New AB Betta--temporary tank idea?

Newbie283

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Hi there,

I currently have 2 5 gallon tanks set up about a month ago each housing one Betta and 3 ghost shrimp each. I have decided to start a 10 gallon low tech aquascape setup with 8 neon tetras, an aquabid male half moon, and a handful of cherry shrimp (myself like most people are OBSESSED with my new aquarium hobby and and sparing no expense for my last tank as a 21st birthday present to myself).

On to my main point--
I had originally planned to spend a month or so gathering my necessary items together and take a lot of time to plan and execute this last tank. I already have an exact idea of what I'm going for and how I'm going to do it, I was just going to buy stuff little by little instead of buying everything at one time to help with my hundreds of dollars worth of stuff I need. However, I found the most GORGEOUS koi half moon male on aquabid. I have never purchased from aquabid before and was a bit skeptical, but I had never seen a Betta like this before and probably never will. After watching him for 3 days I finally gave in and bidded on him in a panic after someone else bid on him. Needless to say I won and am so excited about my last Betta (for now)

Here's a picture of him:
https://ibb.co/iPzX1b
I will name him Komodo, after the Komodo dragon.

Anyways I have purchased everything I need to start my aquascape on my 10 gallon, I even paid $50 extra to have everything express shipped from Amazon and am expecting everything to arrive next week and will have the tank set up by the weekend. The buyer is shipping my Betta out on the 14th so I will assume I will get him the last week if January. I'm hoping to have my tank cycled before he arrives but I would like my neons to have the tank to themselves for a week to get situated before I put Komodo in. I have a one gallon hospital tank currently housing my other Betta Mushu, who is doing great recovering from fin rot (his 5 gallon is stuck in a constant. 25ppm nitrite...still trying to fix that before his course of meds are done). It's a hard bottom with nothing but a Betta leaf, heater, filter, and thermometer. Any opinions on keeping my new Komodo in this one gallon for a week or two while I properly finish his permanent 10 gallon? I'm assuming like most breeders he's already being kept I'm a similar half gallon or one gallon set up anyways. Here's a picture of the tank (Mushu is pictured in it and the water is green from his dosage of API fungus cure which is absolutely amazing for bad fin rot btw)

https://ibb.co/nbeAnG

I plan on just doing 100% daily water changes conditioned tap using seachem prime to keep his ammonia and nitrite levels down since I have no desire to actually cycle this tank since it is a hospital tank. Any advice or opinions welcome!!
 
Hi
Sorry but Neon tetras and Bettas do not mix especially in a 10 gallon tank, they are too nippy and will stress the Betta.
 
Im aware of the possible implications but I know that tetras and bettas have lived peacefully together in 10 gallons before. Not a for sure thing as my Betta might end up being too aggressive for tank mates but it's been done before. Any advice on my actual problem? Also seeking any helpful advice for my other 5 gallon being stuck in an endless loop of .25 ppm nitrite. 0 ammonia. Will read .25ppm for nitrite an hour after a 50 percent water change.
 
Have you checked your tap water?
What brand of test kit are you using?
 
Yup. I have 2 5 gallons both i did a botched fish in cycle. My first tank which is a full month old was cycled after 2 weeks somehow and I didn't even have any test kits. The second tank is a week younger than the cycled one. I only realized there was a problem when I did a 10% water change after the first week. 2 days later my poor butterfly Betta had fin rot, the tests said 0 ammonia and .50ppm nitrites. After 3 days of 50% water changes I removed him because of the nitrites and he has been flourishing in the hospital tank since. Every day I have done a 50% water change with prime and also api quick start with nitrifying bacteria but still getting a constant .25ppm. Yesterday I skipped a water change after dosing it with more quick start. The ghost shrimp are still doing well probably thanks to the prime
 
Tap read 0 ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 7.6 ph. Using api master test kit
 
Im aware of the possible implications but I know that tetras and bettas have lived peacefully together in 10 gallons before. Not a for sure thing as my Betta might end up being too aggressive for tank mates but it's been done before. Any advice on my actual problem? Also seeking any helpful advice for my other 5 gallon being stuck in an endless loop of .25 ppm nitrite. 0 ammonia. Will read .25ppm for nitrite an hour after a 50 percent water change.
If you are aware of the possible implications then you shouldn't even entertain the idea. I'm also concerned that you decided to buy another betta given the state of your Mushu, as well as NOT having a tank established and ready to go for when he arrives. Cycling can take weeks even when done properly. You also can't throw a betta in with nippy and brightly colored fish. I have a school of neons in my tank and while only two toned their colors are quite vibrant. Few betta can be kept with other fish and for the health and well-being of your fish you should not tempt fate.
 
Point well taken on the neons--but is there any specific reason you're against keeping a Betta in a temporary tank? I didn't say I would keep a fish in a one gallon for months. I also have the option of splitting one of my 5 gallons. I understand that cycling a tank is a difficult and painstaking process even when following a certain procedure to a T. Trust me when I say I've been doing my research. Enough to know that cycling is unpredictable and even though I got lucky and my one 5 gallon cycled in 2 weeks on its own this one might not turn out that way. By the way I have another post open about Mushu and updates about him and he is almost ready to go back to his tank which is why I was also seeking advice on the nitrite levels. He isn't in any type of "condition". His fins are almost completely healed. I'm not ready to put him in a tank with trace levels of nitrites with slightly torn fins. The nitrite levels would just stress him out and he would get sick all over again. Sometimes you fish forum people can be intimidating! Take note of my username and have some patience. No judgement please, just helpful advice.
 
Plants will help everything. I don't understand why anyone would attempt keeping these fish without plants and tannins. Especially in a hospital tank. Tannins are essential to my hospital tank. These fish travel thousands of miles in a sandwich bag for our pleasure. The least we can do is try our best to replicate their natural environment. Where you're already prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on his setup (which certainly isn't necessary) why not protect your investment and the work into creating an actual habitat with the betta as the apex predator. Plants and microorganisms, leaf-litter, etc. Imo these "natural biotope" tanks are the only way to go. We've even stopped using the term "ornamental fish" in our club lest we fan the flames of fervor around animal rights. The fact is field collection in the developing world is crucial to economic stability in these rural areas. If those collecting (in most cases children) can be encouraged to protect their source of income, the fish will thusly be protected in the wild and hopefully survive for future generations to come. Please let's all do our part to protect these animals.

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I'm confused. Why would I plant a hospital tank that usually has medication in it? The api fungus cure has dyes in it that would harm the plants hence why my fish get placed into a bare minimum tank to get treated for a week. As for my new fish, why would I plant a temporary tank? Did you not understand when I said his 10 gallon is going to be moderately planted? Just like both of my 5 gallons. All my fish get plenty of plants, moss balls, and a piece of natural driftwood. Nothing in any of my tanks are plastic? My fish have plenty of places to hide and lounge around. The 10 gallon has already been set up for a week and I'm already getting nitrates so chances are my new fish won't even be put in the hospital tank. I'm honestly confused on the point you're trying to make. I appreciate the thought of trying to help I guess, but I'm about done with these forums as I find you fish forum people are extremely judgemental and will crucify a newbie over asking a question instead of being helpful.
 
I find you fish forum people are extremely judgemental and will crucify a newbie over asking a question instead of being helpful.

Nobody is crucifying you, or being judgmental.
 
Maybe I am reading people's responses wrong then because I feel like some of the answers are written with a rude, snobbish undertone. Like I should already know all of these things and because I don't it must mean I don't care about the health and happiness of my fish which would defeat the purpose of why I was here to begin with. I will admit myself like many others started this hobby misunderstanding how much care fish really need and how much work and expense it can be which lead to some ignorant mistakes on my part but me signing up for these forums and asking these questions are because I do really care about my fish and I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can be a proper caregiver to them and give them a natural life instead of building my tanks around what looks good instead of the tank setups being functional for my fish. I spent a lot of time trying to find ways to treat my Mushu for his fin rot and I'm proud that my time and effort paid off! He's doing great back in his 5 gallon which the nitrite levels finally hit 0 again and normalized. I really do take an interest in fish keeping
 
I appreciate that you are the op but the forum is read by many and this is my only opportunity to reach this broader base. I agree with you about not just fish ppl in general but internet FORUM fish ppl being trollish by nature. Most of us don't get out much. Even your responses are pretty defensive so you should fit right in. What could be more control-freakish than creating your own world full of defenseless creatures. Experience is ultimately the best teacher. When you've killed as many animals as I have you may find you're somewhat bitter about the whole industry. I like these forums because I can reach ppl and spread information even though I'm antisocial. I've been kicked off so many sites it's clearly not something I can control but I would like to help you help your fish. Cycling any tank is a challenge but the smaller they are the more of a challenge it can be. I personally don't advocate using meds, just tannins. I don't like to support that industry or the plastic/petroleum industry either for that matter. In a nano set-up I think plants will definitely help with the nitrite to nitrate process and the more the merrier. I cycle for months. I buy spring water. I'm a carpenter. I hate acrylic. I'm a crazy shut-in. This is what works for me. I hope you find the same.

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