Help me setup my Betta fish tank

[Essjay]

Looking at your diagram, I see what the store meant. The problem with emptying the 1 gal with water and fish into the 5 gal, then filling up the 5 gal is that you'd have to do it very slowly so the temperature changed very slowly and didn't shock the betta.

If you could put 4 gallons water into the 5 gal, then somehow stand the 1 gal on something inside the 5 gal tank so the water could get to the same temp, then tip the 1 gal over so the fish and water went into the 5 gal it would work better. Or even hold the 1 gall in there for 15 minutes, though your arm might feel like it was about to fall off at the end.

 

[TankRank]

Looking at your diagram, I see what the store meant. The problem with emptying the 1 gal with water and fish into the 5 gal, then filling up the 5 gal is that you'd have to do it very slowly so the temperature changed very slowly and didn't shock the betta.

If you could put 4 gallons water into the 5 gal, then somehow stand the 1 gal on something inside the 5 gal tank so the water could get to the same temp, then tip the 1 gal over so the fish and water went into the 5 gal it would work better. Or even hold the 1 gall in there for 15 minutes, though your arm might feel like it was about to fall off at the end.

Do I still need to acclimate If I get the 1 gal tank temp the same as the 5 gal tank temp? Cuz I have a fish net that I can use. If I still do have to acclimate with the Ziploc bag, do I need to rinse/clean the Ziploc bag if its new?

 

[Essjay]

I think in litres rather than gallons so I'm trying to imagine what a 3.75 litre tank looks like. The calculator on here says a 6 inch cube is 1 gallon. That's quite a cramped space for getting anything into.

I know there is a heater for the 5 gal because it was in the list in your first post. Does the 1 gal have a heater or is that at room temperature? If it's room temp, it needs to be warmed to the same as the 5 gal. I'm still trying to think of the best way.........


It is best to scoop bettas into a tub or cup rather than net them as nets can damage those long fins. Many people use cups to lift bettas with. Do you have any plastic containers that food comes in? Empty yogurt pots for example.

 

[TankRank]

I think in litres rather than gallons so I'm trying to imagine what a 3.75 litre tank looks like. The calculator on here says a 6 inch cube is 1 gallon. That's quite a cramped space for getting anything into.

I know there is a heater for the 5 gal because it was in the list in your first post. Does the 1 gal have a heater or is that at room temperature? If it's room temp, it needs to be warmed to the same as the 5 gal. I'm still trying to think of the best way.........


It is best to scoop bettas into a tub or cup rather than net them as nets can damage those long fins. Many people use cups to lift bettas with. Do you have any plastic containers that food comes in? Empty yogurt pots for example.

I have plastic party cups...

That is also how I do water changes in my 1 gal. I scoop some water out and put new dechlorinated water in. I do this everyday and I also add some hot water to the cup so its room temperature.
This is the tank I have:

No wonder I got this with the School carnival goldfish, its dirt cheap.
Dimensions: 13x9x9 cm

 

[Essjay]

That'll be fine. If you scoop the betta into that then clip it to the inside of the 5 gal in the water for 15 minutes, then tilt the cup over and let him swim out.

Then test the water in the 5 gal every day and do a water change whenever ammonia or nitrite read more than zero. Test the temperature of the new water by feeling it with your hand and compare it to the tank water. If they feel the same, the temp is right.

 

[TankRank]

That'll be fine. If you scoop the betta into that then clip it to the inside of the 5 gal in the water for 15 minutes, then tilt the cup over and let him swim out.

Then test the water in the 5 gal every day and do a water change whenever ammonia or nitrite read more than zero. Test the temperature of the new water by feeling it with your hand and compare it to the tank water. If they feel the same, the temp is right.

I do have a thermometer that the fish store employee said I needed with the heater. It was a cheap mercury heater.
As for the plastic cups, If new, do I still need to rinse?

 

[Essjay]

If you have a thermometer, yes use that. I wasn't sure if you had one.

I would give it a quick rinse in cold water - just in case.

 

[TankRank]

If you have a thermometer, yes use that. I wasn't sure if you had one.

I would give it a quick rinse in cold water - just in case.

Oh, I rinsed the cup in hot water and scrubbed with a clean sponge... (this is the water change cup)
Do i need to rinse in dechlorinated water?

 

[Essjay]

Hot water is OK as well, I don't bother to rinse things like this with dechlorinated water as by the time you put it in the tank, there's only a very very tiny amount of chlorine left on it.

 

[TankRank]

Hot water is OK as well, I don't bother to rinse things like this with dechlorinated water as by the time you put it in the tank, there's only a very very tiny amount of chlorine left on it.

How about the filter/heater? It shouldn't matter since they are uncycled right? I am a little more concerned about our copper pipes cuz I heard hot water can make the copper leach into the water. Should I worrry about that?

 

[Essjay]

Provided they weren't installed within the last month there won't be enough copper in the water to harm fish. It's shrimps and snails which are harmed by copper; fish can take a lot more than they can. I have shrimps and snails and copper pipes and mine are fine.

I usually wash new filters and heaters, and squeeze/swoosh the media in dechlorinated water because media hold water rather than it run off like the filter casing.

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

no offense but it seems you are very unknowledgeable about fish…i suggest first doing a ton of research before you setup the tank.

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

Well he was the owner and taking care of all the fish. All the tanks were in good condition, and he had a couple saltwater tanks.

just because he is the owner and has a lot of fish does not mean he is smart. if he has saltwater that’s cool but still don’t trust it. you can never fully trust them. my pet store has tons of tanks that look good but my big sister used to work there and she said the fish die almost every week and they replace them to seem like a good store. she quit her job because it crushed her how bad the fish are taken care of and she didn’t want to be there. the fish look very healthy though and their tanks look great. i’m just saying, don’t trust the store owner.

 

[TankRank]

no offense but it seems you are very unknowledgeable about fish…i suggest first doing a ton of research before you setup the tank.

Doesn't posting on this fourms count as researching? I'm not trying to keep some Discus in a 100 gallon planted aquarium with Co2 injection and a canister filter. I did my fair share of research a several weeks before I bought my fish. Pretty much I just want to confirm everything I learned from my fish store/internet before actually doing anything (Again sorry @Essjay for all the questions, hope you don't mind and hope I'm not annoying you too much...) I'm really just a Kid trying to keep my first fish... Don't tell me you spent years researching and learning everything you know before purchasing your first fish. I dunno, I just think its better to learn by doing. (And keep in mind, clearly I'm not just dumping fish in a uncycled bowl) I gotta start somewhere.

 

[Essjay]

Your fish is currently in a very small uncycled 1 gallon tank - you need to get him into the 5 gallon as quickly as you can. I know that's uncycled as well, but there is 5 times more water in the 5 gal so the ammonia he has been excreting since you got him if 5 times more concentrated in the 1 gal than it would be in the 5 gal.