Betta Question

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semperfi

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 26, 2015
Messages
25
Location
Mississippi
I am currently trying to move my Betta out of a small bowl into a 5g Marineland filtered tank. My question is, do I need to cycle if he is going to be the only fish in the tank. I tried to start cycling last weekend but I think I dosed ammonia too high and it hasn't budged. I just wanted to know if cycling was necessary or if I could just start over and add prime and do frequent PWCs. It can't be worse than living in a 1 gallon bowl. I have got to get him out of there. Thanks for the help.


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Yes I do. I am currently using the API test tube kits for a 29g planted that I am cycling. I have been dosing the 29g to 4ppm and it is moving along pretty good. I am wondering if I should have dosed lower on the 5g tank, because I dosed it to 4ppm also.


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I would go ahead and move your beta to the 5 gallon tank and do the frequent water changes. I would think the ammonia and water quality would be way worse in the bowl. Just be sure to watch your water.
 
Considering the bowl doesn't have a filter (most likely) you might as well put it in the 5 gallon and grab some anacharis and do a fish in plant cycle. It would be far more beneficial than letting it stay in the bowl till the 5 gallon cycles. Something that could help would be to move the bowl into the 5 gallon (maybe substrate or decorations) as they might be harboring some BB

Make sure you do a really big water change if you decide to move the fish to get rid of the ammonia.
 
Thank you for the help. I'm doing a full water change and then I'm going to decide what I'm gonna do.


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Plants will help. Indian Almond Leaves are also used for Betta tanks.
You can use sand or gravel for plants, I prefer sand.

Java Fern will grow under almost any light.


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I agree with coursair, java fern is a great plant. You will also get a bunch of it as it propagates readily. You can remove them and plant them in other areas, let them float, or move them to other tanks.
 
Another suggestion- especially for fish in cycle get prime as your water conditioner. Not only does it take out chlorine and chloramine from the water it makes ammonia and nitrite nontoxic for 24 hours- so paired with daily water changes for fish-in it would be better for the betta. While fish in isn't ideal a bowl is so small that if you are careful and watch him being in the 5 even while cycling it would benefit him


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