do Bettas make good starters?

[skye4jc]

just out of curiosity, do bettas make good ammoina cycle starters? what are the best fish to get a tank started (cycling)? anyone??

edit: i heard black skirt tetras are good... my boyfriend has started his tank with them and theyre doing very well...

 

[cometcattle]

No, they don't.

If your cycling with fish, I'd suggest platies or zebra danios.

 

[skye4jc]

do you know why bettas arent good cyclers?

 

[bluefire]

its because they are sensitive to ammonia and nitrite

 

[Nisha]

Yeah, Bettas are much too sensitive to water conditions.
Black skirt tetras and White cloud minnows are quite hardy and do alright through the cycling process.
You could get your boyfriend to give you some gravel and filter media from his tank so that you don't need to put any cycling stress on your fish at all.

~Nisha

Edited for clarification.

 

[Rybka]

Yeah do that...because the fish you use for cycling is not good for the fish as it pernamently damages the fish that are involved...but if your bf wont help i suggest using zebra danios aswell

 

[KageBunshin]

bettas dont crap as much as a group of danios too.

 

[DannyBoy17]

bettas dont crap as much as a group of danios too.

Good answer.

 

[bluefire]

yeah theres that too, and you can only have one betta

 

[Crookster]

I started my first tank with a betta over 18 months ago now. I even made a newbie mistake and didn't cycle properly. I lost 7 fish, but not the betta, he's still going strong now. Also don't they live in crap water conditions in the wild, like little puddles basically, and some people keep them without filters.

So I'd say yes they do make good starter fish.

 

[ravekiss]

I wont recommend Bettas..I used Platys to cycle mine and they're still alive and doing well today.

 

[Kittycat]

I started my first tank with a betta over 18 months ago now. I even made a newbie mistake and didn't cycle properly. I lost 7 fish, but not the betta, he's still going strong now. Also don't they live in crap water conditions in the wild, like little puddles basically, and some people keep them without filters.

So I'd say yes they do make good starter fish.

I disagree. They don't live in dirty water, nor in "little puddles," try looking for a picture of RICE PADDIES in the net, that's where they come from and those things definitely aren't puddles.

 

[clutterydrawer]

Bettas can be pretty hardy - think of the tiny cups they survive in at stores. BUT there is really no need to risk your fish's life when you boyfriend could jsut give you some filter media/gravel from his tank to get you started. even if a fish survives the cycle, it can be weakened by it.

 

[skye4jc]

tks everyone. thats good to know. i was just curious, because some peple at my store were saying bettas were good cyclers, and others said not. i just wanted to get a straight answer... but no such luck. ah well... i suppose whatever fish you use you need to love, because you a) gotta route for it and B) if it makes it, you gotta live with it in your tank...

ps... my boyfriends tank is newer than mine... only 2 weeks old, and i put 4 black skirts in there to start him off. lost one two days ago , but the others look good. as for my tank... no worries. busy treating for popeye and body fungus, but everyone is doing well.

on another note... whats this about adding established gravel and filter media? how does that work? how much do you need to add, and whats filter media?? lol...

(somedays i feel like a complete moron... ... but i suppose the only dumb questions are the ones not asked... especially if it endangers living things! right? anyone back me up here??)

- )

 

[corykitty516]

I started my first tank with a betta over 18 months ago now. I even made a newbie mistake and didn't cycle properly. I lost 7 fish, but not the betta, he's still going strong now. Also don't they live in crap water conditions in the wild, like little puddles basically, and some people keep them without filters.

So I'd say yes they do make good starter fish.

I disagree. They don't live in dirty water, nor in "little puddles," try looking for a picture of RICE PADDIES in the net, that's where they come from and those things definitely aren't puddles.

yes .... and I'm pretty sure those paddies are "cycled" already ... this is what I'm always trying to tell people that use the "puddles" line about bettas. A wee cup does not equal the massive ecosystem that the "tiny puddle" is a part of. Rain does the waterchanges and the bacteria is there aleady