Please Help. Trouble With Bettas

[Hollyweb]

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Tank size: 3 gal
pH: 7.6
ammonia: 0.50 (it was much higher before I did a 50% water change. I did an ammonia test before I did the water change and it was between 2.0 and 4.0)
nitrite: 0 ppm
nitrate: 20 ppm
kH: ?
gH: ?
tank temp: 78f
 
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Brutus is just very lethargic. My other betta, Raphael died yesterday I think from ammonia poisoning. The ammonia levels in the tank were insanely high yesterday. I did a 90% water change, and then another 50% water change but he didn't make it. I put Brutus in the tank thinking he would like a place all to himself, and he was very active yesterday and this morning but for the past several hours he has been very lethargic, just laying on the bottom of the tank. I checked the ammonia levels and it was between 2 and 4.0. I did a 50% water change and used water from my 20 gal cycled tank and checked the ammonia again and it's significantly lower now.
 
Volume and Frequency of water changes: 90% water change yesterday and a 50% water change yesterday and a 50% water change today.
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: None (there was melafix in it but that's why I did the 90% and 50% change yesterday)
Tank inhabitants: Just a male betta named Brutus
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): I had an anubias nana plant in there but I took it out thinking maybe that was what was causing  the ammonia to spike. Not sure.
Exposure to chemicals: None
Digital photo (include if possible): I can provide one if needed, however there aren't any physical symptoms, no fungus or spots or anything. He's just lethargic. He ate this morning when  I put food in there.
 
Maybe I'm just being paranoid but after losing Raphael yesterday and now Brutus is behaving differently it has me worried. I'm thinking about just  moving Brutus back to the 20 gallon. I think I am just not a very good fish mommy.

 

[PrincessKiara]

Oh no! Hollywebs! Raphael died? He was so gorgeous! R.I.P Raph
I'm sorry I can't offer very much help here, not being very skilled with bettas myself But I'm sure you're an excellent fish mommy. The fact that you care shows as much.
Hugs and kisses to you and Brutus!

 

[Hollyweb]

Oh no! Hollywebs! Raphael died? He was so gorgeous! R.I.P Raph

I'm sorry I can't offer very much help here, not being very skilled with bettas myself

But I'm sure you're an excellent fish mommy. The fact that you care shows as much.
Hugs and kisses to you and Brutus!

 
Yes, unfortunately Raphael died yesterday. He was very lethargic and wasn't eating.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Is your tank cycled filtered?
 
Does it have a filter?

 

[ReiRei]

Having a very similar problem here ): Very sorry to hear about your loss!
Can't offer you a solution, or I wouldn't be in the same situation.

 

[Hollyweb]

The tank does have a filter. It's been set up for only about two weeks, if that.
 
I moved Brutus back into my 20 gallon and he seems to have recovered. When I first put him in there, he hid away from all of the other fish but after a couple of hours he was out and about, and this morning he is eating, so that makes me feel better.

 

[LunaBug]

From my experience with my betta Narcissus, they have odd reactions to new environments. It is entirely possible that the water chemistry was bothering him but another alternative was he was unsure of his new surroundings and chose the "possum" approach to dealing with it. I just ha to transfer all my fish out of their tank to a new one due to entirely too high ammonia levels. My betta tends to be really relaxed and doesn't flare at typical agitators. That boy was all puffed up and swimming in circles in the new location. My point is it could've easily been an emotional response to change.

Hope that helps. One fish mommy to another

 

[Wildbetta]

What it sounds like happened is that the filter in the 3 gallon was not cycled which led to dangerously high ammonia spikes.  It is a good thing that you put Brutus back in the 20 at the moment.  If you do want to move him to the 3 gal by himself, I suggest cycling the filter that is in there.  The easiest way would be to use a bit of used filter media from your 20 gal.  That would make it cycle a bit quicker. 

 

[Hollyweb]

The ammonia in the 3 gal has seemed to level out for the most part. It's still a bit high, but not nearly to the levels it was a couple of weeks ago. I did end up putting Brutus back in there because it looks like maybe he has some fin rot so I was advised to put him by himself so that he could try to heal without being harassed by other fish.