What else can i do to help my betta?

What can I do to help my Betta fish with deteriorating fins?

• I have owned my Betta fish since late January and have recently been noticing fin rot (this past month). I decided to change the water more often, and I asked a worker at Petsmart if there were any medications I could give him. She recommended Melafix; a liquid medication that treats bacterial infections such as ulcers, open wounds, eye cloud, pop eye,mouth wounds and fin/ tail rot, and aquarium salt. I left with only the melafix, which suggests 5ml per every ten gallons. My tank is 1.66 gallons so I administer 2-3 drops every day. His actual ROT has gotten better, but now my big problem is deteriorating fins. His fins split ALL the time, and just then when I dropped a betta pellet in his water he became excited and flicked his fins as he always does, but when he did, the top part of his dorsal fin simply broke apart in pieces in an instant, leaving only the thin pieces of cartilage. I tried removing all pieces of plants which could hook his fins, and I recently switched to a different conditioner called 'Prime' that removes chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, and provides a slime coat. Am I over medicating or is there something else I could do? What should I do from here? He is otherwise completely happy and healthy and active.

• Answer:

  Can you get a bigger tank? Like a 5 gallon kit? Even if you change water regularly, treat the water with the best products etc, the biological balance of a 1.66g tank can be messed up very easily and it can couse the deteriorating fins of your fish. It's also a lot easier to maintain. Also make sure that your tank is heated to 78F which is recommended for Bettas. Try getting some Indian Almond Leaves (better fish stores sell them) and adding a piece to your tank, it's said help with regrowing fins and keeping the Betta healthy.