I just saw this poor betta for sale in my city. I’m wondering if I were to buy it, what’s the best way to keep it healthy while a better tank cycles for it?
I currently have a 20 gallon established with other fish, so I could potentially use that bacteria to help cycle the new sponge filter?
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1ol49kf
Posted by OkBee2212
5 Comments
If that tank isn’t cycled, then the best way to keep it healthy would be to move it to whatever larger tank you buy and fish-in cycle. Yes, you can use the filter media from the established tank to help the new tank cycle faster.
I used my other tank to kickstart the cycle in a new tank:
– even with some bacteria it took over 2 weeks for it to fully cycle
– I had to do a water change every two days (ammonia was testing at 0,5; nitrites 0,025-0,1 – never got higher than that, but WC were necessary)
You can transfer him to a new tank as soon as you get him – he’s old “tank” is not cycled either and with such a small volume of water it would be worse for him to stay in there. You’ll just have to test the water at least every other day and keep up with WC. When you have some bacteria from na established tank it’s easier and faster (for example – water in my new tank stayed crystal clear for the whole process), just don’t expect it to be an instant cycle.
It’s not like he’s living in perfect conditions at this point, so he’ll be better off in a new tank, even if It needs time to fully cycle.
You could get a new sponge filter for your old tank sense it’s already established an put the old one in the new little tank your getting for him that would really speed up the cycling
Physically remove some of the media or a sponge or piece of a sponge from the established tank and put in the new tank. It can insta cycle a tank, but you should keep a close eye on it with regular testing.
Ya take ur existing sponge filter and just squeeze it out like ur cleaning it inside the new tank.
You can do a fish in cycle. Just keep both ammonia and nitrites as close to zero as possible. Below .5 and he is relatively safe. Even if u have to do 2 water changes in one day during the worst days. But u will have a big jump start on cycling if u do that with ur old filter media. So it should be relatively easy for u and betta. Might not even ever do twice a day. May never be necessary. Ur tests will tell u
Ps. Just make sure it’s at least a 2.5 gallon. Preferably 5.