Should I clean the tank if something just died?

[Quills]

My catfish has just died literally 20 minutes ago, and I removed it after 20 minutes. Should I clean the tank now immediately and do 100% water change?
It is a 5 gallon tank, fully cycled, has plants, aeration and amazing filtration system. I just don't want to do 100% water change because that would mess up the cycling and I don't want to start again. What should I do?
Sorry that I am panicking it's just it took me a while to get perfect cycling and now I don't want my fish to get sick and yet I don't want to start the long process of cycling again.

[Oldfishlady]

As a general rule-anytime you have a death or remove a sick fish-make a 50% water change. Fish decomp really fast and can foul the water-even in heavy planted tanks.

IMO/E-5gals even planted really isn't enough space to house other species of fish along with a Betta, I am assuming this tank has a Betta...correct....

Proper stocking is really important for the long term health of the system. When the tank is overstock and/or improper stocked-this can cause stress in all the livestock and you risk all the fish getting sick.

What other livestock do you have in the tank, number and species of live plants. How long has the tank been setup, how long did you have the catfish-what kind was it and do you know why it died.

Sorry for your loss by the way.....

[Quills]

I have two java moss plants, 5 anacharis plants, and 1 java fern. I also have one ground filter and one surface filter along with aeration and a heater.
The fish living are one Betta (19 months old), one ghost shrimp (I have no idea how old but that thing is immortal), and one oto catfish that has died of old age, when I was scooping him up he was still having his last death throes.
The tank has been setup for over 3 months now (maybe more I don't know exact time, it's been a while), and I just run a nitrite and ammonia test. My ammonia was 0 and nitrite was at 0.3 so I think that is normal? Also I perform weekly 60% water changes.

[Oldfishlady]

What is your nitrate and pH....the nitrite and ammonia should be 0ppm, however, with a dead fish- having a spike with either of those could be expect and a partial water change should fix it.

Are you talking about an under gravel filter(UGF), if so, it may not be doing much as far as filtration/biofilter if the plates are clogged or the water flow is impeded due to rooted plants-It won't hurt anything per say-except it might be hard for rooted plants to get nutrients.

I would add to your shrimp number and skip adding any other fish species-especially since most of the catfish are social and like to be kept in larger numbers that a 5gal couldn't support along with a Betta-But shrimp and/or snail are a good choice-especially since you have live plants....

Love to see a pic...

[Quills]

Here is a pic. I unfortunately don't have pH or nitrate test since I though nitrites and ammonia were the harmful things. My nitrite is 0.3 using nutrafin test. The thing says 0.3 is the good one and anything below or above is bad. What should I do if it is 0.3, it has always been 0.3
Also I am talking about the sponge filter that you put on the bottom of the tank, not the gravel stuff.
And the reason why I got oto is because I have plants and I thought they are the ones that eat algae. I don't want any snails because I find them somewhat gross and they increase the ammonia levels I heard. And I am scared to get the second shrimp because I do not want them to start reproducing. But I guess I will try getting another shrimp, just don't know how to distinguish males from females.
Doing water change now.