Cleaning

[shimanocono]

Hello everyone! I have a little .5 gallon tank for my betta. I was wondering how I would go aobut water changes in such a small tank. I have had him for a week now so it's time for a water change. I'm wondering should I change all of his water, or just a little. And if I should change just some should I get a cup and just scoop the water out and put in some new water with some dechlorinater.

 

[sandyd]

Since it is in a small container, is there a filter in there? Just asking. I will tell you how I clean my little tanks. I scoop up some of their water into a little cup or a ziploc bag and then scoop him out into that cup or bag. If you use a bag, make sure there is air in the top so that he can breath, i usually use a cup fisrt so that he is not in the bag for any longer than he needs to. He gets very sad, but cleaning is needed. Make sure that if you scoop him out in a cup, you put some type of lid on the cup for him, as he will jump out on the counter. With me having so many bettas, i have one of those big water jugs that i keep water in, you know those ones that companys get bottled water in. Anyway, i keep water in there for their cleaning. After they are out of the tank, i take it all out and rinse it all clean, no soap of any kind, i do 100% water changes on unfiltered little tanks. After cleaning all of the stuff, i refill it with treated water. I then put betta in a ziploc bag and float him for 15 minutes on top. I then net him and put him back in his tank. Throwing out the water in the ziploc. I am sure there are other ways to do this, but that is how i do it. Good luck, Sandy

 

[canis_lupus]

once a week a take out some of the water with my cleaning thing for my 10 gal (without the vaccuum piece) and also once a week i'll clean out the whole tank like sandyd said.......i also have my bettas in 1/2 gallons

 

[shimanocono]

K thanks, I'll go do that now! For my female and my male! Female first!

 

[sandyd]

Just make sure you tell her ladies first. LOL
Sandy

 

[shimanocono]

Well pretty much done the females bowl now. I just checked how much water it holds and it's .44 gallons. So thats a little less then the .5 gallon! Now if only the molly fry can grow so she can go back in the 4 gallon!

 

[shimanocono]

And I'm done with my males tank now! I guess I will make Sunday my betta tank cleaning day!

 

[wuvmybetta]

you should also consider allowing your bettas tank to cycle , it's really much healthier for the fish in the long run & a lot less scary ,IMO&E. If you have a tank up and running give the 1/2 gallon some gravel from the cycled tank and do a 25% change using the cycled tanks water to replace the old water

If you do decide to go that way, now would be the time, you can either do the 100% change or syphon out the waste in the gravel with a baster and remove 25% of the water and replace with clean cycled water and after your tank cycles begin using fresh water. I'm not trying to knock anyones method, to each their own.

But as an example.... I bought a female a couple of weeks ago and just to see what it's like I put her in a 1/2 gllon with fresh clean water instead of cycled....gave her a 50% change 3 or 4 days later, then on the 7th day I tested her water...the ammonia was well over 2.0, so if you keep a betta in a tank with the same water for a week and change it 100% once a week your causing him to live a lifetime of ammonia poisoned water, always reaching high levels by the 7th day, that betta I mentioned has since cycled and she's a huge pig,it doesn't take long

 

[Scarab]

...or you can do like I do and do a mid-week partial water change (I use a turkey baster to remove all the fish poo and the water) of anywhere between 20-50%. This takes care of that ammonia buildup. Then at the end of the week I do 100% water change. That way your little guy doesn't have to wait a whole week for a water change.