Dropsy?!?!?!?!?!

[Mhira]

Until very recently, I've done everything wrong for my sweet Betta, Zeus. I have kept him in a bowl without thermometer or cycling system for a year, feeding him bloodworms and flakes. When I first got Zeus, I think I remember him being a mix of blue and red- now he's all red, and his throat is white! He seems big- either obese or swollen- and his scales resemble a pinecone. I've been researching online (like I should have been doing for the last year!!) and I think he has Dropsy?
I just moved him into a new 5 gallon tank with a biowheel type filter and a little whisper heater. I added some plastic plants until I can set up for real ones. I know I shouldn't have, but I put Zeus into the new tank without cycling first. I figured it was still better than what he had.
Now he's staying at the top of the tank- right under the light. He used to be so active- he would jump to eat off my finger- now he's listless and sad. I've been such a horrible keeper- HOW CAN I REDEEM MYSELF?!?!?!

 

[DclownD]

well to be honest keep doing water changes at least once a week because of it not being cycled... i keep my beta in a 1g uncycled and once a month i clean his tank 100% he is always active... ill be buying him a 2.5 this week with heater and a hob filter if i can.. the scales sticking out is a bad sign even i can tell ya that... my beta has had a small white spot under his guils since i bought him.. if this is a bad thing pls let me know as well as id like to cure it if its a bad thing...

 

[MissFishy]

Well, even bettas need a cycled tank. Make sure you are doing regular water changes and that you get your water tested. If he is listless and acting sick, he may have the beginning signs of ammonia poisoning, so you should get the water tested ASAP to find out if that is what's wrong. Another thing that could be wrong is what I call "small bowl syndrome." Most bettas are raised in cups in Thailand, then dumped into slightly larger cups in pet stores. If you take these fish and immediately drop them into a much larger living area with a filter circulating the water, they may go into shock. Most of these fish don't have the swimming skills necessary to fight the current of a filter and may get sick and stressed. Make sure your filter only has a slight current, just enough to circulate the water, bettas aren't good swimmers. Keep him in his current tank as moving him will just stress him out more. Read the symptoms of dropsy and see if he may have it. Do you have a heater for this tank?

 

[Mhira]

Yes, there is a heater: pre-set to stay between 72-80 I think. I just finished medication, btw, and he's almost 100% better!!! Still has color loss under his throat, but he's really active, and no longer swollen or pine-coney!!! I'm going to do a 20% water change tomorrow.

BTW: Ammonia was 0- I checked as soon as I realized he was sick
The only noticable thing was that the PH was 8.0- I have hard water. How can I make it neutral (7.0)?