A Little Help for a First Time Betta Owner :)

[woofer00]

Bettas aren't the strongest of swimmers. I had one that would spend an hour at a time swimming into my HOBs strong output, and another that would stay as far as possible from any current whatsoever. It really varies, and even the same betta will have a different attitude to current depending on its mood. If you need to keep the tank cycled, try breaking up the output so that it doesn't land in one place, either with tall decor or piece of plastic attached to the filter's output.

As for feeding the betta, you might have to experiment a bit. Coloration is probably because he's not eating. Bettas can go for a week or so without eating, but coloration will definitely suffer as a result. Just about any small fish will go nuts for freeze-dried bloodworms, but they really aren't much of a staple diet. They'll expand in the betta's stomach and cause constipation, and they're said to lack nutrients. Pellets are hit-and-miss. Softened pellets are a bit friendlier, but can still be hit-or-miss. My first betta would eat nothing but pellets regardless of brand, but my current betta will just stare at them, then stare at me as if to say "you expect me to eat THIS? Come on, bring on the real food," then proceed to eat whatever else I throw in the tank. I feed my betta (and the rest of the community tank) mostly flake food, with freeze-dried bloodworms as a treat every few days. The bottom-feeders get their own variety, and everyone's happy. My crowntail will actually scarf up the gel-encased bloodworms I treat the bottom feeders with on occasion before anyone else gets to them.

*edit*
oh, and as for peas, I don't really include them on a regular basis, but it is sometimes necessary, mostly because bloodworms expand like crazy AFTER they've been eaten. You'll definitely notice the bulge if you need to go with the pea method, but usually the bloating will resolve itself. Peas really aren't ideal regular food for carnivores like bettas though.