Upgraded Betta Tank to a 5.5 gallon

[tatianamansur85]

Hello!

I bought a Betta fish 3 weeks ago.
When we got him we put him at a 0.26 gallon tank. He stayed at this tank for 4/5 days (with gravel and a little bridge for him to hide) and then we moved him to a 0.5 gallon tank (we put all of the 0.26 gallon of water from the previous tank in the new tank and completed it with 0.25 gallon of new, conditioned water). Until then we fed him 3 little bits of food, 3 times a day. His food ingredients was: CORN MEAL, HEMOGLOBIN POWDER, FISH FLOUR, CHICKEN VISCERA FLOUR, GARLIC IN NATURA (2%), CORN GLUTEN MEAL (60%), YEAST EXTRACT, SOY MEAL, WHEAT FLOUR and RED DYE BORDEAUX.
He was a happy dark blue fish!!
After a week and some reading we decided to move him into a 5.5 gallon tank ( with gravel, the bridge, a cave, a little fake turtle and 3 different artificial plants) and changed his food (we changed for ColorBits granules). We decided to change it because we thought he wasn’t ingesting enough protein (the first one had 35% and the new one has 47%).
The ingredients of the new food are: FISH FLOUR, SOY MEAL, WHEAT GERM MEAL, WHEAT FLOUR, CORN GERM, OAT MEAL, POTATO PROTEIN, SHRIMP MEAL, DRIED SUGARCANE YEAST, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SOY LECITHIN, CALCAREOUS SEAWEED, WHEAT GLUTEN, REFINED SOY OIL, YEAST EXTRACT, VITAMIN C, ETHOXYQUIN, CITRIC ACID, BETA CAROTENE, PAPRIKA OLEORESIM, ARTIFICIAL RED DYE ERYTHROSINE.
We also changed his eating schedule: now we only feed him 2 times a day ( but I must confess we are not consistent with the time).
We noticed that some granules were way to big for him to swallow but he did it anyway. And after that big piece we fed him 3/4 small granules as well. He ate them but we realized it was too much for him and now we’re just giving him the small granules.
And now, not even a week after this changes, he is lethargic, turning brown, not making bubble nest anymore and staying most of his time at the top of the water. He’s eating well tough...

———————————
Tank

What is the water volume of the tank? THE FIRST TANK WAS 0.26 GALLONS (3 WEEKS AGO), THE SECOND ONE WAS 0.5 GALLONS (3/4 DAYS LATER) AND NOW, 3 WEEKS AFTER BUYING THE FISH, HE’S AT A 5.5 GALLON TANK (BUT WE ONLY PUT 3.7 GALLONS OF WATER).
How long has the tank been running? THE 5.5 GALLON IS RUNNING FOR 5 DAYS.
Does it have a filter? NO
Does it have a heater? NO
What is the water temperature? 78.8F
What is the entire stocking of this tank? ONLY 1 BETTA FISH.

Maintenance
How often do you change the water? WEEKLY.
How much of the water do you change? WHEN WE BOUGHT, HIM HE ONLY STAYED AT A 0.26 GALLON TANK FOR 3/4 DAYS, SO WE DIDN’T CHANGE THE WATER. WHEN WE MOVED HIM TO A 0.5 GALLON TANK, WE KEPT ALL 0.26 GALLON OF WATER FROM THE PREVIOUS TANK AND ADDED 0.25 GALLON OF NEW, CONDITIONED WATER. A WEEK LATER, WE MOVED HIM TO A 5.5 GALLON TANK ( WE KEPT ALL 0.5 GALLON OF WATER FROM THE PREVIOUS TANK AND ADDED 3.4 GALLONS OF NEW, CONDITIONED WATER.
What do you use to treat your water? WATER CONDITIONER.
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? 2 WEEKS AGO I WASHED ALL OF THE GRAVEL AND THE BRIDGE WHEN I MOVED HIM FROM THE 0.5 GALLON TANK TO THE 5.5 GALLON ONE. AND TODAY - 5 DAYS AFTER DOING THAT - I VACUUMED THE GRAVEL.

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
What do you use to test the water? I JUST TEST THE PH.
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.

Ammonia: NEVER TESTED
Nitrite: NEVER TESTED
Nitrate: NEVER TESTED
pH: 6.8

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? AT FIRTS WE FED HIM 3 TIMES A DAY (3 LITTLE BITS 3 TIMES A DAY). AND 5 DAYS AGO WE STARTED TO FEED HIM TWICE A DAY (GRANULE FOOD)
How much do you feed your fish? AT FIRST IT WAS 3 LITTLE BITS. 5 DAYS AGO WE CHANGED HIS FOOD FROM BITS TO A GRANULE ONE SO WE TRY TO GIVE HIM THE PROPORTIONAL AMOUNT.
What brand of food do you feed your Fish? AT FIRST WAS MEGA FOOD AND NOW IS COLOR BITS FROM TETRA (I LIVE IN BRAZIL SO I DON’T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THESE BRANDS).
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? NO.

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? 3 WEEKS BUT I DON’T KNOW FOR HOW LONG HE WAS AT THE SHOP.
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? 3/4 DAYS.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? HE’S LETHARGIC, ONLY STAYING AT THE TOP OF THE TANK, TURNING BROWN (HIS ORIGINAL COLOR IS DARK BLUE), NOT MAKING BUBBLE NEST ANYMORE - BUT HE’S EATING WELL.
Have you started any treatment for the illness? NO. I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING TO HIM.
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? HE’S LETHARGIC, ONLY STAYING AT THE TOP OF THE TANK, TURNING BROWN (HIS ORIGINAL COLOR IS DARK BLUE), NOT MAKING BUBBLE NEST ANYMORE - BUT HE’S EATING WELL.

Explain your emergency situation in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)
5 DAYS AGO WE MOVED HIM FROM A 0.5 GALLON TANK (WITH ONLY GRAVEL AT THE BOTTOM AND A BRIDGE AS A HIDING SPOT) TO A 5.5 ONE (WITH GRAVEL AT THE BOTTOM, THE BRIDGE, A CAVE, 3 ARTIFICIAL PLANTS, A LITTLE FAKE TURTLE). WE ALSO CHANGED HIS FOOD ANT FEEDING SCHEDULE (FROM 3 TIMES A DAY TO 2 TIMES A DAY - FROM 3 LITTLE BITS TO THE PROPORTIONAL AMOUNT OF GRANULE FOOD).
3/4 DAYS AGO I STARTED NOTICING HE WAS STAYING A THE TOP OF THE TANK MORE FREQUENTLY AND NOT MAKING BUBBLE NEST ANYMORE. HE WAS LETHARGIC TOO AND TODAY I REALIZED HE IS TURNING BROWN (NOT THE BODY, JUST THE FINS AND THE TOP OS HIS HEAD).

 

[Feohw]

Well your profile says you don't know what the nitrogen cycle is. Basically fish produce ammonia. Ammonia is bad. Bacteria is needed to change that to nitrite. That is also bad. More bacteria is needed to convert that to nitrates. This is fine as long as it doesn't build up to high amounts.

So your tank wasn't cycled when you got the betta and it seems you haven't done too many water changes. I'd start doing daily water changes until the tank is cycled. Try getting beneficial bacteria in a bottle from the store and an apI master test kit. You need to know the parameters. Test strips aren't too accurate so it's best to get the apI master test kit. I'd get a filter as well, a simple sponge filter and air pump will do the trick if you prefer that to a hang on back. It's best to get a heater too, especially if it gets cold where you are. Could you add a pic too?

 

[tatianamansur85]

As you can see He stays there at the top corner. Oh, I removend 1 artificial plant and the little turtle.

 

[wintermute]

I'd be doing a 50% water change straight away. He is not looking well. As Feohw said you should be doing daily water changes till the tank is under control. You could also get something that will eliminate (detoxify) ammonia. Apparently seachem prime is the most recommended, I've not used it.

At a minimum get an ammonia test, but I would strongly recommend getting the apI master test kit so you can test the important parameters. I second all that Feohw said

Read up here https://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm to find out why he is sick.

Tony.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Thank you very much!

I’m desperate! I’m afraid I am running out of time...

Btw, I did a change of water today (between 50/70%) and removed 2 decoration items. But a few minutes after a put him back he went straight to the top corner.
While I was changing the water and cleaning the decorations, I transferred him to a 0.5 gallon tank (with no decor or gravel - just water) with 0.26 gallon of new, conditioned water and 0.26 gallon of his “old” water. I immediately noticed that the water was cristal clear and his color was coming back.
Do you think the decor or gravel is damaging the water? I ask because my 5.5 gallon tank doesn’t look like it’s been through a water change. The water is already a little bit cloudy.

 

[EbiAqua]

Thank you very much!

I’m desperate! I’m afraid I am running out of time...

Btw, I did a change of water today (between 50/70%) and removed 2 decoration items. But a few minutes after a put him back he went straight to the top corner.
While I was changing the water and cleaning the decorations, I transferred him to a 0.5 gallon tank (with no decor or gravel - just water) with 0.26 gallon of new, conditioned water and 0.26 gallon of his “old” water. I immediately noticed that the water was cristal clear and his color was coming back.
Do you think the decor or gravel is damaging the water? I ask because my 5.5 gallon tank doesn’t look like it’s been through a water change. The water is already a little bit cloudy.

It's not the gravel. A combination of overfeeding, not enough water changes, and an uncycled tank is causing him to suffer the affects of ammonia poisoning.

You should be doing 50% water changes every day at this point. You also need a filter unless you feel like doing 50% water changes 2-3 times a week for the rest of the fish's life.

 

[tatianamansur85]

I'd be doing a 50% water change straight away. He is not looking well. As Feohw said you should be doing daily water changes till the tank is under control. You could also get something that will eliminate (detoxify) ammonia. Apparently seachem prime is the most recommended, I've not used it.

At a minimum get an ammonia test, but I would strongly recommend getting the apI master test kit so you can test the important parameters. I second all that Feohw said

Read up here https://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm to find out why he is sick.

Tony.

Oh, another quest

 

[wintermute]

Unfortunately a lot of fish shops do not tell you all you need to know before they sell you a fish There is a lot to it if you want your fish to live a healthy happy and long life.

At a bare minimum get an air stone. Apart from ammonia poisoning your fish may be lacking oxygen. Note that the bubbles themselves are not what replenish the oxygen, it is the agitation of the surface of the water that allows oxygen to enter the water. A filter that agitates the surface of the water will do the same job.

Tony.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Do you think I can start by making a daily 50% water change and buying a filter?

Unfortunately a lot of fish shops do not tell you all you need to know before they sell you a fish There is a lot to it if you want your fish to live a healthy happy and long life.

At a bare minimum get an air stone. Apart from ammonia poisoning your fish may be lacking oxygen. Note that the bubbles themselves are not what replenish the oxygen, it is the agitation of the surface of the water that allows oxygen to enter the water. A filter that agitates the surface of the water will do the same job.

Tony.

Or maybe I could transfer him back to the 0.5 gallon tank with just gravel and a hiding spot while a start a cycle at the 5.5 gallon?

 

[EbiAqua]

Or maybe I could transfer him back to the 0.5 gallon tank with just gravel and a hiding spot while a start a cycle at the 5.5 gallon?

He'd be worse off in the 1/2 gallon because it's an even smaller volume of water. More temperature swings, ammonia concentration builds up faster, etc. The more water volume the better at this point, as it will help dilute the ammonia.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Is it possible to cycle the tank with a Betta in it? Will he survive?

 

[EbiAqua]

Is it possible to cycle the tank with a Betta in it? Will he survive?

Yes, but he needs clean water ASAP. Only feed him once every other day as well to limit the amount of waste being produced.

Also you cannot cycle without a filter, it's where the good bacteria live that process waste in the water. Your only other alternative would be to do a VERY heavily planted aquarium and let plants do all the filtration, but if you don't have the skillset to pull that off then definitely get a filter. Even a sponge filter and an airpump, which would be very cheap, would be perfect and certainly better than nothing.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Well, I hope the water change I did a few hours ago will keep him alive until tomorrow...
We made an impulsive, uneducated choice and bought him to my daughter as a birthday present and now the poor little guy is paying the price
I’m feeling so guilty...

 

[ystrout]

I skimmed through the thread, sorry I didn't read the whole post.

But the first thing to do is detox the water with SeaChem Prime or a similar ammonia binding product. Use just a couple drops in that amount of water.

Next, you need to get a bigger tank. A .5 gallon is far too small. The absolute smallest is 5 gallons, 10 gallons is ideal. Get a filter and a heater. Google "nitrogen cycle aquarium". You'll have to go through this. But it will be a lot easier doing it in a 5 to 10 gallon aquarium than a .5 gallon tank...

Honestly, the Betta isn't looking too hot. I reallly hope he gets better when you bind the ammonia. Even if he doesn't, use these tips and try again. Fishkeeping is super rewarding and is an amazing at home hobby.

 

[tatianamansur85]

My tank is 5 gallons.
What I was asking was if it could help to put him in a 1/2 gallon tank while a cycle the 5.5 one.
But I was told it would be worst...

 

[LeahsTank]

No need to remove him while changing the water. Just scoop or siphon with him there. Just make sure to use a water conditioner to neutralize the chlorine in most tap water.

Prime is best for that because it also helps make the ammonia less toxic while you build your cycle.

Also, there is no need to remove his decorations.

 

[DixieFish]

I used to raise bettas years ago. First thing you need to know is: DON'T PANIC!
He's just stressed, but in my experience they can be tough little boogers. I didnt see evidence of fin rot or ich (aka, white spot disease - highly recommend looking up both diseases for future reference because they are common in bettas).

Everyone's always against the test strips, but the master kits can be expensive. Get it online if you can. Otherwise, I used API 5 in 1 to effectively cycle a tank. It did not have an ammonia test, but I had LOTS of plants and you can gestimate ammonia (roughly) by watching nitrite and nitrate levels.

I would like to point out that Seachem Prime only TEMPORARILY BINDS ammonia. It does NOT remove it. When it does this, nitrifying bacteria cannot eat it. So when the binder dissolves it releases the ammonia back into an already overloaded tank. So you have to keep treating with Prime until there is enough bacteria to handle it all. So while Seachem Prime can save your fish in a crisis, long term dosing could be expensive and potentially fatal if you skip a dose or a water change.

Remember, bettas breathe air, so poorly oxygenated water isn't a big deal for them.

Definitely go with the sponge filter, and if your water drops more than four degrees at night, get a small heater. Change half the water every three or four days.

Personally, get live plants. I highly recommend Anubius barterI or Marimo balls. Bettas especially love anubias and anubias Love sucking up ammonia. They are a tough plant, grow slowly and look fantastic. The leaves get big enough for him to rest on.

Marimo moss balls can be fun, too, and the fish can't get trapped behind them because they are very light. They suck up tons of waste, so it helps to squeeze and rinse them off in declorinated water every couple of weeks or so. Make sure its real marimo- many pet stores sell fake floating ones.

My last suggestion: get him a frozen or dried food treat to feed sparingly once or twice a week. Bettas are carnivorous and all fish love variety. If you have raw shrimp, salmon or other RAW fish in your freezer, see if he won't eat a tiny bite-sized chunk or two. Just be sure it's chopped small enough to fit in his mouth. Fresh foods improve their color and appetite a lot.

Mostly I just want to reassure you that he will be just fine in that nice big tank, tho it may feel like hes taking forever to heal. That he is still interested in food is good. You did the right thing putting him in the bigger tank. Keep an eye on him in case he develops any other symptoms (and let us know about it asap!).

I hope all goes well for the little guy! Keep us updated, okay.

 

[wintermute]

I would like to point out that Seachem Prime only TEMPORARILY BINDS ammonia. It does NOT remove it. When it does this, nitrifying bacteria cannot eat it. So when the binder dissolves it releases the ammonia back into an already overloaded tank. So you have to keep treating with Prime until there is enough bacteria to handle it all. So while Seachem Prime can save your fish in a crisis, long term dosing could be expensive and potentially fatal if you skip a dose or a water change.

I've never used it but suspected the same, so I asked the question, and an experienced member told me that it actually converts the ammonia to amonium, and that the BB can still utilize it. But yes, if it hasn't been got rid of by the BB or water changes within the 24-48 hour period it is going to be causing problems again!

Remember, bettas breathe air, so poorly oxygenated water isn't a big deal for them.

Interesting I didn't know that! But I'd think that was more of a survival mechanism, and having properly oxygenated water in the long term would be beneficial in reducing the fishes stress

Thanks for sharing your experience, I hope it helps to reduce the stress of the OP somewhat!

Tony.

 

[Seasoldier]

At a bare minimum get an air stone. Apart from ammonia poisoning your fish may be lacking oxygen.

It's a Betta, an anabantoid, & is able to breathe atmospheric air at the surface through its labyrinth organ so I doubt it has anything to do with oxygen deprivation.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Definitely go with the sponge filter, and if your water drops more than four degrees at night, get a small heater. Change half the water every three or four days.

Hi! First of all, thanks for the advices!
I made a almost 70% water change yesterday. Should I do another one today? I ask because I’m going to buy the filter today

 

[TucanSam]

I think there is a misunderstanding about Prime. It is a water conditioner that also happens to bind ammonia, which is why it's so popular. I believe it also binds nitrite and nitrate as well.

During this time it is edible to bacteria, and as long as the bb colony is active they should eat it.

It's perfectly fine to dose with prime every day during a fish in cycle. I've done it with success as have many others. Hope your fish makes it!

 

[ETNsilverstar]

Hi! First of all, thanks for the advices!
I made a almost 70% water change yesterday. Should I do another one today? I ask because I’m going to buy the filter today

Since you don't have anything to test the water at the moment, I'd say yes. Extra water changes certainly won't hurt anything. It seems like you're on the right track now though. I would get a filter and a heater. The heater will also help keep the temperature steady, which most fish prefer. There are fairly cheap pre-set ones you can buy at the pet store and they will work well for your setup.

It hasn't been mentioned, but I'd recommend giving Tetra SafeStart Plus a try. It is beneficial bacteria in a bottle and will help speed up your cycle. Occasionally it doesn't work, but it's not expensive, so I always say it's worth a shot.

 

[wintermute]

I would continue to do daily water changes, up to 50% (maybe 25% twice daily) until you have the filter. When you get the filter I'd also suggest getting a bottle of bacteria and follow the directions on it. I've used fluval cycle in the past successfully for fish in cycling, I've seen tetra safe start recommended since joining here (I've not had experience with that). Whilst you are still getting high ammonia, I would err on the side of doing more water changes rather than trying to leave it for the bacteria. Your cycle will take longer but it will be better for your fish

Tony.

 

[TucanSam]

I would continue to do daily water changes, up to 50% (maybe 25% twice daily) until you have the filter. When you get the filter I'd also suggest getting a bottle of bacteria and follow the directions on it. I've used fluval cycle in the past successfully for fish in cycling, I've seen tetra safe start recommended since joining here (I've not had experience with that). Whilst you are still getting high ammonia, I would err on the side of doing more water changes rather than trying to leave it for the bacteria. Your cycle will take longer but it will be better for your fish

Tony.

To be clear I wasn't recommending not doing water changes! I assumed he would keep doing them, though with tetra safestart you aren't supposed to do any for a week or two.

 

[tatianamansur85]

So, I just did a 25% water change and will do another one later. I’ll keep doing that till a buy the filter.
Now that I changes the water I can see he’s swimming again. He swims and then hide under his bridge; swims and hide inside his cave.
I’ll keep an eye on him to see how long he’ll take to go to the top corner again.
These photos are from today. As you can see I don’t think his fins are good. I’m not saying he has rot fin but they look torned. He came like this but it wasn’t so bad. I wonder if my decorations are hurting him.
In the third one you can see something like a “bone”. He came like this as well. Seems like que lost his fins in that spot.
In the first and last photos you can see how brown he is. He was not like this. His color was a bright dark blue.

 

[DixieFish]

Safe Start with bio-organisms is a fantastic suggestion. I never had to use it but then again I had a huge bio-load of snails and plants that apparently did that for me, lol. Safe Start might provide peace of mine. Try to get the freshest bottle in the store.

Btw, how are the edges of his fins looking?

 

[tatianamansur85]

I don’t know guys
English is not my first language so I’m struggling here with my words lol
But I’m doing my best to describe his condition
All I wanna do is help him get better

 

[DixieFish]

The pics answered for me! Lol. He doesn't look as bad as I thought, but did his... I suddenly forget fish anatomy... The side fins behind his gills - did they always have clear margins? You say his fin edges are ripping?

Bettas are notorious for ripping their fins on plastic decore, which is why silk or live is safer. Back in the day I used to add some methylene blue to a tank with new fish to prevent infections... But now I'm not sure where to get it... Looking that up...

 

[tatianamansur85]

I’ll answer with photos lol

First and second photos: him 8 days ago (already in a 5.5 gallon tank)
The last one is 10 days ago, when he was in his 1/2 gallon tank.

 

[TucanSam]

If his fins are tearing I'd guess its the plastic plants. Even though they aren't sharp for other fish, they can tear through betta fins

 

[ystrout]

Hi! First of all, thanks for the advices!
I made a almost 70% water change yesterday. Should I do another one today? I ask because I’m going to buy the filter today

Are you moving him to a bigger tank today too?

But yes, do large water changes every day until he's in a bigger tank.

Make sure to buy a liquid test kit too. You'll need that to monitor the cycle.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Are you moving him to a bigger tank today too?

But yes, do large water changes every day until he's in a bigger tank.

Make sure to buy a liquid test kit too. You'll need that to monitor the cycle.

No
He’s in a 5.5 gallon tank for a little over a week
I’ll buy the filter and tests today

Thanks!!

 

[ystrout]

No
He’s in a 5.5 gallon tank for a little over a week
I’ll buy the filter and tests today

Thanks!!

Ohhh sorry for the misunderstanding.

Are those pictures in the 5.5 gallon tank from 8 days ago similar to how he looks today? He looks a lot healthier in that tank than the other pictures I saw in the small tank.

 

[DixieFish]

Okay so you really want to pick up some methylene blue while you are out, too. There is one brand called Kordon Methylene Blue that looks reliable. MB not only will prevent and treat infection, but according to my reading also helps reverse ammonia and nitrite poisoning as well as helps with stress. Exactly what your fish needs! It will damage plants so good thing you don't have plants yet! MB is in my opinion, is the safest and best chemical treatment to use in a freshwater tank. Be sure, of course, to follow dosing instructions exactly, remove the carbon from the filter (unless you get a sponge filter), and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS DILUTE any meds (put it in the fresh water when you do a change), even if the directions on the pkg say otherwise (I did that once and killed my favorite lyretail guppy...).

Here is a very informative page on methylene blue that includes dosing instructions:



Never add straight meds to a tank, I didn't think I clarified...

 

[ystrout]

The fish doesn't look like it has any infection so you shouldn't use that medicine now. Just provide it clean water.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Ohhh sorry for the misunderstanding.

Are those pictures in the 5.5 gallon tank from 8 days ago similar to how he looks today? He looks a lot healthier in that tank than the other pictures I saw in the small tank.

Hi!

The photo in the smaller tank is bad... it was pretty dark, but he was as healthy as he was two days latter, when I transferred him to the 5.5 gallon tank.
And today his not that at all... I feel like his losing his fins
I’ll post a photo for you, but take in consideration that in today’s photo he’s not swimming, so his fins will look smaller than it really is.
You can see that his true color is showing only in the middle of his body. He’s turning brown...

I would continue to do daily water changes, up to 50% (maybe 25% twice daily) until you have the filter. When you get the filter I'd also suggest getting a bottle of bacteria and follow the directions on it. I've used fluval cycle in the past successfully for fish in cycling, I've seen tetra safe start recommended since joining here (I've not had experience with that). Whilst you are still getting high ammonia, I would err on the side of doing more water changes rather than trying to leave it for the bacteria. Your cycle will take longer but it will be better for your fish

Tony.

All filters come with water pump or I don’t know what I’m talking about?
There’s a difference?

 

[wintermute]

Some filters have an impeller, these move quite a lot of water, some just use air, the air bubbles rising cause some suction which draws the water in. I'm not experienced with betta's but I've seen people saying that they don't like a high flow. The filters I have used would probably not be good because they are high flow. I think (but am not sure) that a lot of the sponge filters are air driven. Sponge filter I think was recommended earlier.

edit: just clicking on the sponge filter link that appeared in this post, it seems that you may have to buy a separate air pump (maybe not in all cases but check!)

Tony.

To be clear I wasn't recommending not doing water changes! I assumed he would keep doing them, though with tetra safestart you aren't supposed to do any for a week or two.

No worries, I hadn't seen your post , it was on page two, I was just answering the OP's question whether she should continue to do water changes, I probably should quote more to make it clear what I am answering!

I haven't used the TSS, I've used fluval cycle which is a bit different I think. You put in a big dose the first day (for my 90L tank 50ml) and then a smaller dose daily after that, water changes aren't really a problem because you keep adding bacteria each day. I've also just got some Continuum Aquatics bacter Gen F (not because I needed to cycle, but because I was hoping to get some denitrifying bacteria with some new media) It is very concentrated, and has both nitrifying and de-nitrifying bacteria. For my 90L tank it was just 5ml as an initial dose. Testing nitrates last night after just three days and they were down to between 5 to 10 (haven't been below between 20 - 40) so it appears to be working (I'll need to monitor over a longer period though, as I had read it can take months for the denitrifying bacteria to become effective).

Tony.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Some filters have an impeller, these move quite a lot of water, some just use air, the air bubbles rising cause some suction which draws the water in. I'm not experienced with betta's but I've seen people saying that they don't like a high flow. The filters I have used would probably not be good because they are high flow. I think (but am not sure) that a lot of the sponge filters are air driven. Sponge filter I think was recommended earlier.

edit: just clicking on the sponge filter link that appeared in this post, it seems that you may have to buy a separate air pump (maybe not in all cases but check!)

Tony.

I’ll check!
Thank you so much!!

 

[Tol]

Sponge filters typically do not come with a pump, airline, or check valves. Always use a check valve for any air drive device in your tank as they will prevent the rare but possible back siphon of water into your air pump. HOB or Internal filters will also work fine as well. The key is finding something that is not overly strong or that has adjustable flow on it. Any of the types of filters for that size of a tank will generally be $20 and under for everything needed. I would get a small adjustable heater if needed rather than a pre-set one. There may be times you want or need to change temps and if you don't have that option you will be buying another one.

 

[AloeInkblots]

Seems like everybody else beat me to the punch but just to reiterate.
A filter and heater are a must have.
I'd do a 50 Watt heater with a dial to select the temperature (not one that has a pre-set temp) I keep mine set to 80°F.
Also, change to silk plants, it will keep your Betta's fins long, pretty, and intact. I also suggest plenty of them, Betta's love to feel hidden! I'll provide a picture of how many I have in my 10 gallon.
Just do what everyone has recently informed you of and your Betta will be big and beautiful in no time!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using

 

[Dash Riprock]

Well, I hope the water change I did a few hours ago will keep him alive until tomorrow...
We made an impulsive, uneducated choice and bought him to my daughter as a birthday present and now the poor little guy is paying the price
I’m feeling so guilty...

This caught my eye. I've been there. Hopefully I can offer some calming words.

I went through a somewhat similar thing about a year ago. My daughter had been begging for a betta and we finally agreed to let her pick one out. I didn't know a whole lot about it at the time but I did know that I wanted to house it in a proper aquarium, not a bowl.

We went down to Petsmart and talked to what seemed to be a very knowledgeable young man who recommended their Top Fin 5.5 gallon set up. In fairness, he recommended it as a bare minimum, and he did say 10 was better, but 5.5 would work. And it has. He gave us a lot of other good information about feeding, heaters, temperature, etc.

But what he didn't mention was the nitrogen cycle. And I suspect he didn't mention it because if he had, we would have had to spend all the money buying all the equipment, plus a test kit - BUT NOT THE FISH - because it would have taken a month or so to do a proper fishless cycle. We would have had a very disappointed kid who didn't get to go home with a betta after being promised that today was the day. And I suspect that that would have made 90% of their customers mad, and they'd have left without buying anything, and likely never would have returned.

Anyway, it is what it is and I won't dwell on that further.

So, we get the betta home and set everything up and it seems to be doing fine. Over the next few weeks, as I get some free time, I start googling stuff about bettas, basically doing the research I should have done long before we got the fish, and I keep seeing references to the "nitrogen cycle". Is your aquarium "cycled"? What's your ammonia level? etc. Huh?

So one evening, maybe 3 or 4 weeks after we've had the fish, I start googling the "nitrogen cycle", and once I finally understood it, I felt the same as you - guilty. I had put this poor fish through a fish-in cycle and I had no earthly idea what I had subjected him to. I felt horrible.

Fortunately, he made it through. As someone mentioned, they look delicate but they tend to be pretty hardy. I resolved right then to take care of him as best as I could for however long we had him and I've been upgrading his equipment and improving his habitat bit by bit ever since.

Anyway, bottom line, you need to get familiar with the nitrogen cycle. There are tons of websites out there, including this one, that will explain it in as much or as little detail at you want, but fundamentally, you need to understand that what makes an aquarium possible is a biological process by which certain beneficial bacteria in the air finds the ammonia in the aquarium (which comes from fish waste and other decaying matter) and converts it to nitrites, which are then converted to nitrates. Nitrates are then removed primarily by water changes, plants, or a combination of the two.

Basically, ammonia and nitrites are extremely toxic to fish even in small amounts, whereas nitrates can be tolerated to a larger degree (but will still become toxic at some point). But you must have an ongoing way to deal with the ammonia and nitrites, which is where filters come in and why you need to get one as soon as possible. Filters hold colonies of these beneficial bacteria; that's where the magic is done.

I imagine that most non-fish people think of filters as a mesh of some sort that catches debris and then is thrown away and replaced periodically. Like an air conditioner filter. That's what I thought before I learned better. I probably put my poor betta through several days if not weeks of unnecessary cycling stress because I swapped out a slightly used "cartridge" filter for a brand new one, thinking I was doing good. Because that's what intuitively seemed right to me.

But for aquariums, it's pretty much the opposite. You actually DON'T want your filter to be pristine. You actually WANT that bacteria to build up in there, and stay there. That's what cycles your tank. That's what keeps fish healthy. When you clean an aquarium filter, you don't really "clean" it like we think of cleaning everything else. You basically swish the filter media in dirty aquarium water to remove any obvious major gunk, and leave the rest alone. They don't tell you this at Petsmart, because they want to sell you new filter media.

And that "filter media" in the aquarium world can be a lot of things - a sponge, a bag of activated carbon, a bunch of plastic balls, ceramic beads, floss, crushed lava rock, gravel, the list goes on. And they're used in all kinds of filtration systems - hang on back, sponge, undergravel, canister, etc. But I'll stop there because there are literally thousands of websites and YouTube videos that talk about all this, and it gets very confusing very quickly for a newbie. You don't need to know it all, but you do need to know the basics of the nitrogen cycle.

Finally, I saw you asking about the filter equipment you need. Very quickly, what you need depends on the type of filter you get. A "hang on back" filter will have its own built in power source. A "sponge" filter will in all likelihood need a separate air pump. Some require what's known as a "powerhead". Again, there are thousands of sources talking about all different kinds of filters, and it gets confusing. Just understand that there are many ways to do this, and (usually) there is no 100% right or 100% wrong answer. It all depends.

For your purposes, I would recommend a "hang on back" filter because they're fairly easy to use and understand, they're actually pretty versatile if you want to get into some of the more fancy stuff later on, and they work great. The disadvantage for bettas is they can put out a little more current than bettas like, even at the lowest setting (most are adjustable). My guy seems to like hanging out just outside the flow and it doesn't seem to bother him to sweep through it every once in a while, but if you position it on one side of the aquarium he can always hang out on the opposite side if he doesn't like getting jostled around a bit. I'm using an AquaClear 20 on my 5.5 gallon betta tank. I generally see them for $30 or so at the stores, a little less on Amazon. There are lots of other good brands - Marineland, Aqueon, even the Top Fin Petsmart house brand is decent in my experience - that do virtually the same thing. But whatever you get, get it quick because you need to get that nitrogen cycle started.

Sorry if I got carried away but I wanted to give you a perspective from someone who not long ago was in your shoes. Just a couple more quick things - you don't have to remove the betta or the furnishings when you change his water. You only change a portion of it, not all of it, and as long as you take a little care not to jostle things around too much he'll be fine. And, while I'm no expert by any means, the betta in your pictures doesn't look too bad to me. Reflecting back on it, mine had some lethargic days in the first month also, no doubt from the cycling stress I was foolishly subjecting him to.

I hope this has been helpful, and good luck!

 

[sharview]

When you do the cycling do not wash anything gravel, glass, decorations, filters nothing inside the tank, use prime and stability, doing water test is very important everyday any questions p.ease ask

 

[tatianamansur85]

Seems like everybody else beat me to the punch but just to reiterate.
A filter and heater are a must have.
I'd do a 50 Watt heater with a dial to select the temperature (not one that has a pre-set temp) I keep mine set to 80°F.
Also, change to silk plants, it will keep your Betta's fins long, pretty, and intact. I also suggest plenty of them, Betta's love to feel hidden! I'll provide a picture of how many I have in my 10 gallon.
Just do what everyone has recently informed you of and your Betta will be big and beautiful in no time!View attachment 562861

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Fish Lore Aquarium Fish Forum mobile app

Thank you so much!

But what he didn't mention was the nitrogen cycle. And I suspect he didn't mention it because if he had, we would have had to spend all the money buying all the equipment, plus a test kit - BUT NOT THE FISH - because it would have taken a month or so to do a proper fishless cycle. We would have had a very disappointed kid who didn't get to go home with a betta after being promised that today was the day. And I suspect that that would have made 90% of their customers mad, and they'd have left without buying anything, and likely never would have returned.

That’s EXACTLY what happened to us.
We went to the store and a Betta was not in our plans. But when the guy told us that the fish we wanted wouldn’t come home with us that day, we immediately decided to buy a Betta. The guy didn’t tell us that we would have to cycle the tank even for a Betta fish... I’m not blaming just him. I had to know what I was doing even before going to the store...

 

[iman350]

Oh! By the way, if those are plastic plants, id really recommend to get silk ones incase his fins get torn. I hope he improves

 

[tatianamansur85]

I'm using an AquaClear 20 on my 5.5 gallon betta tank. I generally see them for $30 or so at the stores, a little less on Amazon. There are lots of other good brands - Marineland, Aqueon, even the Top Fin Petsmart house brand is decent in my experience - that do virtually the same thing. But whatever you get, get it quick because you need to get that nitrogen cycle started.

That’s the problem: I live in Brazil so an Amazon order takes time to get here and I don’t know the quality of the products our stores sell...
so I’m researching with you guys and trying to research the brands I have available for me here...

Well your profile says you don't know what the nitrogen cycle is. Basically fish produce ammonia. Ammonia is bad. Bacteria is needed to change that to nitrite. That is also bad. More bacteria is needed to convert that to nitrates. This is fine as long as it doesn't build up to high amounts.

So your tank wasn't cycled when you got the betta and it seems you haven't done too many water changes. I'd start doing daily water changes until the tank is cycled. Try getting beneficial bacteria in a bottle from the store and an apI master test kit. You need to know the parameters. Test strips aren't too accurate so it's best to get the apI master test kit. I'd get a filter as well, a simple sponge filter and air pump will do the trick if you prefer that to a hang on back. It's best to get a heater too, especially if it gets cold where you are. Could you add a pic too?

Hello again!

Could you give me some tips about filters and heaters to my 5.5 gallon tank?
I want to buy a complete filter, not a filter + water pump + something else.
I saw an Aqueon one for 3 gallon tanks.

That’s the link: Aqueon Quietflow E Internal Power Filter, 3 Gallon

And I also want a heater that, when it reaches the temperature I want, turns off. And if the temperature changes, it will turn on again to adjust the temperature.

I’m gonna buy silk plants and the 5 in 1 test kit as well.

Thanks!!

 

[Feohw]

Hello again!

Could you give me some tips about filters and heaters to my 5.5 gallon tank?
I want to buy a complete filter, not a filter + water pump + something else.
I saw an Aqueon one for 3 gallon tanks.

That’s the link: Aqueon Quietflow E Internal Power Filter, 3 Gallon

And I also want a heater that, when it reaches the temperature I want, turns off. And if the temperature changes, it will turn on again to adjust the temperature.

I’m gonna buy silk plants and the 5 in 1 test kit as well.

Thanks!!

Heya! In my 6 gallon betta/shrimp tank I have an AquaClear 20 running on low flow. It gets the job done well enough and I've seen other people recommend it. Really its a bit overkill for the tank but I prefer to over filter anyway. Personally I feel that a simple sponge filter would be better for my tank, but for now that filter is just fine. I've never tried out the filter you mentioned, personally I prefer canisters, HOB or sponge filters to internal filters. So if someone else has a recommendation for an internal filter I'll leave that to them. The filter I have have atm is pretty good though so I'd recommend it.

As for the heater, I believe I have an eheim jager 50W in my tank. Its +/- 0.5°C I believe. Turns on until its around the temp you want, turns off when the temp is right. Then back on when the temp falls a bit. I've heard good things about the Aqueon heaters too. A 25W heater should be fine, though I prefer to go for 50W.

 

[Dash Riprock]

Hello again!

Could you give me some tips about filters and heaters to my 5.5 gallon tank?
I want to buy a complete filter, not a filter + water pump + something else.
I saw an Aqueon one for 3 gallon tanks.

That’s the link: Aqueon Quietflow E Internal Power Filter, 3 Gallon

And I also want a heater that, when it reaches the temperature I want, turns off. And if the temperature changes, it will turn on again to adjust the temperature.

I’m gonna buy silk plants and the 5 in 1 test kit as well.

Thanks!!

With regard to heaters, all of them (as far as I know) cut off and on as needed to maintain a certain temperature. The difference is whether they are adjustable or not. In general, adjustable is better but like everything, it depends. The non-adjustable ones are preset to maintain a specific temperature, usually 78 degrees (Fahrenheit), which in theory should work for the majority of tropical fish, but in practice they are notoriously unreliable, at least according to what you read on the internet.

I initially had this 10W Aqueon heater in my 5.5 gallon tank. I liked it because it was small and unobtrusive but it was set to only go to 78, and ideally I wanted to keep our betta at 80-82 ish. But 78 was acceptable enough and for a few months all was well. Then for some reason it stopped heating to 78 and would only heat to 76, so I ended up splurging on a very nice 25W adjustable Cobalt brand heater that I now keep set at 81.

So in my experience, I think 10W is not enough for 5.5 gallons, 25W is adequate, and 50W would be better. But at least get a 25W and if it were me, I'd spend a little more and make sure it's adjustable. They aren't that expensive to begin with.

As far as filters, you've linked to an internal power filter and since I've never used one, I'm not all that familiar with the pros and cons. It looks like it uses a filter cartridge, which is basically two layers of padding material with some activated charcoal in the middle. The padding material is where your beneficial bacteria will grow. If you go with this system, remember NOT to replace that cartridge at the first sign of dirt - just rinse it in some of the drained aquarium water when you do a water change. If you replace it with a new one, or rinse it out with tap water and make it crystal clear, you'll lose your bacteria colony, which means you've lost your cycle and will have to start over. I learned this the hard way.

If you do that, I'm sure this filter would work fine but don't get the 3 gallon model, get at least the 10. I'd still recommend a HOB (hang on back) filter, because they aren't much more expensive and it seems like they're much more flexible than that internal filter would be, but again, I don't know much about internal filters. When I say "flexible", I'm referring to the ability to add different types of filter media down the road if you want or need to. I won't go into it but you can google "aquarium filter hacks" if you want to learn more.

Thank you so much!


That’s EXACTLY what happened to us.
We went to the store and a Betta was not in our plans. But when the guy told us that the fish we wanted wouldn’t come home with us that day, we immediately decided to buy a Betta. The guy didn’t tell us that we would have to cycle the tank even for a Betta fish... I’m not blaming just him. I had to know what I was doing even before going to the store...

For some reason, people have this notion that bettas (and to a lesser extent goldfish) can happily live in a small bowl of water all of their life, because in the wild they supposedly live in shallow rice paddy puddles, or something. The cup display racks they have in all the pet stores no doubt contributes to this myth. I didn't know much when we got our daughter her betta, but I did know that it would NOT be a good idea to keep him in a bowl. I remember having a betta in college that we kept in a bowl, and it died within a couple of weeks so I didn't want to make that mistake again.

I guess in the store's defense, it would be a real challenge to require employees to either ascertain whether the customer understood the nitrogen cycle, and even worse to explain it to them if they don't. I can just imagine how many sales they would lose if they said "Glad you want a betta, here's what you do. Buy $150+ worth of equipment over here, go home and get it running, put a few drops of ammonia in it and then start testing daily until you see the ammonia level dropping. Then change 50% of the water and keep adding ammonia until you see nitrites dropping. Repeat for a couple of weeks and then after you get X number of stable readings in a row, come back in and pick out your $5 betta!".

Yeah, good luck with that.

But that's how it needs to be done. Oh well. I would have at least appreciated being told the basics, although in fairness we'd have almost certainly bought the betta that day anyway, because my daughter was expecting it. But I could have made the fish-in cycle much more pleasant for the little guy had I had any idea what I was doing. Ultimately it's my fault for not doing my research first, and I still feel bad about it.

 

[tatianamansur85]

Heya! In my 6 gallon betta/shrimp tank I have an AquaClear 20 running on low flow. It gets the job done well enough and I've seen other people recommend it. Really its a bit overkill for the tank but I prefer to over filter anyway. Personally I feel that a simple sponge filter would be better for my tank, but for now that filter is just fine. I've never tried out the filter you mentioned, personally I prefer canisters, HOB or sponge filters to internal filters. So if someone else has a recommendation for an internal filter I'll leave that to them. The filter I have have atm is pretty good though so I'd recommend it.

As for the heater, I believe I have an eheim jager 50W in my tank. Its +/- 0.5°C I believe. Turns on until its around the temp you want, turns off when the temp is right. Then back on when the temp falls a bit. I've heard good things about the Aqueon heaters too. A 25W heater should be fine, though I prefer to go for 50W.

Hi!
Thank you! I’ll take a look.

But now I have another problem ‍♀️
Remember my Betta was staying only at the top corner of the tank? Well, after a did the water change this morning, he spent all day inside his cave. ALL DAY. And I noticed that the water temperature decreased from 78.8 to 77. Could it be the reason he’s hiding/at the bottom?

For some reason, people have this notion that bettas (and to a lesser extent goldfish) can happily live in a small bowl of water all of their life, because in the wild they supposedly live in shallow rice paddy puddles, or something. The cup display racks they have in all the pet stores no doubt contributes to this myth. I didn't know much when we got our daughter her betta, but I did know that it would NOT be a good idea to keep him in a bowl. I remember having a betta in college that we kept in a bowl, and it died within a couple of weeks so I didn't want to make that mistake again.

I guess in the store's defense, it would be a real challenge to require employees to either ascertain whether the customer understood the nitrogen cycle, and even worse to explain it to them if they don't. I can just imagine how many sales they would lose if they said "Glad you want a betta, here's what you do. Buy $150+ worth of equipment over here, go home and get it running, put a few drops of ammonia in it and then start testing daily until you see the ammonia level dropping. Then change 50% of the water and keep adding ammonia until you see nitrites dropping. Repeat for a couple of weeks and then after you get X number of stable readings in a row, come back in and pick out your $5 betta!".

Yeah, good luck with that.

But that's how it needs to be done. Oh well. I would have at least appreciated being told the basics, although in fairness we'd have almost certainly bought the betta that day anyway, because my daughter was expecting it. But I could have made the fish-in cycle much more pleasant for the little guy had I had any idea what I was doing. Ultimately it's my fault for not doing my research first, and I still feel bad about it.

I agree with you.
It’s sad, but it is what it is...
All we can do now is research to help them get better and do a better job next time we decide to buy another fish...

 

[Starflyr3]

I agree with you.
It’s sad, but it is what it is...
All we can do now is research to help them get better and do a better job next time we decide to buy another fish...

I hope your fish is improving. I did the same thing to our poor betta - for a YEAR. I had him in a 2.5 gallon aquarium, with a filter, but no heater, changed the filter media every time it looked gross, and didnt realize how bad it was until the aquarium started leaking a LOT and he got sick.

That's when I came here.

He is still alive and definitely feeling more mischevious/feisty than he did all of last year.

 

[tatianamansur85]

I hope your fish is improving. I did the same thing to our poor betta - for a YEAR. I had him in a 2.5 gallon aquarium, with a filter, but no heater, changed the filter media every time it looked gross, and didnt realize how bad it was until the aquarium started leaking a LOT and he got sick.

That's when I came here.

He is still alive and definitely feeling more mischevious/feisty than he did all of last year.

I hope he gets better soon.
Thanks for you help!