Not entirely. BB need an Oxygen rich environment to thrive, and while they are 'sticky' and can be found on all surfaces of the tank, MOST of them are going to be found in your filter on your media because that is the most oxygen-rich area in your tank. Therefore, you need to provide enough of some kind of media in your filter for the BBs to colonize in order to start and maintain a cycle.
We are getting off subject here though....I think thats enough hijacking this thread, lets just drop the subject.
Plants such as duckweed help, not because they grow beneficial bacteria on their roots but because of their ability to uptake an astonishing amount of ammonia and other nutrients. It is possible to have a tank where plants act as a living filter, removing waste products and oxygenating the water. However, you need to know what you are doing to be successful with a set-up like this, and it can be a fine balance between plant growth and stocking.
Anyway, I would probably advise trying to rehome your neon tetras. They are quite a popular fish amongst the planted tank community so perhaps you could find someone who would take them.
They are quite a sensitive fish and really need a mature, established tank to do best in. If your tank isn't cycled (sounds like it isn't ) unless you are very on the ball with testing your parameters and doing water changes, you are probably going to lose them during the process.
Glofish or zebra danios, which I believe is what they are, are hardy fish. However, they are also very active swimmers and require in my opinion at least a 3 foot tank to really thrive in. I would return it and say that you were sold the incorrect fish and that you are unable to provide the adequate care for it. If the person in the fish section refuses just say you want to talk to their manager then. I'm sure they'd be happy to take back the fish rather than have to deal with the hassle of it all.
If you are keeping the neons, definitely try and get a 10 gallon tank. Also because your tank is going to start cycling whether you want it to or not, you are really going to need to purchase a test kit for ammonia and nitrite. Otherwise you will have no real idea as to what your parameters are, and whether your fish are being subjected to dangerously high levels of ammonia. Clean, clear water does not mean that it is safe for your fish, and as little as 0.5-1ppm of ammonia could be enough to kill your fish, particularly the neons.
Plants such as duckweed help, not because they grow beneficial bacteria on their roots but because of their ability to uptake an astonishing amount of ammonia and other nutrients. It is possible to have a tank where plants act as a living filter, removing waste products and oxygenating the water. However, you need to know what you are doing to be successful with a set-up like this, and it can be a fine balance between plant growth and stocking.
Anyway, I would probably advise trying to rehome your neon tetras. They are quite a popular fish amongst the planted tank community so perhaps you could find someone who would take them.
They are quite a sensitive fish and really need a mature, established tank to do best in. If your tank isn't cycled (sounds like it isn't ) unless you are very on the ball with testing your parameters and doing water changes, you are probably going to lose them during the process.
Glofish or zebra danios, which I believe is what they are, are hardy fish. However, they are also very active swimmers and require in my opinion at least a 3 foot tank to really thrive in. I would return it and say that you were sold the incorrect fish and that you are unable to provide the adequate care for it. If the person in the fish section refuses just say you want to talk to their manager then. I'm sure they'd be happy to take back the fish rather than have to deal with the hassle of it all.
If you are keeping the neons, definitely try and get a 10 gallon tank. Also because your tank is going to start cycling whether you want it to or not, you are really going to need to purchase a test kit for ammonia and nitrite. Otherwise you will have no real idea as to what your parameters are, and whether your fish are being subjected to dangerously high levels of ammonia. Clean, clear water does not mean that it is safe for your fish, and as little as 0.5-1ppm of ammonia could be enough to kill your fish, particularly the neons.
This is true Neons are pretty but honestly even in an established tank they are hard to introduce. I say hold off on Neons till you have a bit more fish keeping experience under your belt. Find both the neons and the danio a new home. Danios need a strong current and best not to push the temp in their tank above 77 degrees. Danios are not tropical fish. They are at odds with a Betta for housing. Danios also need a group of 6+ to school to spread out harassment. They harrass each other and the other fish in your tank to no end if you don't school them properly. A single danio is capable of stressing the Betta and neons to death. 3 is not a school. it is 6+ for aggression reasons. Even Neons will pick on their own and you need those bodies to spread it out.
Short version:
Neons are bad fish for beginners.
Danios are one of the worst choices to house with Bettas.
I commend you for coming to the forums and learning.
yeah my parents say maybe the danio will become friends and be in the tetra pack but trust me, they haven't done as much researching as me :p even though i got the danio from walmart... do you think i could "donate" it to Petsmart? she's completely healthy! and, walmart doesn't give a tartar sauce about their fish and their care -_-
and i've been trying to find the perfecto tank(10gal) for my fish so much! i tested my water again yesterday and the ammonia is still .5pp but everything else is perfect... which is good i guess.
i'm not giving up the tetras! i'm getting that tank as soon as possible.
If you're ammonia is that high, which is not surprising in the size of tank you've got all those fish in right now, you should do a nice large water change on that tank. You want to keep the ammonia as low as you possibly can, any amount can be harmful, and for sensitive neons deadly.
Do some searching around your area and see if you can find a local, privately owned pet store that carries fish. I don't think Petsmart will take unwanted fish(though you can ask), but often a privately owned place will take your fish for some store credit or something.
I do agree though that ideally it would be best to give the neons away as well for the moment until you are able to get your tank all setup, fully cycled, and you have a little more experience and knowledge.....sometimes though it may not be what we want, we need to think of what is best for the fish, even if that means not keeping them.
Of course its up to you, no one can make you, and I and others have given you some good info to help you try and work it out, but its just something to think about.
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