Anyone Try Cycling A Fish Bowl?

[GuppyGoddess]

I found on the following site that a fish bowl can by cycled:

<a href="http/www.fishforever.co.uk/cycling.html" target="_blank">http/www.fishforever.co.uk/cycling.html</a>

Quote: "I have a betta in a fish bowl. Can I cycle without a filter?
You certainly can (and should). Just follow the same procedure as for a larger tank - the bacteria should colonise your gravel. Since the bacteria really need oxygen to do well, adding an air-pump with an air-stone, or better yet, a small tank filter of some kind, will improve things even further."

The reason I ask is because I have my betta in a two gallon and I've been changing 1/3 of his water daily (as opposed to the 100% that everyone said should be done - and I've not been vaccuming his substrate) and have noticed that compared to my betta in my 3 gallon filtered/heated tank that his ammonia levels are stablizing at a much faster rate.

Thoughts (aside from comments that my betta should be in a tank)?

Interesting enough, I found a filter for a 1-3 gallon that has suction cups that would work in a bowl!

 

[OldMan47]

Of course any container that has a surface, I don't know how to avoid having a surface, can develop a layer of beneficial bacteria that may be big enough for the fish load. If you have gravel and run an air pump or a power head to ensure some circulation, the gravel will eventually become the biofilter although it won't support much biological load because the biofilter surface is so low.

 

[kelly528]

I cycled mine. It's the same as cycling a fish tank. The only thing is that in a tank that small, cycling will have VERY little impact on how frequently you have to change the water. In a bowl, the surface area is smaller, as is the footprint (gallon for gallon compared to the standard rectangle tank). This means that there is less gravel for the bacteria to colonize, slowing down the nitrogen cycle. You could probably keep cherry shrimp or snails, but that is where your possibilities end. They make awesome nano planted tanks though!

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I cycled mine. It's the same as cycling a fish tank. The only thing is that in a tank that small, cycling will have VERY little impact on how frequently you have to change the water. In a bowl, the surface area is smaller, as is the footprint (gallon for gallon compared to the standard rectangle tank). This means that there is less gravel for the bacteria to colonize, slowing down the nitrogen cycle. You could probably keep cherry shrimp or snails, but that is where your possibilities end. They make awesome nano planted tanks though!

In the future I am planning to plant it with only plants. My hope would be that though, if the bowl is partically cycled, that I wouldn't have to do daily water changes while the betta is in there. I'll keep watching his ammonia levels at 1/3 water changes and see what happens. I'm changing water in his and in THREE tanks and, between the testing and everything, it's taking up too much time (about an hour a day!).

 

[three-fingers]

Without experiance growing plants properly, it's too risky a method for any animal IMO, so just buy a filter.

Just seems a shame to potentially risk livestock for no good reason, filters are cheap, you could get one for a round $10. You would need to get a decent light for the plants anyway, plus you should have a heater depending on where your located.

If you couldn't afford a filter, why do you have the fish anyway? Find it a decent home or be responsible.

The gravel may have a large surface area, but there's no water movement so the term cycling here s useless.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

If you couldn't afford a filter, why do you have the fish anyway? Find it a decent home or be responsible.

What's better. . .having the fish suffer and die in a tiny 6 oz cup at a pet store? The fish I purchased was rescued from a store who lets their fish slowly die while they ignore the waste at the bottom of the cup (he was among the $3.99 bettas shoved back on some random dusty shelf). He's happy now and his water is always clean.

Also, I never said I cannot afford a filter. If you read my post AGAIN, you'll see that I included a note about finding a filter for a 1-3 gallon bowl, which obviously caught my attention and would be my next step (I didn't post and then whine about not having the money, did I?). I also said unless you have something positive to contribute (i.e. saying something other than lecturing about his current conditions) don't bother posting.

I find it interesting that people lecture about keeping Bettas in bowls, but when it comes to fish owners letting their fish breed up a storm and eat all their fry is as acceptable. The silly nuances of fish ownership. I see overbreeding much less responsible than having a betta in a bowl.

 

[kelly528]

What's better. . .having the fish suffer and die in a tiny 6 oz cup at a pet store? The fish I purchased was rescued from a store who lets their fish slowly die while they ignore the waste at the bottom of the cup (he was among the $3.99 bettas shoved back on some random dusty shelf). He's happy now and his water is always clean.

It is probably better to let it die than to promote such poor animal husbandry by buying the animal. Housing bettas in such awful conditions is an unintentional marketing campaign for these petstores. Sometimes sympathy is the wrong reason to purchase a pet. If you must 'rescue', please point out to a manager that the animal is dying and that you refuse to pay full price for it. In fact, most stores will relinquish a lost cause for free. Please don't reward these stores for their bad ethics by letting them profit from animal abuse.

I find it interesting that people lecture about keeping Bettas in bowls, but when it comes to fish owners letting their fish breed up a storm and eat all their fry is as acceptable. The silly nuances of fish ownership. I see overbreeding much less responsible than having a betta in a bowl.

It's a nuance for a reason. Predation is a natural phenomenon, where whoever gets the short end of the stick dies before he knows what's going on. To keep a betta in a bowl is to keep it in unnatural conditions in which it will die slowly. That is where people draw the line.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

What's better. . .having the fish suffer and die in a tiny 6 oz cup at a pet store? The fish I purchased was rescued from a store who lets their fish slowly die while they ignore the waste at the bottom of the cup (he was among the $3.99 bettas shoved back on some random dusty shelf). He's happy now and his water is always clean.

It is probably better to let it die than to promote such poor animal husbandry by buying the animal. Housing bettas in such awful conditions is an unintentional marketing campaign for these petstores. Sometimes sympathy is the wrong reason to purchase a pet. If you must 'rescue', please point out to a manager that the animal is dying and that you refuse to pay full price for it. In fact, most stores will relinquish a lost cause for free. Please don't reward these stores for their bad ethics by letting them profit from animal abuse.

I find it interesting that people lecture about keeping Bettas in bowls, but when it comes to fish owners letting their fish breed up a storm and eat all their fry is as acceptable. The silly nuances of fish ownership. I see overbreeding much less responsible than having a betta in a bowl.

It's a nuance for a reason. Predation is a natural phenomenon, where whoever gets the short end of the stick dies before he knows what's going on. To keep a betta in a bowl is to keep it in unnatural conditions in which it will die slowly. That is where people draw the line.

I'm sorry. I'll go flush him down the toilet right now. Happy?

 

[kelly528]

I'm sorry. I'll go flush him down the toilet right now. Happy?

There's no need for that. I wasn't trying to be rude. Just pointing out that there is no good reason to keep a betta in a bowl.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I'm sorry. I'll go flush him down the toilet right now. Happy?

There's no need for that. I wasn't trying to be rude. Just pointing out that there is no good reason to keep a betta in a bowl.

I just thought the info I found on that website interesting and was curious about it and wanted opinions on that rather than lectures, you know? I find it counter productive when the subject veers off onto inhumane animal conditions, etc. It's not like I'm hoarding 20+ bettas inside tanks with little divided spots because I cannot stop buying them.

Ugh, my bettas swimming around in my toilet. Better go net him out and put him back in his bowl.

 

[three-fingers]

If your going to make illogical actions like buying a betta kept in terrible conditions (thus promoting the practice), and then post on public forums, you had better be prepared to receive criticism politely and civilised.

If nobody criticised, people would ignorantly do what they wanted all the time.

My opinion stands that you did a silly thing buying the betta, your doing a silly thing keeping it how you are, and you did a silly thing responding childishly to criticism.

If you are like this on the internet, I can only speculate on how you behave in real life based on what I see here, and I feel sorry for you .

Or maybe everyone should have our attitude about everything.

"Hey guys, I just bought this caged battery hen and am now going to keep it in my cupboard"

"Chickens shouldn't be kept in cupboards"

"Derp, derp OK then I'll just shoot it lulz".

I don't expect you'll respond well to this post but maybe it will at least give you some pause for thought in future.

And no, I'm not in a tolerant mood this evening .

 

[kelly528]

I'm sorry. I'll go flush him down the toilet right now. Happy?

There's no need for that. I wasn't trying to be rude. Just pointing out that there is no good reason to keep a betta in a bowl.

I just thought the info I found on that website interesting and was curious about it and wanted opinions on that rather than lectures, you know? I find it counter productive when the subject veers off onto inhumane animal conditions, etc. It's not like I'm hoarding 20+ bettas inside tanks with little divided spots because I cannot stop buying them.

Ugh, my bettas swimming around in my toilet. Better go net him out and put him back in his bowl.

I gave you all my experiences with cycling a bowl. You the one who pursued three-fingers comment rather than dropping the subject. You didn't ask for a 'lecture' until you went off topic to debate his (blunt, if not sound) advice. We're not trying to shoot you down. I've tried to help you with everything you have brought up in this thread but I'm not going to waste my time with someone who debates true facts rather than admitting they're wrong and leaving the topic alone.

 

[Inchworm]

I found on the following site that a fish bowl can by cycled:

<a href="http/www.fishforever.co.uk/cycling.html" target="_blank">http/www.fishforever.co.uk/cycling.html</a>

Quote: "I have a betta in a fish bowl. Can I cycle without a filter?
You certainly can (and should). Just follow the same procedure as for a larger tank - the bacteria should colonise your gravel. Since the bacteria really need oxygen to do well, adding an air-pump with an air-stone, or better yet, a small tank filter of some kind, will improve things even further."

The reason I ask is because I have my betta in a two gallon and I've been changing 1/3 of his water daily (as opposed to the 100% that everyone said should be done - and I've not been vaccuming his substrate) and have noticed that compared to my betta in my 3 gallon filtered/heated tank that his ammonia levels are stablizing at a much faster rate.

Hi GuppyGoddess

Wow! That's our home page. I haven't looked at it for a long time and it looks like it could do with some updating. I'll have to mention it in the mod's forum. The article was written by Alien Anna, one of the first members on here to advocate fishless cycling.

Mod's note: I'm getting very annoyed by some of the members who feel that it's their right to mercilessly criticize others and will be sending out warnings to those of you who do. FYI, the top breeders of betta splendens keep their valuable stock in small containers to protect them from damaging their fins. They require a clean environment but not a large tank.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I don't expect you'll respond well to this post but maybe it will at least give you some pause for thought in future.

And no, I'm not in a tolerant mood this evening .

Actually, your nonsense about my posts demonstrating how I act in real life is veering into the lame attempt at insult catagory. One step away from name calling and that is where I step out of the conversation.

Take care!