New Betta.. HELP!

[NayaVe]

Okay guys... I had an embarrassing impulsive moment today and a really need some advice. I was at PetSmart today returning a filter that didn't fit correctly for what I needed. While I was there I needed to pick up some sponge media for my HOB filter and a pre-filter sponge which they didn't have. So I made my way over to PetCo for a simple pre-filter sponge. As I am about to make my way down the isle of filter media, I am stopped dead in my tracks by a Betta endcap.. It was there that I spotted the most beautiful male betta I have ever seen. A White Opal. I'm thinking to myself.. "He looks so pitiful and he has to come home with me.. but where will I put him?? I have one tank already inhabited with a male betta". I, of course then decided to buy a tank setup for him and purchased him as well. Now I am struggling with whether or not I should add him to his new home yet. Obviously the tank hasn't cycled. The new water has been treated, I rinsed everything and even smeared the new filter cartridge against my other thank's media. I put live plants in as well..
So here's my question.. would it be detrimental to put Opi (New Betta's name) in his new tank so soon? Or should I just leave him in that awful cup until tomorrow evening?

[D-Fish]

Originally Posted by NayaVe

Okay guys... I had an embarrassing impulsive moment today and a really need some advice. I was at PetSmart today returning a filter that didn't fit correctly for what I needed. While I was there I needed to pick up some sponge media for my HOB filter and a pre-filter sponge which they didn't have. So I made my way over to PetCo for a simple pre-filter sponge. As I am about to make my way down the isle of filter media, I am stopped dead in my tracks by a Betta endcap.. It was there that I spotted the most beautiful male betta I have ever seen. A White Opal. I'm thinking to myself.. "He looks so pitiful and he has to come home with me.. but where will I put him?? I have one tank already inhabited with a male betta". I, of course then decided to buy a tank setup for him and purchased him as well. Now I am struggling with whether or not I should add him to his new home yet. Obviously the tank hasn't cycled. The new water has been treated, I rinsed everything and even smeared the new filter cartridge against my other thank's media. I put live plants in as well..
So here's my question.. would it be detrimental to put Opi (New Betta's name) in his new tank so soon? Or should I just leave him in that awful cup until tomorrow evening?

Honestly I think you would be okay going ahead and putting him over in the tank. You may need to watch for an ammonia spike though.
if you have some substrate from another tank that you can transfer over to this tank that will also help bring beneficial bacteria over that can help cycle your tank.
Beneficial bacteria live on all surfaces of the tanks and not just in our filter media. So anything that you were able to transfer over from an existing tank into this tank will help.

That said I would still recommend no feeding for a day or two. That will lessen the amount of waste going into the water.


I forgot to add if you are on tap water you still need to at minimum dechlorinate before you add him in.. Whatever you use on your main tanks when you do a water change.

[charliebankston]

I do all my tanks with a fish-in cycle. Just monitor the water parameters, you'll be fine. I never lose fish, that way, lol.

[charliebankston]

And a nano tank with 1 fish may take forever to really cycle, or may never show its cycled like a bigger community tank. I think it'll be fine, as long as you watch ammonia etc like D-Fish advised

[NayaVe]

Thanks guys! The Ammonia level has been steady at 0.25. I already did a 25% water change to no avail. I think I am just going to put him there and hope for the best.

[charliebankston]

Sounds like your tap water has a trace amount of ammonia in it.

[NayaVe]

I tested the tap water. It's fine, so I'm not sure what's going on.

[charliebankston]

Hmmm...interesting. there shouldn't have been any ammonia in the tank then since no fish was in there right?

[NayaVe]

That is correct.. brand new tank with brand new treated water. I did transfer a small handful of rocks to the new tank as well as "smear" the new media against the established tank's media in hopes of speeding up the process. And after purchasing the master test kit yesterday, I did a water check on the established tank and my ammonia levels were at 2.0! I don't know if that transferred with the rock or what..

[charliebankston]

Doesn't seem likely, or at least not that fast. I'm not as knowledgeable on cycling as some others on here tho, so maybe someone will post with a better answer than me, lol

[charliebankston]

Oh good, I see you started a new thread. Already got 2 very knowledgeable ppl trying to help

[NayaVe]

Thank you!