What's wrong with my tank and betta

Hi, I have a question about my tank. It is a 1 gallon with an undergravel filter. I was on recently vacation and a friend was taking care of my betta. Before I left, there was a bit of brown algae on the rocks, and the water was SLIGHTLY cloudy. 4 weeks later, there was light green algae EVERYWHERE and my poor betta was lying on the gravel, bloated. There was uneaten food everywhere. The water was a very cloudy green and decorations were covered with brown algae. I put my betta into a 3/4 gallon QT vase and fasted him, then fed him some pea. Bloating is almost gone, but he is still lethargic. I checked for velvet, ich and cotton mouth, and it doesn't look like dropsy. What could it be? The characteristics don't seem to fit anything, for my tank and betta. Thanks.

 

Welcome to Fish Lore!!! Pleasure to meet you!

First off, the absolute minimum tank size for a betta is 2.5 gallons. They need a heated, filtered, and cycled tank. I assume the vase isn't filtered or heated?

Lots of questions:

1. Has the 1 gallon been cycled?
2. Is it heated?
3. What's the temp?
4. What are the water parameters?
5. Is the QT vase heated or filtered?

From the sound of it, the tank was way too small, he was overfed, and since he was overfed and the tank was too small, the tank (and he) might've suffered an ammonia spike. Does he have red gills?

 

1. The 1 gallon has not been cycled
2. No, it is not heated.
3. About 73 ° F
4. I did not check, I did a 100% water change immediately. The water did have a musky smell, though.
5. The QT vase is not heated or filtered.
He does not have red gills. The only other cycled tank with a filter is our 16 gallon with mollies and tetras. This is my first betta, so I am a newbie to bettas.

 

Welcome to the forum.

I'd suggest scrapping that tank and starting over with a larger aquarium, at least 2.5 gallons. 1 gallon isn't an aquarium, it's a party size coke.

 

Welcome and as others have said go bigger. Do research on the fish you want to keep before buying them and do what is best! Now as to your current situation, get a heater for the vase and change 50% of the water daily and try to get a filter in there somehow until the Betta can be put back in the party coke temporally until you get a bigger tank. A quick search on Amazon showed a 2.5 Betta setup is about $35 with tank, filter, LED light and lid. All you would need is a heater. If you can only afford a heater, get one for the party coke bottle for now. Even though Betta's are kept in those tiny containers in stores, that is not how they should be kept. Good Luck.

 

Thanks everyone for your opinions! I ordered a 3 gallon with a filter and a heater.

 

Great! do not wash any of your stuff in the tank, any BB in the tank will help start the cycle on the new tank. I am not sure how the UGF works with the BB, but if it fits in the new tank, just rest in there for a few weeks until the cycle is established if you can.