How Do You Cycle a Betta Tank?

[poindexter]

I have two bettas and they have lived in unheated unfiltered gallon tanks for a while now, Rainby for almost a year and Oscar for about 4-5 months. I recently began testing their water, as I also have a community tank which I cycled, and realized that their tanks never really cycled in all this time. I assume this is because they arent filtered and the water isnt oxygenated. I want them to have healthy water, but I dont want to filter the water because they wont like the current. Help! How do i do this? or is is necessary?
(ps. Oscar was sick and just moved to a heated 5.5 gal tank, i plan on putting up a divider and adding Rainbow, because Oscar totally loves the warm water and has gotten much better, even blew a bubble nest!...but the cycling question remains the same)

 

[MAM]

youre going to get mixed reviews on this one. i've never bothered to truly cycle my bettas tanks either, with no major problems. i just keep them clean, do regular water changes, and use dechlorinated water. bettas are known for their toughness and can survive horrendous water conditions (not that that fact makes it okay to not take care of your bettas tank/water........), so they don't really need the filter. but i suppose that by not keeping them in fully cycled and filtered tanks you are somewhat decreasing their lifespan, they'd probably live more tahn the typical year or two if they were kept in optimum water conditions. in the 5 gal, even split in half, you could put a filter in. penn plax makes a "little world" filter (a box with sponge type thing inside) that hooks up to air pump. it doesn't make too strong of a current and it doens't take up a lot space (thin). their relatively inexpensive too (can see one on www.thatfishplace.com, under filters/submersible). i use one in my 2.5 gal and it does a fine job.
just my opinion here though.

 

[BettaBoyz]

from what i've heard it's possibly to 'filter' tanks without a filter, the gravel has more bacteria than a filter does anyway, then decorations and things add to it as well! i have a ton of gravel in my big tank for this reason, because if the filter ever shuts down (it's a bit on the old side...) the gravel will keep the water clean for a little while when i'm running around headless-chicken like getting a new filter. Betta bowls can probably be filtered the same way, just don't take all the water out when you change so the gravel is still wet and so the bacteria are alive, once the buggers are established it should cut down your changes a bit.

i think, correct me if i'm wrong, i am the one who never cycled her tank xX

 

[poindexter]

thanks guys! the help is appreciated! ~sar

 

[rsz]

since you have a cycled community tank, you can take gravel from there and put it in the betta tanks. i've done that, so i wont need to cycle

 

[Inchworm]

Hi poindexter

Rsz is absoutely right! If you take gravel (unwashed) from the community tank and fill your 5 gallon tank about half full of water from it, too you will have a ready-to-go instantly cycled tank. You've just relocated the bacteria and it will take hold and establish itself there. Think of it as a clone of the community tank.

Then, if you add a little sponge filter, and treat it the same as your big tank in regard to cleaning, etc., it will stay cycled and healthy for the fish.

You made a very good decision, poindexter.

_____
P.S. If your community tank is 10 gallons or more you need not worry about the loss of bacteria hurting it. It will quickly reproduce itself. Just don't change the filter for a week or two so that the bacteria in there can come back into the tank.