I have a betta fish for almost a week :) and he has been eating fine and everything just today he swims and then goes back down to the bottom he has not really been swimming lately what is wrong? and how can you tell if they are sick or have a riped fin?

LarryH54 is correct, you should keep him in at least a 5 gallon aquarium! In the biggest study of its kind, it was found that a Betta's lifespan is cut in half on average if kept in the cruel little containers perpetuated by pet shops. They weren't sure whether it was primarily due to the pure boredom of their tiny prison, or a combination of that and no exercise since they had no place to explore. They often ended up with fatty liver disease. Pet shops prefer you keep them in small containers as you cause premature death, and buy more often. You probably didn't even realize you are being cruel to him. You should never change all the water at once! It can totally destroy all of the good-guy bacteria which breaks down waste. A 25% change once a week is considered good. If your water is treated with chlorine, or chloramine, make sure to use a de-chlorinator! A Betta does best in a temperature of 79-81. Many people keep them in room temperature, and the fish are not as healthy in such poor conditions. You can find a cheap used 5 or 10 gallon aquarium on Craigslist, and have a much happier, healither fish.

i have had al ot fish tanks and tropical fish. beta's do not swim around much. that's why when you see them in a pet store they are normally in a very small container. just make sure you keep the water clean. my beta's liked the frozen brine shrimp i would feed them. flake food works ok too but they really like brine shrimp. hope the beta is doing ok.

A few questions first. How big a tank is he in? How many other fish share the tank? How long has it been set up? Have you tested the water?