Ok to put betta in new setup with cycled filter?

So if I took my neighbors tank and set it up and filled it with cycled water and the cycled filter, should I wait a day to put my neighbors new betta in or would it be ok to put in the same day?

the water should be fresh water treated with prime..thers not a lot of beneficial bacteria in the water....and yes the cycled filter on the tank..what size tank are u taking the filter from and what size is it going too?

 

So if I took my neighbors tank and set it up and filled it with cycled water and the cycled filter, should I wait a day to put my neighbors new betta in or would it be ok to put in the same day?

the water should be fresh water treated with prime..thers not a lot of beneficial bacteria in the water....and yes the cycled filter on the tank..what size tank are u taking the filter from and what size is it going too?

I gotta burn a CD for my wife, Ill be back soon.

 

LOL is it a cool cd? or a cd "all about betta care"?

 

LOL is it a cool cd? or a cd "all about betta care"?

Very funny!!! I'm getting her music for her IPOD ready. She's playing in a bunch of events at the world series of poker starting next week....................... So as I was asking for my hypothetical neighbor. Basically if I were to get this tank set up, could I or should I add the fish the same day?

 

lol how big is the old tank and how big is the new tank?

 

lol how big is the old tank and how big is the new tank?

hypothetically the old tank is a 40 gal and the new a 10. The old has a cannister that's been running with the HOB for 4 months so I think the cannister is good to go now. The old was used to seed the cannister originally and came from a 20 gal..................Arn't you in New Hampshire?? Its late right??

 

lol yes on nh and yes on late..but I'm a late niter .....I would take the filter and run it for maybe 2 days or so feeding the tank with a small peice of raw shrimp...going from a 40 gallon to a 10, shouldnt take anytime to seed the new tank...again, fill the new tank with new water treated with prime, then run the filter for two days...if you have to add the fish immed, you just have to do daily water changes...all hypothetically of course

late nites are chief waterchangers fault..ive been trying to beat his yahtzee 2 score for weeks ! LOL

 

lol yes on nh and yes on late..but I'm a late niter ...I would take the filter and run it for maybe 2 days or so feeding the tank with a small peice of raw shrimp...going from a 40 gallon to a 10, shouldnt take anytime to seed the new tank...again, fill the new tank with new water treated with prime, then run the filter for two days...if you have to add the fish immed, you just have to do daily water changes...all hypothetically of course

Thank you errrr I mean my hypothetical neighbor thanks you for this. I'll errr my neighbor might have a couple of more questions tomorrow if you don't mind.

 

..tell your neighbor, goodluck!! and happy betta hunting

ps...um tell your neighbor, if he gets a divider, he can have TWO betta's!

 

its always back and forth with you two rick why don't you just buy a betta and make shawnie happy

 

..tell your neighbor, goodluck!! and happy betta hunting

ps...um tell your neighbor, if he gets a divider, he can have TWO betta's!

So tell me more about the divider. what's the deal with that? Do the make them to fit specific aquariums or are they adjustable. Is spliting a 10 gal in 1/2 enough room for them?

 

its always back and forth with you two rick why don't you just buy a betta and make shawnie happy

ya rick listen to me!!!!!

and yes the divider gives them each half a tank...and yes they make them specific for each tanks size...hope your neighbor appreciates all your help ;D

 

ya rick listen to me!!!!!

and yes the divider gives them each half a tank...and yes they make them specific for each tanks size...hope your neighbor appreciates all your help ;D

You don't sleep much do you?.................the reason I'm picking your brain on this is the guy's at my LFS are into cichlids and salt. They have betta's but don't care to much about them. That's why I don't know diddly about them.................So if you split a 10 in to 2 five's, that's enough room for them?

 

I sleep plenty and yes that will be enough room

hence why so many ppl get the betta boys/girls...10 gallon setups are cheap enough and the dividers are like 9 bucks so you can get multiple betta boys/girls

 

I sleep plenty and yes that will be enough room

hence why so many ppl get the betta boys/girls...10 gallon setups are cheap enough and the dividers are like 9 bucks so you can get multiple betta boys/girls

I thought you only had to separate the boy's?

 

well the girlies are a hit or miss sometimes...but why put them in harms way if for 9 bucks ya don't have too? I haven't owned girlies but reading others threads here, its not safe to keep them together either ...but I'm sure each betta owner has a story

 

I have a girl and boy split in a 10 its nice

 

I have a girl and boy split in a 10 its nice

Is there a way to tell them apart?

 

Is there a way to tell them apart?

first pic is a female...her finnage is way smaller..second pic is a male,

see the difference in their finnage?

 

Yep. Got it thanks....Off to work. More questions to follow. My neighbor is very grateful.

 

The female is normally uglier and smaller.

 

The female is normally uglier and smaller.

oh lordy!! uglier mite get ya some betta moms roaring LOL

 

They are like ducks and you have to agree the males with there long flowing tails and how they look when they flare up. Also males are more commonly sold than females every pet store has the males in there quarter gallon plastic cup prisons.

 

I don't think that females are uglier, I think that they are cared for even less than the males because they don't have the fins. Females have all the color and personality though.

 

oh lordy!! uglier mite get ya some betta moms roaring LOL

And here they come...

 

I personally think the females are beautiful...There are a few on this forum that I'd take in a heartbeat...I will eventually get a girl....I've had my eye out for just the right little lady....I'll probably get a white one....I think they are the picture of sheer elegance...

 

Actually, the females have the same coloring and fin styles, but generally have smaller fins. Breeding longer finned females is going on though and soon it may just be looking for the ovipositor that tells the difference.

The female is normally uglier and smaller.

 

Actually, the females have the same coloring and fin styles, but generally have smaller fins. Breeding longer finned females is going on though and soon it may just be looking for the ovipositor that tells the difference.

Hmmm... so soon we will be seeing long finned elegant females that would be nice..

 

So hypothetically if my neighbors tank is now set up and ready to go, What am I errrrr are they looking for in a betta? You know like health wise. I mean they're in those cups so its pretty hard to tell who's good and who's not right? Or are they pretty durable little fish? is there anything particular to look for?

 

I've just always gotten the one that told me to get them first You can't just go and say 'that one is healthy, I'll get it' The betta that you need, tells you that you are their owner.

 

Rick,

If your "neighbor" is looking he/she needs to hold the cup up into the light..Look for good color and no tears in the finnage...Make sure they check the cup and see what type they are buying (not that it is always correct) but they are usually marked let's say "Crowntail" or "Veiltail"...Basically look for the obvious signs of good health..Make sure it is not lying on its side...

I can't wait to see what your "so-called" friend brings home

 

I've just always gotten the one that told me to get them first You can't just go and say 'that one is healthy, I'll get it' The betta that you need, tells you that you are their owner.

So let me ask you? Do you Pick all of your fish that way, where "they" pick you??

 

It is of course better if they show activity and the more spunk the better when you look at them through the plastic. If they look beaten down that does not mean they are "goners" but the chance of them having been there for a while is more likely. The ones with some spunk and character have generally not been in the cups for long and will generally be healthier. Now look at the fins, are they ragged along the edges? Do they have holes in them? This is hard to tell with Crowntails but on them should you find any do their rays look nice and even? Or does it look like some of them have been shortened or even are missing? Look at the betta's eyes. Most bettas have a kind of expression in their eyes that tell you there is someone at home. If that is gone, the fish is probably depressed or ill. Even if they look kind of dull in color do not make that the determining factor necessarily as most bettas bought from LFS or from cups are that way because of water quality and temperature. They will usually brighten and sometimes even turn color when they are given great conditions and good food for a while. There are posts on this forum showing the changes that bettas make when put in their tanks and treated well and they are great and noticeable almost within an overnight period. You can almost wonder if you are waking up to the same fish. Go to the sites on the forum and look at as many bettas as you can and see the pictures as they appeared when they were brought home and then as they grew. I would look for a betta that is small in size (less than 2" without the fins) and then you can be fairly assured that he or she is a young betta with lots of time to grow up. But if you get a baby betta be prepared to feed it like one. They need very small pellets like Atison's Betta Pro from Ocean Nutrition as most other pellets will be too big for them to handle and the formula for the nutritional values is different for the bettas who are very young. The food is more concentrated as their tummies are only the size of their eye and they need very small meals 3 times a day instead of the 2 adult sized meals. So for the pleasure of having a baby to train and love you have the added job of an extra interaction as they need to be handfed and given one morsel at a time and Watch Them Chew it up before giving another one. Dont worry it doesn't take them long to learn they need to do it and it is so much fun to interact with them. And if they chew their food they have a much better chance of maintaining their digestive health. I only had one little wingnut in all my bettas who did not want to chew and we went round and round but the little dickens licked me. He never did learn to chew and I had no end of trouble with his tummy problems.
Betta parenthood is one of the finest things that can happen to you if you don't have a problem with spending time with your fish. They need time and attention and crave Your attention not that of other fish. I really do not believe they think they are fish. I believe that they think they are humans that live in the water.

I do hope that I did not confuse you and some of this helps.

Rose

 

Rick,

If your "neighbor" is looking he/she needs to hold the cup up into the light..Look for good color and no tears in the finnage...Make sure they check the cup and see what type they are buying (not that it is always correct) but they are usually marked let's say "Crowntail" or "Veiltail"...Basically look for the obvious signs of good health..Make sure it is not lying on its side...

I can't wait to see what your "so-called" friend brings home

Thanks Karen.................I'll probably go and help my neighbor pick out this betta or betta's..............Hypothetically of course.

 

Almost all of my fish have been shipped to me but I will swear that they still pick me. There is something that just attracts you to the "one". It is hard to tell you how it feels until it happens but yes, they pick you.

Rose

 

You're too funny Rick! I agree with Rose as far as looking for a smaller one...Both Kix and Dunn are obviously young boys..Jagger on the other hand appears to be an older more mature boy..He is seriously the biggest Betta I have ever seen!

 

It is of course better if they show activity and the more spunk the better when you look at them through the plastic. If they look beaten down that does not mean they are "goners" but the chance of them having been there for a while is more likely. The ones with some spunk and character have generally not been in the cups for long and will generally be healthier. Now look at the fins, are they ragged along the edges? Do they have holes in them? This is hard to tell with Crowntails but on them should you find any do their rays look nice and even? Or does it look like some of them have been shortened or even are missing? Look at the betta's eyes. Most bettas have a kind of expression in their eyes that tell you there is someone at home. If that is gone, the fish is probably depressed or ill. Even if they look kind of dull in color do not make that the determining factor necessarily as most bettas bought from LFS or from cups are that way because of water quality and temperature. They will usually brighten and sometimes even turn color when they are given great conditions and good food for a while. There are posts on this forum showing the changes that bettas make when put in their tanks and treated well and they are great and noticeable almost within an overnight period. You can almost wonder if you are waking up to the same fish. Go to the sites on the forum and look at as many bettas as you can and see the pictures as they appeared when they were brought home and then as they grew. I would look for a betta that is small in size (less than 2" without the fins) and then you can be fairly assured that he or she is a young betta with lots of time to grow up. But if you get a baby betta be prepared to feed it like one. They need very small pellets like Atison's Betta Pro from Ocean Nutrition as most other pellets will be too big for them to handle and the formula for the nutritional values is different for the bettas who are very young. The food is more concentrated as their tummies are only the size of their eye and they need very small meals 3 times a day instead of the 2 adult sized meals. So for the pleasure of having a baby to train and love you have the added job of an extra interaction as they need to be handfed and given one morsel at a time and Watch Them Chew it up before giving another one. Dont worry it doesn't take them long to learn they need to do it and it is so much fun to interact with them. And if they chew their food they have a much better chance of maintaining their digestive health. I only had one little wingnut in all my bettas who did not want to chew and we went round and round but the little dickens licked me. He never did learn to chew and I had no end of trouble with his tummy problems.
Betta parenthood is one of the finest things that can happen to you if you don't have a problem with spending time with your fish. They need time and attention and crave Your attention not that of other fish. I really do not believe they think they are fish. I believe that they think they are humans that live in the water.

I do hope that I did not confuse you and some of this helps.

Rose

No Chickadee you didn't confuse me.....................Maybe scared me though. Geez, sounds like raising a little kid. Diapers, soccer practice ect.......... Just kidding. That is lot of usuful info. Thank you

 

Rick, here is an example of the changes they go through..This is Dunn in his cup right when I brought him home...



And again a few days later



Kix in his cup



Again days later



Hope this helps you see the changes they go through once they have acclimated to they new tank...

 

My neighbor thinks those are pretty cool. thanks

 

Rick, wish your neighbor luck.

The female is normally uglier and smaller.

This is not an ugly female!