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I could use some expert help...

1K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  trillian1973 
#1 · (Edited)
I am new to fishkeeping and I need some advice. My sons wanted to rescue a Betta, so I got them a fish and a 1/2 gallon tank on Saturday. In order to do him justice, I did a little research. (Apparently not enough!!) So I find out that the tiny tank is not going to work for him, so we purchased a 5 gallon tank with a filter and a heater. We set it up, let it run for 24 hours, acclimated the fish to his new surroundings and then turned him loose like the LFS employee said. Well then I find out about how I should have cycled the tank, so I'm panicking a little. I don't want him to die because I stupidly didn't know to cycle the tank first. :-(

He has seemed pretty happy since his move, he's eating ok but tonight he's been acting oddly. He can swim just fine, but he prefers one particular part of the bottom of the tank. He'll hang out there awhile, then dart off, hide in his cave, swim around a bit, deposit a tiny bubble for his nest, and then go back to his "spot." He looks ok and seems pretty energetic when he's swimming, so perhaps he's resting or just likes this spot? I am growing real plants for him, should I put a silk one in for him to rest on while the real ones grow?

Of course since I didn't cycle my tank I'm freaking out thinking the ammonia has spiked already and he's slowly being poisoned, but would a dying fish start a bubble nest? I'm sorry I'm such a newb. I am getting the ammonia/nitrate/nitrite test kits tomorrow...is there anything I can do to salvage the situation? I feel so awful for putting him through the cycling. :-(

Thanks in advance for your help and for reading.
 
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#2 ·
Hello and welcome to FishForum. You could always keep him in the 1/2 gallon until the tank cycles.I have a 4 gallon that I'm not cycling and I do partial changes, 50%, once a week and once a month I do a full change. you could do that if you choose not to cycle. Hope this helps.
 
#5 ·
Bettas are pretty hardy fish, if you keep up on water changes, he should be just fine. I am glad you are buying a water test kit. Test daily. Try to keep ammonia and nitrites under .25ppm. There is no such thing as two many water changes.
A 5 gal tank is fairly easy to cycle, so I would never do complete tear downs, this would destroy your cycle.
Just do water changes along with a little gravel siphoning.
Do not over clean the filter or media. This section will help start and hold the cycle. Just clean the filter media off in old tank water when needed, use it till its falling apart.
 
#7 ·
The 1/2 gallon COULD house a betta, but only if you have a bunch of bettas and not a lot of space.

Sorry I never add fish until it's cycled, so I'm no help :(
 
#8 ·
Yah I have 10 gallons that I didnt cycle and all my fish have done fine. Most new bettas will sit in one spot for the first day or so because they are used to not moving and they dont know if theres any predators in the tank. If you want you can buy a chemical called "cycle" and its supposed to speed up the cycling process, alot of people avoid chemical but it seemed to work for me.

What are you feeding him and how much? Sometimes SBD can make them lay on the bottom for a while and it seems to be common so I figure Id ask.
 
#9 ·
He hasn't been eating a whole lot, I've been giving him one or two pellets twice a day. That's all he seems to want to eat. I did happen to catch him eliminating today (lucky me haha) so hoping he's not stopped up. How much of the water did you change out when cycling that 10 gallon? Thanks!
 
#10 ·
When I did my water changes? I just do about 50% once a week, more or less if the water has leftovers in it or something looks weird.
 
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