Fishless cycling for a betta fish... HELP!!!

[mahi]

Also, a reading of 2.0ppm for nitrites is very toxic for the fish! If I were you I would do a big water change (75%) immediately to get the nitrites down.

[ANHEL123]

Forgive me if i am writing something stupid. I don't understand cycling . But as i remembered correctly you are living for 2 weeks. And your tank is 5 gall.
When i go on the vocation for 7 days i just change 100% of the water the day before i go . I do it for 5 gall and for 2.5 gall. So forgive me if i am writing something stupid since i don't understand cycling. But you worry so much and do so much so long it not worth it. Why just change water like many people do 100%?

I live my 2.5 & 5 gall for a week so i assume your tanks would be fine for 2 weeks. And when you come back you will need to change them.

How about food?

[BubbiBubba]

Sorry to keep adding onto this thread, guys, but I don't want to create an entirely different one to bother more folks about the same issue!

ANYWAY: If my betta fish DOES pass away at some point in his life (I hope not soon or there will always be tears regardless) what would I do?

His 5 gallon is fully cycled, but how can I keep dosing ammonia to keep the cycle continuing (before I add a new betta, of course) if there are 2 Amano shrimp in the tank?! They will surely die! & we all don't want that.

All help is greatly appreciated.

[Hallyx]

That is a really good question, BB.

But first, how did your vacation go and how are your stock and tank after two weeks?

I understand your question; I've been keeping a cycle going by ammonia dosing for e few weeks now waiting on a new Betta to be delivered.

I think what I would have done if I'd had shrimp in the tank, is to put them in their own tank while maintaining the cycle by dosing.

Even though the shrimp could keep the cycle going, it would have been very weak. Adding stock might cause a mini-cycle.

Anyway, it's not something your should have to worry about for a long time.