Hatter]

My Crowntail Chopin is usually a very active betta. For the last week or so, he rarely swims around anymore.

He sits on the bottom on the gravel and tips from side to side. I've rearranged his decorations and have kept up with the water changes. His diet varies so I know that he's getting a change in food now and then.

His eyes aren't bulging, but they look white around them. So they stand out.

I really don't want to lose my Betta..Is there anything else I can do..?

[tori.lock]

How are the water parameters?
How old is he?
What size tank is he in?
Did you cycle the tank?

[Fraulein D. Hatter]

Parameters are fine. He's about 4 months old, five gallon glass aquarium and the tank was cycled.

[Northernguy]

What are fine perameters?
Are there any bumps on its body?
Have you done water changes?How often? How much?

[Fraulein D. Hatter]

Nope. No bumps on his body.
He looks fine. I changed his filter for good measure, gave him a little of the blood worms and he seems to be doing fine now. He swims along the bottom and just..rests. I guess he was just bored with his aquarium. I'm adding some hidey holes for him, to perhaps liven things up a bit.

I do water changes once, if not twice a week.

I could just be a worry wart. I just love my Betta and I want him to be happy and healthy. He has a tendency to scare me a bit.

[Northernguy]

What did you do to change the filter?
Did you throw the old one out?

[annageckos]

You changed the filter? By changing it do you mean that you throu away the old media? If so than your tank is now uncylced and you will need to do daily water changes untill it is done cycling. When it is time to clean your filter how do you do it? Replace with new media or sqeeze out the old media in some used tank water?

[Fraulein D. Hatter]

The old one had gotten dirtier than I thought. Before changing it, it had been just under a month since LAST changing the filter.

I've been told that I had to change it monthly and I do.

But I used some of the old water to soak the new filter. I did a fish in cycle when I'd first gotten my tank and things went perfectly after a week of daily water changes. So it's not like it's something I can't keep up with.

I do daily water changes though. But lately I hadn't.

[Slow Cheetah]

i have had my filter media for over 6 months occasionally rinsing the media in tank water and everything is fine for me.

if you throw old media and chuck in a new one the bacteria has to regrow. if you insist on changing that frequently, put a new one in with the old filter media for about a week together before taking out the old one. thats what i would do at least.

[Fraulein D. Hatter]

Is there any way that one can tell that a Betta was just getting..old?

[HorrorShowRot]

Less colorfull. My betta died of old age recently sad day. But I would check the paramaters and what size tank is it and temp