how to maintain an uncycled 2.5 gallon for a couple of weeks?

[hurgerburger]

I have been babysitting my choir class's pet betta fish for a little over a year now because of covid, and I've been working on a maybe-too-in-depth care guide so that when I eventually give him back he won't instantly die. Right now he's in a planted 5 gallon tank, a bit of an upgrade from the blue gravel kind-of-heated 2.5 gallon he started in. here is the link to the care guide if you want to take a peek: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pSPjU2osG9aH3FwImep-yy6B1iIv_1NyFC_0hxWEcfc/edit#
Right now, I am working on the section about how to take him home for shorter vacations, and I figured it would be impractical to bring the whole 5 gallon, so I'm going to be instructing them to bring the 2.5 gallon home instead. So, my question is, how would one maintain an uncycled 2.5 gallon without harming the betta? I've instructed them to buy a 25 watt marina heater for that tank, but should I get them to buy a filter or would that be too much? how many water changes would they have to do per week, and what percent? When I search this online, all it tells me to do is to cycle the tank lol. Thank you all in advance!

 

[EllRog]

Daily water changes, bigger the better, don't miss a day

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Personally I wouldn't recommend keeping a betta in an uncycled tank, it's a huge risk and requires a lot of work and no slip ups (forget or unable to do a water change)... Its not fair on the kid or the fish ??‍

Somebody might come along to tell you how to do it, I'm sure people do still keep bettas in bowls etc

 

[hurgerburger]

Personally I wouldn't recommend keeping a betta in an uncycled tank, it's a huge risk and requires a lot of work and no slip ups (forget or unable to do a water change)... Its not fair on the kid or the fish ??‍

Somebody might come along to tell you how to do it, I'm sure people do still keep bettas in bowls etc

so should I tell them to bring the 5 gallon home? I'm kind of nervous about it, it's pretty heavy and I honestly feel like it would be more risky to bring that than just bring the 2.5 gallon and have them do a lot of water changes. I could also have them put some of the filter media in the 2.5, but i don't think that would work well. I could also make them buy zeolite as a precaution?

 

[hurgerburger]

Daily water changes, bigger the better, don't miss a day

so ~50%?

 

[EllRog]

so ~50%?

If its not cycled, much bigger. 80% atleast

 

[hurgerburger]

If its not cycled, much bigger. 80% atleast

Alright, thank you!

 

[hurgerburger]

I have been babysitting my choir class's pet betta fish for a little over a year now because of covid, and I've been working on a maybe-too-in-depth care guide so that when I eventually give him back he won't instantly die. Right now he's in a planted 5 gallon tank, a bit of an upgrade from the blue gravel kind-of-heated 2.5 gallon he started in. here is the link to the care guide if you want to take a peek: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pSPjU2osG9aH3FwImep-yy6B1iIv_1NyFC_0hxWEcfc/edit#
Right now, I am working on the section about how to take him home for shorter vacations, and I figured it would be impractical to bring the whole 5 gallon, so I'm going to be instructing them to bring the 2.5 gallon home instead. So, my question is, how would one maintain an uncycled 2.5 gallon without harming the betta? I've instructed them to buy a 25 watt marina heater for that tank, but should I get them to buy a filter or would that be too much? how many water changes would they have to do per week, and what percent? When I search this online, all it tells me to do is to cycle the tank lol. Thank you all in advance!

Just wanted to reply to my own thread, what I'm going to be doing is suggest either an 80% water change daily as betta fish produce 1ppm of ammonia per gallon per day, which would equate to .4 ppm in a 2.5 gallon per day, which is frankly too much, or I'll encourage them to buy zeolite and a filter, and have them use that in conjunction with weekly 50% water changes and weekly ammonia tests. Actually, I may just have them move the whole filter from the 5 gallon to the 2.5 gallon even though it is meant for a 15 gallon tank lol. But thanks @EllRog and @CaptainBarnicles for the suggestions!

 

[Salt]

I'm very new to most fish stuff, but for shorter vacations in a school setting is there a reason that one of the automated feeders wouldn't work? They sell them on Amazon that rest on a flat lid and dispense food up to 14 days. My sister uses one on her tank. She's a teacher. Unless it's about having the kids care for the class pet?

 

[hurgerburger]

I'm very new to most fish stuff, but for shorter vacations in a school setting is there a reason that one of the automated feeders wouldn't work? They sell them on Amazon that rest on a flat lid and dispense food up to 14 days. My sister uses one on her tank. She's a teacher. Unless it's about having the kids care for the class pet?

That's true, I didn't even think of that. I would have to train the fish, he often misses food even when I drop it right in front of him. But I'll put that on the guide as an alternative. Thanks! And also, welcome to the forum ! These guys have saved my butt a million times