must I cycle a betta tank

[Silly me]

I have a 3.5 gal tank. I am thinking of puting the tank next to my bed at my wifes side, it is her fish after all and she loves it.

I use to have gravel and plants in the tank but he always finds a way to tear his fins somehow. he been in my 10G hospital tank for 3 week now and looks better than ever. So the small tank will have no gravel or filter or anything but some small floating plant and a heater

option 1 : should I add water from my big tank wait for 3month see if there is any reading on my test kits

option 2 : could I just dump him in there and do 100% water changes every week

option 3 : Could I just added clean water and when I do a 100% water change every week.( no time for a ammonia buildup )

option 4 : Should I bump 50% water from my big tank and then 50% clean water, and then 30% water change every x days??

There wouldnt be a filter or gravel or anything in the tank?

I might add some java fern or ather non rooted plants, but I am thinking of keeping the tank "discus clean"..

 

[Tempestuousfury]

If you have water in the hospital tank, why not use that? Or go with the established tank.

Never do 100% water changes because it really stresses fish out. I'd say never do more than 50%.

 

[Nina7777]

hey there- i just reset-up both of my betta tanks. one is 2 gallons and the other 2.5 gallons. I used 100% new water new gravel etc. I also do 75% water changes every week or if the water looks cloudy before that. Just make sure you use dechlorinator and i like to add a teaspoon of aquarium salt.

Good luck

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Will it not have a filter?

I never cycle tanks (never even knowingly cycled my first ) ) I just use old filter media.

Works every time.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Bettas do much better in cycled tanks than they do with 100% water changes, only my two cents

 

[buggyboutbettas]

I agree with wuvmybetta. tropical fish tanks need to be cycled. why should bettas be left out?

cheese specialist,
I see you changed your avatar! it's still not the best, but it is a big improvement!

 

[gouramiguy]

cycle is munch better

 

[Silly me]

There will be no filter in the tank,

Here is the link of him as he very aggresive and Im keeping him alone, but cant get it over my heart to keep him in a 1galon bowl but I only have a 3,5 galon tank open.

 

[yellowsky]

do they really need a heater really badly? and how do you clean the tank?

 

[buggyboutbettas]

They need heaters and filters just like gouramis or any other fish. the only thing to remember is that you don't want the filter to be too strong. but other thant that they shouldn't be treated any different than other fish when it comes to filtration.
FYI - the bettas natural habitat is usually 78-84 degrees F. so unless your room temp is unusually high, you need a heater.
FYI - there is the azoo palm filter out there that would be perfect for a 1 gallon tank. it's 5.99 USD if you order it online HERE.

 

[buggyboutbettas]

You just clean the tank with a small gravel siphon that you can get at any pet store.

 

[susangc]

FYI - the bettas natural habitat is usually 78-84 degrees F. so unless your room temp is unusually high, you need a heater.

Oddly enough, I haven't found that to be true. My office temperature sits around 73F, but my tank's light (compact fluorescent- see sig) puts out enough heat to keep the water at 80F. I installed a low-wattage heater but have never had to use it! I'm waiting now to see if the office air conditioning does its usual meat-locker thing, at which point I finally give the heater a whirl.

To clean the tank, I use a very small gravel siphon, about 1 inch in diameter.

Susan

 

[cutechic]

Just wanted to add: I cycled both my 1 gallon betta tanks using the ammonia method, as well as adding filter bacteria from an already established tank.