Help! Starting All Over Again With New Betta(s) Need Help!

[Dibari]

Hi Dibari

Thanks for your well wishes. I, too, hope that my new Betta will do well. I am going to make the purchases today.

BTW, I see that you have quite a few Betta. How and where do you keep them all? Can you give me some advice on how you do it?

I was going to purchase 2 today, but if I could I would purchase 3.

I have a 5 gallon uncycled tank
a 10 gallon uncycled tank

I am going to purchase 2 - 2 gallon bowls today just to put them in temporarily as I prepare the larger tanks for their homes. I am going to have to order Bio Spira and keep my fingers crossed that it works for me.

I was thinking, once the larger tanks are up and running, that it might be a good idea to start them with a few hearty fish like zebra danios, or white clouds, or whatever hearty fish would get along with Bettas.

Let me know what you think please.

I do keep several. Lol.
I have four tanks total, but one of them is for my guppies, so I have 3 guppy tanks, so to speak. I have a 10 gallon unfiltered (We don't succest filtering for bettas, the current hurts their silky fins) that I have divided four ways for a girl and three boys. I have two three gallons, one of which has two ADFs and a girl betta, and another one with just a boy betta in them.
Danios, I think, make okay tank mates for bettas. I've never tried it, but if they're in no way flashy/colorful, it might work.
If you're getting 2 gallons, I suggest small tanks instead of bowls. Heating bowls can be complicated and annoying, and it's just easier to heat a tank.
They sell 2.5 gallons at Petco/Petsmart for 10 bucks.

Eesh. Yeah, no one I know of carries Bio Spira in stores. I have to buy it online. And sometimes it won't work anyway.
They just want to sell you stuff.
My Petsmart tried to sell me Cycle, and I just laughed.

Dibari, what happened with your BioSpira for it not to work. Did it not stay cool enough during shipping? How long did it take for it to get to you? I'm asking b/c I got it overnight - which was really $$ but the safest way to get it and the company I ordered it from guarantees live delivery on overnight shipments.

Yes, when I asked one of my LFS's about BioSpira - they never heard of it either - and they are aquarium specialists Hmmm... that's debatable... anyway... they said - use Cycle or Stability - it's the same thing. It's NOT - you buy it off the shelf - not refrigerated - so how can it be live?? It did nothing but hinder my fishless cycling attempt.

Sorry to hijack your post Kelnme... but I also figured you'd be finding the information useful for your attempt with BioSpira.

BioSpira only has a shelf life in the fridge of about a month - The bacteria starves to death, so when you get it, if it's over a month old, it's just useless when you pour it in. I think tha'ts what happened to my tank when I attempted cycling. It stayed quite cold in the box, and they ship it in about a day (They have to).
Sometimes it's just a bad shipment.. Lol.
And yes, Cycle and Stability are worthless, worthless products - Don't touch them. Lol.

 

[Christine1014]

I don't know about danios and bettas together... danios aren't a "pretty" fish, but they zip around like crazy and like to chase other fish (I swear, the danios in my big tank NEVER stop moving!). I think you'd be asking for a very unhappy betta. Male bettas are best generally left alone. I've tried 2 otos in with my beta in a 10 gallon planted tank, and - knock on wood - all is going okay, but I don't think i'd try another other than a bottom-feeding fish, and even then only with lots of hiding places.

 

[Dibari]

I don't know about danios and bettas together... danios aren't a "pretty" fish, but they zip around like crazy and like to chase other fish (I swear, the danios in my big tank NEVER stop moving!). I think you'd be asking for a very unhappy betta. Male bettas are best generally left alone. I've tried 2 otos in with my beta in a 10 gallon planted tank, and - knock on wood - all is going okay, but I don't think i'd try another other than a bottom-feeding fish, and even then only with lots of hiding places.

As always, it depends on your betta. But if you are ever in doubt about adding tank mates, the best ideas is just NOT to do it.
No need to waste a life. However, I disagree that all male bettas should be left alone.
One of mine did just fine with ghost shrimp and an ADF, (and ghost shrimp could be considered prey.. I guess he's laid back).
It really does depend on how aggressive or non aggressive your betta is.
I have a female living with ADFs right now, who does just fine, and she can be even more aggressive than my boys at times. Lol.
However, if Danios are aggressive or even semi aggressive ( I admit I don' tknow much about them) it's probably best to let it alone.

 

[kelnme]

I appreciate everyone's advice on here. I am probably NOT going to get other fish to help cycle the tanks. I am going to give the BioSpira a try along with my 2 male Betta and keep my fingers crossed. I will put one male in the 5 gallon tank and the other male in the 10 gallon tank.

I brought the 2 males home today and put them both in 2 1/2 gallon bowls. They are both doing well now, except for the fact that I am having a problem with my tap water. It registers at .50.

I am also on another forum and was told to use AmQuel every 2 hours and then retest the water and if it is still up then I should re apply the AmQuel. I've already done 3 doses of AmQuel and have my fingers crossed that it will bring it down.

My last test, the water was down to .25. Hopefully after my next test it will be down to 0. Another Problem I have now is that these fish are in 2 1/2 gallon bowls. I have to keep changing their water. Everytime I make water chnges the ammonia will go up again. I guess I am going to have to buy JUGS of AmQuel, because I will have to continue to add it every time I make a water change.

 

[joycould]

Instead of going through a full 3 or 4 week cycle I take something out of a tank that has been set up and healthy and put it in the new tank for a week. I also will put a little filter medium in the filter to help things along. I just set up a divided tank this weekend and trying to decide which 2 bettas will move in. I have one that is on the big side his body is nearly 3 inches long and I will put him in one side. The other side I haven't decided which one moves in. If you have someone that has a healthy tank set up you might be able to get some filter medium or something from them to help kick start the good bacteria. The little 2 gallon aquarium at petsmart is a good buy compared to a 2 gallon bowl there. For a top you can always get plastic canvas or even some plexi glass to go over. Cutting plexi is easy I found out with a gig saw.

 

[Dibari]

I appreciate everyone's advice on here. I am probably NOT going to get other fish to help cycle the tanks. I am going to give the BioSpira a try along with my 2 male Betta and keep my fingers crossed. I will put one male in the 5 gallon tank and the other male in the 10 gallon tank.

I brought the 2 males home today and put them both in 2 1/2 gallon bowls. They are both doing well now, except for the fact that I am having a problem with my tap water. It registers at .50.

I am also on another forum and was told to use AmQuel every 2 hours and then retest the water and if it is still up then I should re apply the AmQuel. I've already done 3 doses of AmQuel and have my fingers crossed that it will bring it down.

My last test, the water was down to .25. Hopefully after my next test it will be down to 0. Another Problem I have now is that these fish are in 2 1/2 gallon bowls. I have to keep changing their water. Everytime I make water chnges the ammonia will go up again. I guess I am going to have to buy JUGS of AmQuel, because I will have to continue to add it every time I make a water change.

That's the issue with smaller bowls, I'm afraid. If you have ammonia in your tap water, that's.. Pretty bad. Lol. I'm just about out of Prime myself.. Gotta buy some more.
Bah..

 

[kelnme]

Does anyone know how long after adding Prime do you test for Ammonia. As a teat I put tap water into a gallon jug and added the 2 drops it says per gallon. I tested the water for ammonia and it was still .50. Do I have to wait a couple of hours for the Prime to work, or is it supposed to work instantly??? If so, it is not working instantly for me.

 

[Dibari]

Does anyone know how long after adding Prime do you test for Ammonia. As a teat I put tap water into a gallon jug and added the 2 drops it says per gallon. I tested the water for ammonia and it was still .50. Do I have to wait a couple of hours for the Prime to work, or is it supposed to work instantly??? If so, it is not working instantly for me.

I'm not sure. May take a few moments.

 

[kelnme]

it's been hours and still not cleared up.

I must have the worst tap water.

 

[Dibari]

it's been hours and still not cleared up.

I must have the worst tap water.

Odd.. You should buy some ammo lock. Prime removes ammonia as a bonus, not really it's main function.
Ammo lock works in seconds and really does the job right.
Sorry you're having so much trouble.