If I Put a fish in a non cycled 2.5 gallon tank, will it eventually be cycled?

[Bettafanatic]

I've been keeping betta for a while now in one gallon tanks and I plan to move them to 2.5 gallon tanks. Everyone here told me to cycle the tanks so I plan to. If I put the fish inside without pre-cycling, will it cycle by itself? Is this what you call a fish-in cycle? Or will it never cycle? Also will a filter disrupt the cycling process or affect it in any way? Thanks!

[mfdrookie516]

If you already have the fish in tanks, just move the filter from the tank they're in now and you won't have to cycle.

[librarygirl]

Every tank has to cycle and it will cycle either with fish or whether you use fishless (with pure ammonia, raw shrimp etc). WIth the fish though you need to check water every day and do water changes as needed. If the tank the betta is in now is already cycled and has a filter, you theoretically could just move the filter over to the new tank. I would just check the water every day for a week to make sure.

[Bettafanatic]

Great! I'll do a fish cycle Can you teach me how to monitor the ammonia and stuff to make sure the fish survive? That's the confusing part. I need details. Sorry if I'm a bother

[librarygirl]

Originally Posted by Bettafanatic

Great! I'll do a fish cycle Can you teach me how to monitor the ammonia and stuff to make sure the fish survive? That's the confusing part. I need details. Sorry if I'm a bother

No bother at all! It's better to ask than not know.

There's a link in my signature if you can see it: new tank with fish. It's a guide that will help. Basically you check the water every day for nitrites, ammonia, nitrates (with a good liquid test kit, like the API kit) and any time ammonia and/or nitrite is 0.25 or over, do a water change to get them down to as close to 0 as possible. Same with nitrate over 20. Since it's a small tank there's a smaller volume of water so the toxins can build up fairly quickly, so just keep an eye on things and do water changes as needed. If you need more help just ask!

[Bettafanatic]

Thank you so much! You're a life saver for my fish I'll do a fish cycle then! Thanks a bunch ^o^ Just one more question: how do I know when the tank is fully cycled and can stop checking for bacteria every day?