Please help, trying to rescue a fish that has been in a 1 gallon unfiltered tank

[Huntceci]

Please help!
I am totally new to everything fish and I recently got a rescue Carnival fair fish from someone Who has had the fish in a 1 gallon tank unfiltered for 2 1/2 months.
I bought a 16 gallon steralite bin for him to hang out in until I can cycle the tank I bought for the poor goldfish but I can't figure out if it will be better for him or I should just keep him in the small unfiltered tank and continue doing 100% water changes every day including cleaning rocks and fake plant.
The bigger problem...is that I have already tried cycling the tank twice which has taken one month.
I have spent $275 or more on supplies for everything from safe start (haven't used yet) to water dechlorinator (prime and tetra Aqua safe plus) to water test kits you name it, I got it, Tupperware and everything else so that no soap has ever touched anything including my hands which is kind of hard to understand how to do.. I use gloves most of the time .
After cycling for two weeks, my aunt without asking washed the filter with tapwater because she saw something black on it. So I started again from day one. Then two more weeks of cycling and a pet store owner (I know I know I know, never again will I do that) told me to bring the tank in and that he would take care of the tank for free with his special water etc the way he does his tanks and it would cycle the tank very quickly.
He took my tank in his work area and when he came out he told me it was all ready, that the fish could be added. That he cleaned all of the rocks and the plants and the decoration along with everything else and added our ro water and gave me some more ro water and told me to take it home and that I should pour water in the filter and fill the tank a little more and everything would be set and to just acclimate the fish. Of course I was furious and had that bad uneasy feeling in my stomach knowing that he was not supposed to wash the rocks and plants. When I got home I started the filter anyway not wanting to lose any bacteria that may be left.
When I called a very freshwater pet store owner who had been recommended all over the net, half way across the country, she told me to go ahead and call this day one. So again starting over with the cycling. And the poor fish is still in the 1 gallon tank.

Help please, what do I do? Do I keep him in the 1 gallon, do I put him in the steralite bin for more room, if so how often water changes? How often do I clean the tank 100%?
She told me to get stability from seechem to kickstart but I really don't know what to do I'm terrified to lose the fish. I'm terrified that he is in pain. Can I test the water that he's in unfiltered with the API test kit? I don't know what to do I'm and I'm about to be
In total panic mode please help !!!!
I'm not looking to have a new hobby at this time per se, I'm just looking to keep this fish alive and get him healthy and happy .

Any advice or help would be so greatly appreciated and thank you in advance!!!

[Huntceci]

By "new hobby" I meant not just yet due to focusing on the safety of this particular fish.

[TMaier]

Find someone to rehome the fish. Huge tank or pond. You are way to stressed out. The fish thanks you.

[Huntceci]

Yes, I def am. I have a dog rescue and I've never been as clueless and stressed as I am trying to save this little fish.
I have tried to find a home for him. I don't know anyone who owns a tank or pond (other than the one in my neighborhood) Is there another way to re home?

[TMaier]

Craigslist

[Jobin13]

Craiglist is definitely an option.

However Fish care is not too difficult so take a deep breath! The carnival fair fish can be added to the tank with the filter and you can establish the fish in his or hers new home and get the filter established at the same time. This is known as a fish cycle. If you dose the tank with 1 cap of the stability every day for 8 days you should establish the filter relatively easily. You can also follow the instructions on the water test kit and check it every day. Ammonia levels are okay if they are below 0.50 ppm you should do partial water changes to maintain this level. You want some levels of ammonia in order to establish the filter... I personally would do this. Fish can take some stress they are a little more hardy than you think... Try looking at a fish in cycle there are plenty of youtube videos, even articles in this forum that will help you. If you'd like a new pet I'd look into this otherwise you can avoid the hobby by giving it away but you never know how someone else will treat the fish.

[toolman]

+1 Craigslist

If you do keep it,or want to start the hobby on your own here are some links for getting started.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...d.php?t=154837

[Autumnsky]

It is true that one little fish can stress you out.

But also as mentioned you can find a good home for it with someone with a fish pond NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, a neighborhood pond. These fish can overtake a native fish habitat and ruin it!!!

You can, after rehoming the fish, continue your interest in the hobby far from stressed by establishing a fishless cycle.

The article referenced above (and in my signature) have the links for other fish-in cycling as well. It requires a higher level of attention, and lots more testing. All easily done, but time consuming and there is an empty tank. But this gives one time to think about what might be the best selections of fish for you and your tank size.