New Betta

[Aurora]

I purchased a Betta this weekend. I have her set up in a 5 gallon tank with filter and heater. Concerned about it being a new tank and not cycled. I came here to seek advice and help along the way.
I have been wanting a white betta for 6 years and I just couldn’t bring myself to purchase one having it shipped. I just happened to be in a local pet store and there she was (he, is a she to me). Even more beautiful than I had imagined with a pink and blue sheen to her fins, iridescent. Anyhow, she came home immediately. I have had freshwater fish in the past, it’s been years though. Never a betta. Until now.

 

[Butters86]

Hi! I'm new at the entire fish-keeping thing, but I actually got into it with a betta. From my understanding, it's obviously not ideal to have a tank that isn't cycled when you purchase the fish. That being said, I did do this and my betta has done very, very well. I did have a bloom (my son may or may not have fed the fish when I wasn't looking), but I did a 30% change, followed by a 20% change a week later. It cleared up and the tank looks great. In fact, I just bought a blue and white betta on Sunday. I couldn't resist. You said you had fish before, so I assume you bought some water conditioner?

 

[Leeatl]

If you could get some established filter media from someone or the store where you bought it and put it in your filter it would speed up the cycling . Otherwise , get an ammonia test kit and test daily , do 50% water changes to keep ammonia below .25ppm .You should get an API master test kit cause you should monitor Nitrite and Nitrate till cycled . Search here or the web for fish in cycling/nitrogen cycle for the most info . A live plant or 2 will help also . Good luck .

 

[King Fisher]

Do a 50% water change every 3 days to make sure the water doesn't foul on you.

Buy an API freshwater master test kit. Test the water every 2-3 days. You can set up a water change schedule easier if you know what the water is doing.