# Help with getting a tank ready for a new betta!



## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

I recently bought a beautiful red veiltail male from petco (Charlie). He was doing amazing until he a few days ago. He went to little fishy heaven today  I believe he died of ich as he had some white fluffy mold like substance on his fins and some white spots on his body

After doing some research I realize that I shouldn't have listened to the people at petco and just put him in a tank without cycling it or anything. 

So I am posting this to find out EXACTLY what I need to do to clean my 2.5 gallon tank and get it ready for a new betta. So basically my questions are this:

1) How do I clean my tank to get rid of the ich parasite? I have already dumped the water

2) What items do I need to get? I have a 2.5 gal mini bow tank with lid and a mini bow filter. How can I make the filter less strong or should I get a different one since the filter pops out completely? I also have a 50W heater that is supposed to keep the tank around 78 degrees. I am going to be switching my sand to fine gravel.

3) How do I do a fishless cycle? How long should it take? What items are necessary to do the cycle?

4) Should I get live pants or silk? What about rocks (I have a lava rock that has a hole in it; Charlie loved it :-( )

5) I bought 4 ghost shrimp the same day I got my betta; 3 have died and I am trying to keep the 4th. What do I do to save this ghost shrimp? Should I get a couple more or a snail?

6) Should I order a betta from a breeder instead of getting one from petco? Will it be better as far as potential diseases go?

7) What medicines do I need to keep on hand in case of sickness? The actual names would be nice.

Please add anything that you can! I appreciate all your help. I know a 2.5 gallon tank is small but I really don't have room for anything bigger. I am willing to do whatever I have to make sure this next betta lives.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

1) How do I clean my tank to get rid of the ich parasite? I have already dumped the water
You did not deal with ich if he had fuzzy cotton stuff. Probably columnaris or some other form of advanced parasite infection. Which means he likely had the infection before you brought him home. TO prepare the tank for the new fish clean everything in 1 part bleach + 5 parts hot water. RINSE so much it feels OCD. Make sure there is no residue of the bleach. If you used a filter dispose of all media and replace it. 

2) What items do I need to get? I have a 2.5 gal mini bow tank with lid and a mini bow filter. How can I make the filter less strong or should I get a different one since the filter pops out completely? I also have a 50W heater that is supposed to keep the tank around 78 degrees. I am going to be switching my sand to fine gravel.
The 2.5 is a great size for one betta. Some people on here might have better suggestions in terms of filters. I use the Whisper10 which has an adjustable valve. In the meantime, if it helps you can attach some sponge to the water output with some elastic band. 
3) How do I do a fishless cycle? How long should it take? What items are necessary to do the cycle?
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=111960 This is the forum sticky on cycling. However, in a 2.5 gallon you will be doing twice weekly water changes anyway to keep ammonia levels down. It would be hard to maintain a cycle in that tank, some might even suggest you remove the filter altogether since it does not actually clean water. 
4) Should I get live pants or silk? What about rocks (I have a lava rock that has a hole in it; Charlie loved it )
Silk or live plants are great! Lava rock?? Might be too rough for a bettas delicate fins-I would discard the lava rock since it was in the tank with the sick fish and the pourous surface of the rock will likely hold on to bacteria. Think smooth surfaces like terracotta and glazed decorations. THe holes in dec should be as large as a quarter.
5) I bought 4 ghost shrimp the same day I got my betta; 3 have died and I am trying to keep the 4th. What do I do to save this ghost shrimp? Should I get a couple more or a snail?
Ammonia levels in the tank might kill the last ghost shrimp. I know they like to eat little bacteria from established filters and bits of food left in the gravel and shrimp food. HOwever, since he was exposed in the sick bettas water, I would keep the shrimp alive in a separate tank for a while. Most medications are not safe for inverts. Maybe someone here can help you with shimp meds? 

6) Should I order a betta from a breeder instead of getting one from petco? Will it be better as far as potential diseases go?
This is up to you. Local breeders can ask a hefty price for a well bred betta. Stores can sell them so cheap because they buy them in bulk from shady "breeder" mills. The health is not guaranteed on a pet store betta and there is sometmes high chance of contamination to current tanks and set ups. Some people refuse to buy from pet stores because it supports the sale of live animals in horrid conditions- I am of the belief that bettas make pet store such little money/profit that buying a betta is fine from most locations. Granted, if you buy from a local or online breeder you will get a well bred, healthy betta but there are cons associated along with doing that. I have no distance experience. I prefer to buy almost everything local but that's because I don't like paying shipping prices lol 
7) What medicines do I need to keep on hand in case of sickness? The actual names would be nice.
You will get a list from other members which will run your bill. I prefer to stay holistic and use Indian Almond Leaf for preventative purposes and have on hand aquarium salt and plain epsom salt. IAL are available online for extremely cheap on ebay. Keep some in the tank at all times. It does not prevent disease but it helps strengthen their immune systems and overall health. 

Hope this helps in any way


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

It will be difficult to hold a stable cycle in that small of a tank. Filters are optional for bettas... But shrimp will generally not survive in an uncycled tank. At least two 50% changes a week would be needed for a 2.5 gallon and one 50% and one 100% for an uncycled tank, but many members will suggest an additional 50% change per week for that size.

As long as you have a heater (25watt adjustable such as the Hydor Theo brand), an in-tank glass thermometer(the tank needs to stay at a consistent 78-80 degrees), and plenty of decorations such as silk or live plants and a cave or two (no holes that you can't fit your thumb into as they could get stuck) that have no rough or sharp parts on them, you should be okay (and also the basics like water conditioner and food).

I suggest Seachem Prime conditioner and Stress Coat is also a popular one but any kind will work as long as you have one. Omega one or new life spectrum pellets are great as they are nutritious for your Betta. A gravel vacuum will be a good investment if you want to cycle the tank. Also, some people prefer to keep meds on hand for any diseases that may pop up. Bettas sometimes will get sick even with the best care. Aquarium salt and Epsom salt are usually the two big ones you want to start with. There are a lot of medications out there and it's not really possible to get them all. Indian Almond Leaves are good preventative measures as well.

Another thing that isn't mentioned a lot is lighting. If your tank has a light it's good to provide light for your fish about 8-12 hours a day at a consistent schedule to simulate day/night or allow your fish to get natural lighting from a window. There are lots of little things you can do for your fish's well-being.

Edit: have you tested the 50 watt heater? It's a little large for that tank size. Another good thing to invest in for cycling would be a test kit. I recommend the API Master Freshwater liquid test kit. I would also be careful with lava rocks because I believe they can affect the pH along with the Indian Almond leaves. And you probably already know this but I want to make sure: aquarium and Epsom salts should only be used on sick fish and should be dissolved before adding to the water if you ever need to use them for any reason.


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

I do have a gravel vaccum  my tank does have a light and I did about 10 hours a day with that light on. The food I have are both by Aqueon. One is just Betta Food (Daily nutrition for all bettas) and the other is Betta Treat Freeze-dried Bloodworms. I don't think I can adjust the heaters temperature at all (I will have to check again). The only medicine I have is Betta Fix (which I heard is pointless). I also bought Kordon NovAqua Plus Water conditioner and ammonia detoxifier. Does anyone have any experience with these? How do you use them?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Oh, good! The Aqueon food is okay but the omega one and NLS are slightly better if you ever want a change or an upgrade.

The water conditioner should be added following the directions to all new water before adding it to the tank. Also, if you have a thermometer and the 50watt doesn't overheat the tank I guess it's okay, but I would seriously consider upgrading to a 25watt adjustable heater sometime. With certain illnesses such as ich or other external parasites, increasing the temperature of the water can help rid the tank of the parasites faster and its just difficult to do if your heater is not adjustable. 50watt heaters are also rated for like 7-14 gallon tanks, whereas the 25watts are rated for 2-7 gallons.


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

Hmmm...stupid petco! I just bought the heater and it said good for 2-10 gallons. Will for sure go get a thermometer to check it out. So the right temperature is 78 - 80 correct? If I am doing a fishless cycle with real plants do I put everything in (plants, rocks, etc.) first and then start the cycle? Or do the cycle then put everything in?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Yeah the proper temp is a STEADY 78-80 degrees. You don't want to be seeing large temp fluctuations!

Personally, I would cycle with the decor in tht size of tank because its such a small tank. The BB grow on surface area, meaning the filter and filter media as well as the gravel and decor and the sides of the tank, etc... Be sure to add conditioner while cycling because the conditioner also makes the water safe for your good bacteria. If you want, just to be cautious, you could buy a filter sponge or something to shove inside the filter so that you have even more places for your bacteria to grow. The reason it's more difficult to cycle a smaller tank is because a smaller tank doesn't usually have as much surface area, so any extra media you could fit in the filter would be beneficial.


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

How do you do a proper water change? I've heard people just pouring water in, some putting in conditioner then putting it in the tank and some leaving it out for 24 hours in advance. Whats the best way?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Well it depends if you are talking partial water changes or 100%s... A 100% would require you to re-acclimate the fish to the new water.

What I personally do for 50% changes is I have a separate bucket I put the new water and conditioner in. I use the same thermometer from in the tank to get the water to the same temp as the tank. This sometimes requires a bit of patience. Try testing the water from the tap with your hand to get it to approximately the same temp as the tank and using the thermometer, add more cold water if its too warm and more hot water if its too cold. I mix the water up with a skewer to get it the same temp throughout and get the conditioner mixed in well. When I have it at the right temp (maybe a degree or two off sometimes) I just pour the new water into the tank after I remove 50% of the water.

Some people do not think the conditioner works instantly so they let it sit out, but I find it hard to get it at the right temp if I do this. I've never had a problem though using water that hasn't sat out for awhile..


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

Thank you so much! I am sure I will have more questions soon. I'm reading a lot of the threads on this sight and my mind is just going nuts lol For now I am going to clean the tank the best I can tomorrow and let it sit. I did read something about people getting water from a LFS. Any thoughts on that?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I wouldn't... Get a test kit and test your tap water. The only reason someone would need a different source of water is if there is a high amount of ammonia in their tap water. Some people also use different sources if they have an extremely high or low pH. They can adjust to pH anywhere from 6-9... Anything over 9 is a little high and anything under 6 will kill the beneficial bacteria needed to cycle the tank.
Even with a low amount of ammonia in your tap, you could use a conditioner like Seachem Prime. That's what I use and it neutralizes ammonia for 24-48 hours which is enough time for the filter to cycle it out.

Also, the only way to be sure your tank is cycled is to test it, and during a cycle it's best to test re ammonia, nitrites and nitrates daily anyways. The liquid test kits are kind of expensive but they are well worth it and more accurate than the strips. Plus, the liquid test kits give you about 800 tests but the strips only give you like 25 in a box so you save a lot of money in the long run.


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

Thank you so much AyalaCookieJar! I'm still pretty nervous after losing Charlie but I think I can make a nice home for the next one. If anyone has any other advice I would really appreciate it!!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Sometimes it's not your fault... Some of them are sick at the pet store. Local breeders would be the best way to go. Even shipping from a private breeder could cause stress that leads to illness.
If you continue to have issues, try another store. Sometimes they get a bad batch in. If you have all the basics, the most important thing for you to do is acclimate your new Betta correctly.

Even with the best care and most experienced keepers, they sometimes don't make it. I've personally had luck with my pet store bettas even when I knew nothing about proper care! So some of them are just hardier than others. Don't let the less hardy ones discourage you, though. They are really fun and you will notice a difference in a proper size tank with clean, warm water and healthy food. The ones in the little cold tanks just do not do them justice. Any Betta you get will be lucky and glad to have a caring owner!

Good luck!


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

What is the proper way to acclimate the betta? I had a pretty hard time with Charlie because he was in one of those tubs and it was really shallow; almost not enough water in it. Does anyone know of a betta breeder in Kansas?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I'd post a thread in the classified section for the breeder question... I only know one in Missouri and two in Texas.

To acclimate him, first, you will want to float their cup in the main tank. If you need a cup to put them in (if they were to come in a bag) you can get an unused one from a deli. I got six of them with lids from the deli at my local Walmart for free. Floating the cup will let the temp stabilize. You should slowly add some water from the tank into the cup. You can use a spoon or something to do this. Add some water every 15 minutes or so while the cup is floating. You should do this for a total of 2 hours but take longer if you happen to have more time... You can't be too safe.

As the cup fills up, you can dump some water from it into a separate container. You can also slowly increase the time increments... Every 15 minutes, add a small amount of water for the first hour. The second hour, add every ten minutes, and so on. Some people say that you shouldn't allow any water from the cup to get into the tank. I don't do that because I don't want to use a net... It can damage their fins (however I suck up any debris at the bottom of the cup with a turkey bastor). I use nothing but cups to transport them and do water changes... All the more reason to get some cups from the deli  if you use the lid, poke some holes in it.


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

Awesome. Im wondering if it would be easier to acclimate him in a bag or in the cup....


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

You could also float the bag, I guess... But it would be difficult to open the bag and add water every time, I think. The cup is extremely easy to acclimate in and can be useful later on, as well, if for any reason he needs to be removed from the tank... You CAN use a net but it could harm him. However, catching with a cup could harm him if done incorrectly.


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

I could for sure use a cup instead of a net. However, I have a net is there any need to keep it in water? Or can i just leave it out? What is the link to the classifieds on this site? I haven't figured out how to navigate the site yet lol


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

http://www.bettafish.com/forumdisplay.php?f=140

I don't keep my net in water... I also use it rarely. But sometimes it comes in handy to scoop up uneaten food.


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## Tashaj46 (Dec 31, 2012)

So after doing some more research I notice that a lot of people suggest just taking the filter completely out of the tank.... Im thinking? that I will just get a small sponge filter. I don't like the idea of not having a filter. However, what do i do about water changes? i've heard 1 50% and 1 100% change is good. But isn't a 100% water change going to take away all of the bacteria that a fishless cycle would put in? Is it worth it to do a fishless cycle in a 2.5 gallon tank?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

You need a filter to cycle.


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