Advice needed for Betta water change

[kevabear]

Hi, I am new here. A couple days ago I setup a new five gallon betta tank. I read that I should do a water change a couple days after setting it up. I have a 30 gallon with tropicals in it and leave the fish in when I do the water change. When I do the change for my little betta tank, do I leave him in there? Also, how much water should I change out?
Thanks a bunch.

 

[marsh]

In a five gallon I personally would do 100% until the cycle is totally finished, and there after perhaps a 50% weekly or each 2 weeks. My fish stays in for 50% changes but in a 29 gallon. In a 5 gallon the commotion would be more stressful.

On the other hand, netting is also stressful. Some people use a cup and let the Betta swim into it, my fish won't go for that.

Do you test your water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates?

 

[kevabear]

In a five gallon I personally would do 100% until the cycle is totally finished, and there after perhaps a 50% weekly or each 2 weeks. My fish stays in for 50% changes but in a 29 gallon. In a 5 gallon the commotion would be more stressful.

On the other hand, netting is also stressful. Some people use a cup and let the Betta swim into it, my fish won't go for that.

Do you test your water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates?

I haven't tested this tank yet. I usually do on the other tank I have though. I just finished doing a water change on my 5 gallon. I scooped my betta along with some of the water, didn't use a net, kept him in a little bowl, the one he came in, and changed about 75%. All put back together now and he seems to be doing fine. Thanks for your thoughts and input.

 

[marsh]

Okay good. Remember to float the cup and acclimate with 3-4 additions of new tank water into his cup over an hour before putting him back in the tank. Er in the future if not already.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

You don't need to remove him. What I would do is a 50% water change as it calls for it. Eg: ammonia over .25ppm. Have you added any media from your other tank? If you add enough filter material from the other (cycled) tank it could pretty much instantly cycle the new tank avoiding the cycle.

 

[kevabear]

Well he, Charlie, seems to be doing well this morning. I have him next to the pc desk and he seems to watch me when I am sitting here. When I am not in here I turn the monitor so he can watch the screensaver, which are fish swimming around.
Now I'm not sure what ammonia over .25 ppm means. So, by adding some of the water from the other tank, bear with me, it will benifit my betta tank? I am seriously still learning. Thank you people!!!

 

[tiger terror]

Well he, Charlie, seems to be doing well this morning. I have him next to the pc desk and he seems to watch me when I am sitting here. When I am not in here I turn the monitor so he can watch the screensaver, which are fish swimming around.
Now I'm not sure what ammonia over .25 ppm means. So, by adding some of the water from the other tank, bear with me, it will benifit my betta tank? I am seriously still learning. Thank you people!!!

It's not the water that is beneficial,your beneficial bacteria lies mostly in yor filter media...while there is also beneficial bacteria in the tank as well which lives in the substrate,plants,rocks&or dw..if you want to help seed your seed tank&your 29g is cycled place some of your substrate in small netted bag,tied closed & placed where there current in the tank(usually below the filters outlet..

 

[librarygirl]

Do you have a test kit? A good liquid test kit (API Mater) is a good tool to have especially when cycling a new tank. It will tell you the levels of ammonia, etc in the tank and when a tank is cycling ammonia and/or nitrite can rise which can be dangerous to fish so you'd want to know the levels so you can do extra water changes as needed. If your 30 gal is healthy and established taking a small portion of media from the filter and putting it into the filter on the betta tank would help cycle it very quickly if not immediately. Water from an established tank won't help much at all. I keep my betta in the tank for water changes; no need to remove or isolate him when you're doing it, just do it slowly and be careful. Here are some links if you haven't seen them: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/ and http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html