Beginner's Tank Size Guide for Betta Keeping

[bahamut285]

@Gardengirl: Yes, I am completely aware, my fish are the same, haha. It is why as a disclaimer I said it was for your average run-of-the-mill betta who didn't really care about its surroundings. Thanks for your input!

@Oiseau: Me too, LOL

@Callmeconfused: LOL Thanks so much for reading XDD

@Bastage: I know. I have an expensively engineered tank for my goldfish. This is just a general guide for your basic tank with a basic filtering sytem (or lack thereof). Also not to mention this is for BEGINNERS. By beginner I mean somebody who will just go off and pick up a literal glass box for their betta.

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

I hope this gets stickied!

[bastage]

Originally Posted by bahamut285

@Bastage: I know. I have an expensively engineered tank for my goldfish. This is just a general guide for your basic tank with a basic filtering sytem (or lack thereof). Also not to mention this is for BEGINNERS. By beginner I mean somebody who will just go off and pick up a literal glass box for their betta.

I wasnt trying to contradict anything you had said. But there was several posts from other people that said larger tanks are less work. This could potentially scare off some new keepers who are space limited.
I Figured that anyone who saw the guide & then read the remarks should see the flip side of the "bigger is better" arguement that others have made.

[bahamut285]

I never said you were? LOL. I'm just saying that this is a tank for absolute beginners. A beginner isn't really likely to purchase one of those hyper-expensive aquariums for a first fish...I know I wouldn't XD

[AudBetta]

Thanks for the info:) I still consider myself a beginner even though I've been keeping bettas for a few years. I'm trying to get better at it;)
I have A 2.5 gallon with a thick layer gravel. In it is my small female betta, a ghost shrimp and two snails.
I cycled it, levels are good except ammonia, I'm confused because its still really clean. I've got a couple small plants and a moss ball. Also, a small filter. I did a 25% water change tonight and put in stress coat and stresszyme.
Any thoughts? She hasn't been the happiest (clamped fins) hoping she doesn't have something. Can stress coat give a false ammonia reading?
Should I do another partial water change tomorrow?
Thanks again:)

[1fish2fish]

If you have ammonia in the tank it probably isn't cycled. You need tons of surface area in the filter to get a small tank like that to cycle. Depending on what species of snail you have your tank is probably too over stocked and your cycle isn't stable enough to handle it. How long did you cycle the tank and what method did you use to cycle it?

What I would do is a 50% change and test at least every other day, if you see any ammonia above .25ppm do a 25-50% water change.

[NewFishyOwner]

MMM well it all depends I mean. I now have that 5 gallon but I don't know I think it will be a little hard to do 100% changes of water or 50% changes will see how will do. Either way my mom says it's not going back to the store because she feels is safe for the heater and really the little bowl she was in the heater would not have fit and her temp was getting real low. So it all depends on where you live, how you live, what can you do and how can you do it really.

[AudBetta]

I set up the tank (with plants) treated the water with stresszyme and coat and let the filter run for a couple weeks.
I tested and nitrate levels were great, but didn't bother testing ammonia because I thought there would be none since there was no fish. Dohh.
But when she seemed not happy I tested everything and found the ammonia was high :(
Should I add stresszyme and coat to the water after each water change?
I use well water.
Thanks for answering so quick:)

[1fish2fish]

Without an ammonia source your tank can't cycle. Running the filter really didn't do anything so when you added the fish the ammonia spiked because I'm guessing you weren't doing 100% changes since you thought it was cycled.

I'd scratch the stress zyme. Most of those products don't work well and you can cycle a tank without such additives.

A fish in cycle requires more work than a fishless cycle but it can be done. You will need to test the ammonia every other day (personally I prefer everyday... safer for the fish). If you see a reading above .25ppm do a 50% water change (some people do 25% and then do 50% if the reading is .5ppm or over but I don't bother with all that nonsense).

Eventually you'll see the ammonia spike and you will start seeing ammonia and nitrites showing up. A little while after that you'll start seeing no ammonia and your nitrites will spike and you'll begin seeing nitrates. When you are reading 0ppm ammonia and nitrite and 0-20ppm nitrate for at least a week.. then your tank is cycled.

[AudBetta]

Thanks 1fish2fish:)
I wish I understood that before I put Freda in the tank. Hope she hangs in there!
I'm going to test it again this morn. and do what you said.
Ugh, I feel like a bad parent. :(