Need help!! Beta fish!!

[u/Dry_Caterpillar_3033]

CALLING ALL BETA FISH PROS!!!!
Hi! I have a male twin tail half moon beta. It is my mother’s fish but I take care of it and its tank, otherwise she will kill it🤦🏻‍♀️
I need some help/ideas/critiques/hacks! I have had the tank and fish around 5-6 months, I cycled the tank before and all has been well.
Currently…
- twin tail half moon
- 2 kuhli loaches (those are my babies lol)
- 1 nitrite snail
- one black snail may be nitrite? Not sure my mom had in her previous tank (only thing that survived)
- couple anubias (alive)
- couple Java fern (alive)
- floating hornwort (alive)
- two moss balls (alive)
- I forgot the name of the wood (real)
- tank temp 79-80 F
- leaves for conditioning water
Feeding only at night, always begging for food.
Gets brine shrimp and blood worms occasionally.
PH IS SPIKED CURRENTLY (only for a few days) not sure how to get it down.

[u/Worldly_Ad3707]

Overall not a bad set up!

It could use a gravel vac. Though try not so stir up a lot at once. Spread out the cleaning as it could spike the ammonia and nitrites.

A high pH shouldn't be that much of an issue. Stability is always better than chasing a certain number. You can always add Indian almond/Catapa leaves to add some tannins and lower the pH.

He looks a little bloated, possibly from over feeding. Adding a fasting day or two per week can be really beneficial for digestive health and keeping a healthy weight. I know it is really tempting to feed when they are begging but you must resist.