Just bought a new, bigger tank for my fish: Can I...

Growing up I always kept little pets like goldfish in a bowl at home. Now that I'm grown, I have recently gotten back into fish and aquariums. After moving to college I decided to get a fish with my boyfriend and initially we were going to get two goldfish because they are inexpensive and relatively easy to care for pets. After picking out a tank that came with a filter and lighting we went to pick out our fish and were asked what type we were looking for. After stating that we would like 2 goldfish it was recommended to us that goldfish would not do well in this tank and that we would find ourselves cleaning it constantly. So we went with a betta fish. Our first betta was great and healthy and active and now we have moved on to extending our family. Just yesterday we bought a baby betta and two amano shrimp that are currently living in my 2 gallon tank in my dorm. They get along great and all parties are thriving. The shrimp do a great job of keeping my tank clean and eating all the extra brine shrimp that my betta fry misses. I decided today that I was going to upgrade to a 5.5 gallon tank and so I got a filter, more gravel substrate, more plants [live and silk] and some more hiding places [I know my betta's love them]. The baby and my two shrimp are still in my 2 gallon tank and my new tank is cycling with and preparing for my baby and shrimp to go into. Soon the new 5.5g tank will have been cycling for 24 hours and I will retest the water[To help the bacteria build up I added a little of the tank water from the tank my betta lives in to my new tank] and add a heater to get it to the same temperature as my 2g. Tomorrow if water testing and heating goes well, will it be safe for me to transfer my baby and shrimp. My main concern is my baby betta fry-- I do not want to stress him out. So my question is will it be safe to move him tomorrow if all testing and heating goes well? Any suggestions or tips? If I left out any information let me know! Thanks! I'll try and post pictures of the current tank and new tank and my fish and amanos if I get a chance!

 

If you added old substrate and stuff to new tank immediately, then the 5 gallon tank would cycle within few days, I am not sure how hardy fish Betta is, but I don't have good experiences with them. I would wait 2-3days if did above. Else cycling a tank of this size from scratch take week to two.

 

I had to buy new substrate because I did not have enough in my old tank due to its size and my fish are currently living in there. However, it has some of the plants from my old aquarium and some of the water.

 

Do you have freshwater test kit? I don't think it will be ready at next day, but u can check parameters after 3days to a week. You should see no more ammonia or nitrite before water change. I would wait at least the week before, if the old tank is well.

 

I don't have one yet. Right now I only have the water test strips. Which all my levels were good, except pH was a little low and I am currently working on that

 

Water holds little to no beneficial bacteria. What you want to do to jumpstart a cycle is to take some filter media from an established tank and add it to the new filter. Cycling takes up to usually a month. Bacteria additives, like Tetra SafeStart plus, help speed up cycling. I believe TSS+ can cycle a tank within two weeks.

 

Water holds little to no beneficial bacteria. What you want to do to jumpstart a cycle is to take some filter media from an established tank and add it to the new filter. Cycling takes up to usually a month. Bacteria additives, like Tetra SafeStart plus, help speed up cycling. I believe TSS+ can cycle a tank within two weeks.

I could imagine the 5 gallon tank cycling in 1 and half week even if put substrate from old tank in thick net to hang in the tank now. Afterall the bioload won't be much at all with Betta and fry.

Yes if you just have used media, u could just add that in new tank, but we are talking about very small tanks here.

More stuff from already cycled tank u have in a new tank, quicker the bacteria will build up.

Last but not least, test strips are really unreliable, so I'd advice you to invest in API freshwater test kit, it cost about US$20, but last for ~600-800 tests.

 

More stuff from already cycled tank u have in a new tank, quicker the bacteria will build up.

wanna dd that I took a tiny piece of sponge from a cycled angel tank to stuff in Lilac's sponge filter, it was instantly cycled.

 

I put some of the plants and water from my old tank into my new tank. I will add more stuff at the end of the week and I plan to move them over in about 3-4 weeks. (I go home for xmas break and I will put them in once I'm back from the holidays!)

 

wanna dd that I took a tiny piece of sponge from a cycled angel tank to stuff in Lilac's sponge filter, it was instantly cycled.

Highly doubt, its 5th day of my 5 gallon hospital tank after emergency and I moved two handful of substrate and bunch of plants. Still nitrites trying to rise

 

I'll probably give it 1-3 weeks then

 

I could imagine the 5 gallon tank cycling in 1 and half week even if put substrate from old tank in thick net to hang in the tank now. Afterall the bioload won't be much at all with Betta and fry.

Yes if you just have used media, u could just add that in new tank, but we are talking about very small tanks here.

More stuff from already cycled tank u have in a new tank, quicker the bacteria will build up.

Last but not least, test strips are really unreliable, so I'd advice you to invest in API freshwater test kit, it cost about US$20, but last for ~600-800 tests.

Not quite sure why tank size matters when adding media, but if OP has a filter and the filter has media that she can take a piece of, it can easily be added into the new filter. Filter media holds most of the beneficial bacteria.

I put some of the plants and water from my old tank into my new tank. I will add more stuff at the end of the week and I plan to move them over in about 3-4 weeks. (I go home for xmas break and I will put them in once I'm back from the holidays!)

You will need to feed the bacteria in the new tank in order to keep the cycle going, so an ammonia source will be necessary. The bacteria will die off in about 48 hours without an ammonia source.

What kind of filter do you have?
Are you planning on adding fish to the 2.5 gal after you've moved betta and shrimp?

 

How do I "feed the bacteria"?
I bought a Aqueon 10-Gallon QuietFlow Internal Filter, AT10 Model.
And I haven't really thought about what I would like to do with the 2 gallon once I've moved my betta and shrimp over.

 

Highly doubt, its 5th day of my 5 gallon hospital tank after emergency and I moved two handful of substrate and bunch of plants. Still nitrites trying to rise

why did you move substrate and plants? this is aerobic bacteria. I just moved a bit of sponge from a sponge filter that was seeding in my angel tank and stuffed it into Lilac's sponge filter. instant cycle. it's not that hard.

 

How do I "feed the bacteria"?
I bought a Aqueon 10-Gallon QuietFlow Internal Filter, AT10 Model.
And I haven't really thought about what I would like to do with the 2 gallon once I've moved my betta and shrimp over.

Typically bottled ammonia or fish food is used to feed the bacteria ammonia. This requires daily to bidaily doses though, which would be hard to do if you're not going to be home. Is there going to be someone feeding your fish while you're away? Or are you bringing them with you?

And what filter do you have on the 2gal?

 

2gal filter is just an under the gravel filter with an air stone and airline tubing because it came with the "package" when I first started out. It's worked well for me so far.

I will use fish food. I plan on bringing my fish home with me due to the fact that I will have no one here who can look after them. I'm a little worried about bring them home with me but I do not really have much choice if I want them to make it over the break.

 

It may be best to cycle the tank after break. It will be difficult keeping ammonia constant in the new tank if you can't add any fish food every day.

Do you have any of those fish bags? I've used a bucket with a lid for transport. Not sure how shrimp will handle a long drive though.

 

If I add a bunch of the substrate and "seed" from my old tank will that be enough to keep it going? I'll be gone for about 2.5 weeks

Yes, I have fish bags as well as transport containers. Which would you recommend

 

getting it going? sure. keeping it up for 2.5 weeks while you're away? nope! the bact need food, ergo ammonia and nitrites, and you aren't able to provide that not being around!

 

I'll see what I can do then

 

Yes, I have fish bags as well as transport containers. Which would you recommend

Probably bag. I feel safer if water didn't have the possibility of spilling out.

 

It's an hour and a half drive so it isn't as long as some, but longer than they've ever gone in a car

 

It's an hour and a half drive so it isn't as long as some, but longer than they've ever gone in a car

Not too bad, just don't let the car get too cold or too hot.

 

What type of filter is on the 2 gallon right now?

 

What type of filter is on the 2 gallon right now?

OP answered

2gal filter is just an under the gravel filter with an air stone and airline tubing because it came with the "package" when I first started out. It's worked well for me so far.

 

Ah, must have missed that. Thanks.

So not much media to transfer over then....I'd run the new filter on the tank with the betta for 2-3 weeks to seed it, then switch it and the fish over to the 5 gallon.

 

I hadn't thought of that. It's a good idea- I'll definitely look into it