Temporary Holding Tank

So I am wondering..

I found 2 betta fish that I really want. I bought one yesterday and put into my 5 gallon that recently cycled.

I have a 10 gallon that is towards the end of the cycle process but not quite there yet. I really want this Koi betta that I found and decided I was going to try beta, snails and possibly shrimp in the 10 gallon. He is a tiny baby!

So I guess what I am asking is.. could I do a temporary holding tank for this little guy? I have a 3 gallon that I could use to house him in until the 10 is ready.. Yet the 3 gallon is not filtered, but I do have Prime and Stability that I could use in the tank, along with an airstone if that would be okay? I know I would need to do daily water changes.

Would this be appropriate? I am thinking that probably it would be another few days or week at most until the 10 is ready.

 

Personally I would not house any fish in anything that isn't filtered not even for a short time.

Also keeping shrimp with a Betta is not the smartest idea, they're predatory fish and even if he doesn't eat them right away he will 99% probably do in time. If you're ok with that then go for it but if you want the shrimp to live, then I would suggest no.

 

I can do without the shrimp, and figure maybe a mystery snail with the betta.

 

Also you have to think that if your cycling tank got kicked back for whatever reason as it sometimes does, you're going to have this poor fish in a non filtered environment for a month or maybe more.

Fishless cycles are so unpredictable it can take months for things to stabilise.

You could put him in there now and do a fish in cycle but that's your call.

 

If it were me, I would buy him and put him in the 3 gallon and perform daily water changes with Prime to keep him safe from ammonia exposure until the 10 gallon finishes cycling. While not ideal, it will be better than the cup he is in presently.

 

That's what I was thinking.. Out of the 40+ cups that Petco had and I spent 45 mins looking at them all, I was able to pick out only three that the water looked clean. The rest were floating in cloudy waste filled water with damaged fins or air gasping.

The little Koi that I want was one of the three (I bought one) that appeared to be in cleaner water. It was a tough choice and I keep thinking about him >.<

 

That's awful! Petco should be shut down!

I think if you are to save that Betta you need to do daily, other daily 50% to 75% water changes until the 10 gallons is done.

Kudos to you by the way for being kind hearted!

 

Make sure to post pictures if you do get him! I love koi Bettas I really want one but they're so expensive!

 

Well I got him! On the way home now! They had put back the one that was so sick and looked on the verge of death! I had told an employee yesterday and handed the cup over and they said they would take care of him!

So upset! But I got my koi boy so I'm happy !!!

Look at that dirty water and that was clean compared to the rest !

 

So he is now in clean water, and has defiantly colored up in the short time he has been in it. I also gave him a few pellets to eat that he gobbled quick.

The tank is empty and I figured would be easier to clean while he is in it without substrate to catch waste.

 

Cute betta! I think if you had lots ​of hiding spots you could have shrimp?

 

So pretty!

 

Cute betta! I think if you had lots ​of hiding spots you could have shrimp?

Shrimp feel constantly threatened when housed with such a large (it's huge to them) predatory fish. Not a nice way to live.

 

I'd rather not have them feel tormented, so I'll just go a snail or two at best.

 

What a pretty betta!
A couple of silk plants might make him feel more secure. His tank will still be easy to clean

I may be in the minority but I do not believe bettas NEED a filter in a smaller tank as long as water changes are done every few days. Often the filter current can be too strong for them in a 3g.

Is it a little less maintenance with a cycled filtered tank? Sure but 'need' is a strong word when speaking of this size tank.

 

Thank you!

Also I am hoping he will only be in there for a short time. I think when he is out gonna use this 3 gallon as backup hospital tank/ qt tank.. I got betta fever now and think I may divide the 10 gallon he is going in!! Lol

Also noticed with my other betta he likes the bubbles from the sponge filter, he plays in it. I wonder if the koi would enjoy a airstone?

 

What a pretty betta!
A couple of silk plants might make him feel more secure. His tank will still be easy to clean

I may be in the minority but I do not believe bettas NEED a filter in a smaller tank as long as water changes are done every few days. Often the filter current can be too strong for them in a 3g.

Is it a little less maintenance with a cycled filtered tank? Sure but 'need' is a strong word when speaking of this size tank.

All fish need a filter no matter what the size of the tank.

 

I agree Lucy, oftentimes in something that small you can't find a filter that won't toss the betta around all over. Even baffling a filter can only do so much

 

You could turn the 3 gallon into a shrimp tank! If you want shrimp, but I don't know that much about them...

 

That's awful! Petco should be shut down!

I think if you are to save that Betta you need to do daily, other daily 50% to 75% water changes until the 10 gallons is done.

Kudos to you by the way for being kind hearted!

Not really, not all petco's have that type of treatment of fish, and their products are good. They just need maybe a better education on keeping their fish, and stick to it. My petco is relatively consistent with their water changes, and I can often only find 2 or 3 DIRTY cups.

I do wish they would keep them in tanks though, but I mean that would be super unrealistic. They should really leave selling Bettas to the breeders.

 

I just wanna say I have a HUGE marble betta male (think body size of a king betta with log fins) in a 10 gallon with four adult Amano Shrimp (they're all 1.5-2") and they actually play together so to speak. My largest Amano female will pass a pellet back and forth between Mako (my betta) so in all reality I believe it depends on your betta and your shrimp. I've never seen him act aggressive towards her or any of the shrimp.

that's her on my moss ball when I first got her and they've been buddies since.

 

yes, that's true, it defiantly depends on the temperament. I have an amano in my betta tank and she (don't know if it's a boy or girl, but hey, who cares!) hasn't been bothered by my betta at all.

 

Cool betta! That's awesome that he gets along with shrimp!