Betta Fish: My first betta has been an adventure (the bad kind) but he’s okay now

Meet Aegon the first Targaryen

He was all sad and sick when I got him from the pet store and thought to myself: "Poor thing, I'll save him" and asked the guy taking care of the fish how I could take care of him (W R O N G). He told me they don't need filters, or heaters (that one is kind of understandable since we live in a tropical area but we have AC inside so… yes, they are needed) and that my 5 litter (almost 1 gallon) tank was perfect and more than enough for him.

bruh.

So the first days he was active, acting okay, and then he went lethargic, didn't want to eat. That state lasted almost a week. Week where I was panicking because I learned more about the proper care and bought everything I needed (a bigger tank, filter, heater) and felt I was running out of time.

The things arrived, first day he was happy and then again to the state of imminent departure.

I panicked.

Explained the situation to my boyfriend and together we made an intensive on fish treatments and decided to put him in a hospital tank (thing I didn't know existed) with antibiotics and antifungal, I'm a medicine student in vacation so imagine my surprise when I suddenly find myself with a new patient.

Spent 5 days on the hospital tank, got a lot better and now he's in his new 8 gallon tank with proper filtration and a heater 😀 (yes, I'm doing a fish-in cycle, yes I know the tank needs to be cycled, I did my homework, okay?)

(1st pic is him now)