Qurentine tank, five gallons and moving betta?

Right now I have my betta fish and nerite snails in a five gallon. I've been thinking for a while to switch her to a ten gallon. She is small girl, however, she is very active so I was thinking a ten gallon may give her more room for her swimming. How would I go about moving her into a new tank in the least stressful way? I will be moving the snails, live plants, substrate, and sponge filter over too (for instant cycle).

Also would I be able to use the five gallon for a quarantine tank? I am currently building a stand for my 40 gallon breeder, then I have to cycle that tank, but after all of that I will be stocking it slowly. The biggest fish would be a dwarf gourami, I wasn't sure if a five gallon tank for just quarantine period would be large enough since it would be temporary? If not feel free to give other suggestions for size of a quarantine tank.

 

I think a 5 gallon would be ok for a quarantine for a dwarf gourami, not sure though. Hopefully other members will be able to help me out on this one. I also upgraded one of my 5 gallons to a 10. I drained the water to about 20 percent, (so I could catch the fish more easily) put the fish in a separate container, took all the plants out, poured the gravel in a plastic bag, poured the gravel into the 10 gal, planted my stuff, put the established filter media in the new filter and put everything back in.

 

For the new betta tank, I suggest moving as much of the water as you can to the 10g. Then add some pure or conditioned water and let it run for 3-5 days before adding the betta. The plants and snails can go in a few hours after you get up the 10g. Find a large bowl or a plastic pet keeper to leave the betta fish in for those 3-5 days.

The 5 gallon tank isn't such a good quarantine tank. I'd suggest that you only put 3-5 inches of fish in there at a time. If you can, try a 10 or 20 gallon quarantine tank.

 

For the new betta tank, I suggest moving as much of the water as you can to the 10g. Then add some pure or conditioned water and let it run for 3-5 days before adding the betta. The plants and snails can go in a few hours after you get up the 10g. Find a large bowl or a plastic pet keeper to leave the betta fish in for those 3-5 days.

There's no reason to let the tank run for a few days before you add the betta over. In fact, you might lose your cycle if you do that.

I'd put the betta in a separate container, transfer everything over (you don't need to move the water if the new water is the same as the old water), and add the betta right away. As long as you move your filter and the media, you'll have an instant cycle.

 

You can generally take advice given by TexasDomer to the bank and cash it in for gold.

Disregard the waiting period. Without the ammonia source in the tank, your cycle bacteria will die back. As long as you move the filter over, you'll bring the established cycle. Just use prime for the next few days to absorb any small cycle hiccups caused by the move.

 

For the new betta tank, I suggest moving as much of the water as you can to the 10g. Then add some pure or conditioned water and let it run for 3-5 days before adding the betta. The plants and snails can go in a few hours after you get up the 10g. Find a large bowl or a plastic pet keeper to leave the betta fish in for those 3-5 days.

The reason this will not work is because almost all of your nitrifying bacteria is contained in your filter media, a small amount on your substrate and decorations and once cycled virtually none in the water. If you move the filter over without the betta, there will not be an ammonia source to keep the bacteria alive and as TexasDomer said, it will die. Then you'll actually be in trouble and having to cycle a tank completely over again.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice. I will be putting everything including the filter from the 5 gallon to the 10 gallon so I will put the betta in right away.
I3uckethead Yes Texasdomer has a lot of good advice, like many on here. Most that have all the experience on here are also younger then me lol.