What about your cycle when you single betta gets sick?

[finnfinnfriend]

Won't your cycle crash if you have a sick single betta that you need to treat? What do you do about that?

[WhiskeyHands]

i dont get how it crashes if the reason you put fish in it is to get an ammonia source?

[LebronTheBetta]

I think what finnfinn means is that the fish will be in a QT tank rather than the main one. What about this idea? When you do your water changes, you can just add it in your main tank. It won't be a waste of water, too.

[finnfinnfriend]

If I did that, the meds and salt would go into the main tank too though /:

[LebronTheBetta]

Oh, yeah. /: What about fish food then, do you have liquid ammonia?

[finnfinnfriend]

Originally Posted by LebronTheBetta

Oh, yeah. /: What about fish food then, do you have liquid ammonia?

I don't have ammonia, but the food idea sounds good :). I suppose I could just add food everyday as if he were in there, and then once he is better I do a water change with a good thorough vacuuming before putting him back.

BTW This is hypothetical! By betta is not sick! I just want to know so I know what to do!

[Oldfishlady]

Depending on how mature your tank is and how stable the cycle-The tank should be fine for 10-14 days while you had the fish in QT.

Anything organic will maintain the nitrogen cycle-Plants, snails, shrimp and old mulm/debris already in the tank. As the debris/mulm breakdown it will create the food source for the beneficial bacteria.
Remembering that the self limiting BB are sticky and adhere to all the surface area within the tank, in the top layer of substrate and in the filter media-very little are in the water column itself.

[finnfinnfriend]

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

Depending on how mature your tank is and how stable the cycle-The tank should be fine for 10-14 days while you had the fish in QT.

Anything organic will maintain the nitrogen cycle-Plants, snails, shrimp and old mulm/debris already in the tank. As the debris/mulm breakdown it will create the food source for the beneficial bacteria.
Remembering that the self limiting BB are sticky and adhere to all the surface area within the tank, in the top layer of substrate and in the filter media-very little are in the water column itself.

I don't have any other organic material, but it seems like with just the mulm it would be fine for the standard time of treatment, which is a week. Thank you :)

Could I use any household items as the QT?

EDIT: could I use the water change bucket? He can't jump out if there is a gallon of water in there because it's so tall...

[finnfinnfriend]

So if there are no tank mates or live plants, how long will the cycle be alive without the fish in the tank?

[Myates]

As OFL said, it will depend on how mature the tank is (how long it's been cycled).. 10-14 days is what she is saying if your tank is mature/has been cycled for a while.

Could always put a tiny bit of fish flake food in there if need be.. people will use that and raw shrimp to help cycle a tank fishless.. but OFL will know more :)