Can You Help Me Out Here?

[Insert Name Here]

hey I have a freshwater fish tank(5 gallons) with 1 guppy(female) and 1 siamese fighting fish(male), and no plants. They get along extremely well (surprisingly), and I have had them for a year. Now, I have just noticed a couple of problems.
1. The bottom of the tank(the gravel) has allot of rotting food and gunk. I cleaned most of it out, but I was wondering if there was a way to keep it under control easily and effectively? I would like something that is cheep, that doesn't require allot of maintenance, and that wouldn't disrupt the lives of the fish already living here.
2. Also, the siamese fighting fish's fins are starting to get allitle ragged. Why is this happening, what does it mean, and how can I change this.
thanks

 

[saph.st24]

hi
if you have rotting food the your over feeding,
you can buy a gravel cleaner for tanks the are available at fish shops and cheap
http/images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...sa%3DN%26um%3D1
as for the fins well its either the water quailty or something is nipping the fins

 

[Insert Name Here]

thanks
I'll go do that right now.

 

[kniesh]

If its rotting food on the bottom, try a snail or two, or maybe some shrimp, depending on the temp you have, Red Cherry may be ok.