Sick Fishy

It's been about a year since I got Rocky (Read Meet Rocky).  They say betta fish would live on average for about a year to a few years.  By the time they get to the pet shop and are sold, they are usually about 6 months.  So Rocky should be around 18 months old.

He doesn't look like the day he came.  He is skinny and has this weird bump on the side of his tummy.  I did a lot of research and asked around on fish forums.  The only two possibile diagnoses are parasite or tumor.  I gave him some medications to treat parasite and viral infections but it didn't make the bump go away.  His color is looking much better after the medications but he is still very thin.

So he's like a fish cancer patient.

He doesn't act sick at all, though.  He's a little less active and would rest at the bottom sometims, but for the most part he swims around and acts like a maniac when it's feeding time.  Fish with parasite usually rubs the body against objects but Rocky doesn't do that at all.  He has a mild case of fin rot again but it seems like it's healing already.  When I look at him or get closer to the tank, he will always come closer.  Sometimes he'll wrap himself around the filter intake and chill (I guess it's relaxing but it's scary to look at).

This small tank has been really difficult to keep clean.  Even though the water is clear, it still needs to be
changed 2 - 3 times a week or he'll get fin rot.  I'm not positng a picture at this time because he doesn't look all that great...nice colors but he's thin and his fins are clamped.  He's still a champ.

The other one at home, Prince Orange on the other hand, never get sick.  He looks healthy and is very active.  He bites his tail every so often but it grows back and he'll repeat it again.  I was worried that he's stressed but I think it's just too long and he attacks it thinking it's another fish.  I can't seem to keep the plants healthy because they keep dying (they're supposed to grow!) but oh well.

Hope they both live for many years.