Betta Fish Water Change

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Halawrence

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Hello! I am new to the betta fish world and my betta, Prince lives in a 5.5 gallon tank. I have his filter on the lowest setting and have his water tank heater at 78 degrees F. After the first week and a half I just changed about 15% of his water. I made sure he had the correct temp and everything. He seems to be perfectly fine. Swimming like normal. I am just wondering besides changing the water what else I should watch out for, what else to clean, and what type of equipment I need. Thanks in advance
 

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You should actually clean and do a 75% water change each week. Once your filter is established (about 2 months) begin rinsing your filter media or sponges in a little tank water every 2 weeks. Are you aware of the nitrogen cycle and did you cycle your tank before adding your betta? What are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings?
 
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I am aware of it now but at the time no I did not let his tank cycle which is why I did such a small water change just to make sure he was ok and to try and let the tank cycle through. I have been reading about the nitrogen cycle but I dont know much about it. Again I am new to this. Tomorrow I am running out to get test strips to test his water so I will let you know!. He has been eating normally and not acting strange. I just out him in his new 5 gallon tank about a week and a half ago. He was in a one gallon after the pet store told me that was all he needed, no filter, water heater, or anything. While he was in the one gallon tank he would not eat and then after the first 3 days I noticed him acting funny and lethargic. I quickly did a quick research into what was wrong and did a complete water change with less water in the bowl so that he could get air easier. The next day I went out and got his tank. After setting it up and letting in run for about 6 hours I put him in. I have been watching him carefully and have his lights on a timed schedule. He has been eating and doing quite well. Since I have been reading a little on tank cycling I only did a 15% water change. I am still trying to gather more information about how to properly clean his tank and keep it maintained. He seems to be doing just fine. He freaked out a little during the water change but now he is swimming around like normal.
 
I am aware of it now but at the time no I did not let his tank cycle which is why I did such a small water change just to make sure he was ok and to try and let the tank cycle through. I have been reading about the nitrogen cycle but I dont know much about it. Again I am new to this. Tomorrow I am running out to get test strips to test his water so I will let you know!. He has been eating normally and not acting strange. I just out him in his new 5 gallon tank about a week and a half ago. He was in a one gallon after the pet store told me that was all he needed, no filter, water heater, or anything. While he was in the one gallon tank he would not eat and then after the first 3 days I noticed him acting funny and lethargic. I quickly did a quick research into what was wrong and did a complete water change with less water in the bowl so that he could get air easier. The next day I went out and got his tank. After setting it up and letting in run for about 6 hours I put him in. I have been watching him carefully and have his lights on a timed schedule. He has been eating and doing quite well. Since I have been reading a little on tank cycling I only did a 15% water change. I am still trying to gather more information about how to properly clean his tank and keep it maintained. He seems to be doing just fine. He freaked out a little during the water change but now he is swimming around like normal.
You can add Tetra safe start in his tank (2.5 ml per 5 gal) it only took me 11 days to fully cycling a tank.
 
Tomorrow I am running out to get test strips to test his water so I will let you know!
Test strips do not include ammonia so you'll need a tester for that as well. Liquid testers (the kind with test tubes) are more accurate.

If you didn't cycle the tank first, you need to do daily water changes until you can test the water. Once you have testers, test daily and do a water change every time you have a reading above zero for ammonia or nitrite.

Tetra Safe Start will help, as will putting live plants in the tank as they take up ammonia as fertiliser. Floating plants are best for this (being on the surface, they also have lots of light and can get carbon dioxide from the air so they grow faster than lower down plants)


I have been reading about the nitrogen cycle but I dont know much about it.
In very simple terms,
fish excrete ammonia
bacteria eat this ammonia and turn it into nitrite
more bacteria eat this nitrite and turn it into nitrate
fish keeper does water changes to remove nitrate

But it takes a few weeks for these bacteria to grow so until then we have to remove ammonia and nitrite to keep the fish safe.
 
You can add Tetra safe start in his tank (2.5 ml per 5 gal) it only took me 11 days to fully cycling a tank.
Can I add this while he is in the tank? I did a 15% water change last night and he is doing great so I am scared of adding anything that might throw him off
 
Can I add this while he is in the tank? I did a 15% water change last night and he is doing great so I am scared of adding anything that might throw him off
Yes you can add tetra safe start in there 2.5 ml per 5 gal
 
Yes, you can add it while he is in tank. Try to get an API Master Freshwater test kit. They are the best. Easy to understand after you do it a few times. I would squeeze the Safe Start over the filter media so it has a better chance of sticking to it. That way you won’t waste it with water changes. If you use Seachem Prime to dechlorinate your water, don’t use it for 24 hours as it will destroy the Safe Start. Use a different dechlorinator until then. I’m so glad you care about the welfare of your betta. We’re hear you help. :). Note: don’t clean your filter pad for 1st 6 weeks. Then clean it in tank water, never chlorinated water or it will destroy your good bacteria. Keep the same filter media until it falls apart. Ignore what the filter instructions say about changing it every 2 weeks. They just want to make money. Mine are all over a year old.
 
Yes, you can add it while he is in tank. Try to get an API Master Freshwater test kit. They are the best. Easy to understand after you do it a few times. I would squeeze the Safe Start over the filter media so it has a better chance of sticking to it. That way you won’t waste it with water changes. If you use Seachem Prime to dechlorinate your water, don’t use it for 24 hours as it will destroy the Safe Start. Use a different dechlorinator until then. I’m so glad you care about the welfare of your betta. We’re hear you help. :). Note: don’t clean your filter pad for 1st 6 weeks. Then clean it in tank water, never chlorinated water or it will destroy your good bacteria. Keep the same filter media until it falls apart. Ignore what the filter instructions say about changing it every 2 weeks. They just want to make money. Mine are all over a year old.
Thank you!!! I have been using Tetra Aquasafe to dechlorinate my water. Before I did his water change I stirred into his water change bucket and let it sit there for about 2 hours. Everything I read says something different about the waiting periods.
 
I put the dechlorinator in the bucket then run the water in at the fastest the tap/faucett will go. That mixes it more efficiently than adding it to a bucket of water.
 
Ok so I did the tests. My Ph is 7.4, my ammonia was 0.50 ppm, my nitrite was 0 rpm, and my nitrate was 5 ppm. I am fixing to do a water change and then put his safe start and Ph correcting tablet in. Is this correct?
 
Ok so I did the tests. My Ph is 7.4, my ammonia was 0.50 ppm, my nitrite was 0 rpm, and my nitrate was 5 ppm. I am fixing to do a water change and then put his safe start and Ph correcting tablet in. Is this correct?
Sounds like it’s already cycling. Don’t do another water change unless the ammonia stays at .50ppm or more. If nitrates get above 20ppm, do water change. Just trying to give the Safe Start time to start working. Looking good! ;)
 
Sounds like it’s already cycling. Don’t do another water change unless the ammonia stays at .50ppm or more. If nitrates get above 20ppm, do water change. Just trying to give the Safe Start time to start working. Looking good! ;)
Yay!! I did a Ph correoting tablet to bring his Ph down. This tablet says it will also maintain his Ph levels. I did a another Ph test and now it is at 7.0.
 

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