Betta care + Questions

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Pandicorn

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Messages
669
Location
my house
Hi!
So, I currently have
a very lightly, pretty well established 45 gal tank with a cycled filter
an empty 5 gal (used to have fish ~1 year ago, probably not filtered anymore)
with sand and plants,
and an empty 20 gal tank (used to have fish ~6 months? ago, probably not cycled anymore either).

Basically, a friend of mine had a betta fish for a science project, but doesn't really have anywhere to keep it, so she's going to drop it off with me. Long term I'll probably keep the Betta in the 5 gal (if that's acceptable?), as I have some plans for the 20 gal that I haven't gotten around to yet.
My questions are...
If i used some seeded material (like a cycled bio filter thing, it's been a while haha) in the 5 gal filter, how long until it is fully cycled?
-What type of flakes/pellets should I get for the betta? I currently have tropical NLS, some chichlid pellets, and algae wafers, but I don't think this is enough... unless it is?
-Any other advice that I should know?

Sorry that I can't really have a better established tank, but it's the best that I can do for the fish at the moment. Thanks!
 
You should pretty much have an instant cycle if you take out enough filter media from the established tank. Usually if you know ahead of time you can put extra material in ahead of time (like a week or two) and then jist use that in the new tank.

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Pet stores will gladly up the price on regular things, label them for bettas, and sell a bunch. I actually don't know a lot about flakes and pellets, but I do know that, when our female betta was in the community, she ate so much of the community food that I worried about her safety.
 
You should pretty much have an instant cycle if you take out enough filter media from the established tank. Usually if you know ahead of time you can put extra material in ahead of time (like a week or two) and then jist use that in the new tank.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Aquarium Advice mobile app

In the 5gal filter I have 1 layer of foam that is soft and very meshy, which I consider the bio filter, and one layer that is kind of just a physical filter for big stuff, I have that foam in the 45 gal filter too, so I just switched some of it out. How much time (if any) should it take for there to be enough bacteria long term? I also moved some plants to the 5 gallon from the 45 gallon.
 
As previously mentioned you should have an instant cycle by using some of the established filter media! You shouldn't take too much as you don't want to start a mini cycle in your already established tank, so maybe a quarter (if that) :) Betta's love moss balls so if you can get your hands on any of them it would be great!
 
Thanks everyone! I just switched some foam from my filters, and my betta seems happy, and is eating well!
 
A 5 gallon tank is the perfect size, imo.

Also, bettas love a plant "hammock" near the surface to lounge on.
 
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