Is it okay to cycle my tank with a betta?

Question

I have a 10 gallon tank with plants and everything but the fish. My plan was to start off with the betta and then when the cycling is over add a few corys. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

I would like to keep the betta in there after the tank is established. Would that be a bad idea? I hear they are okay in a community tank. I was going to add a few harlequin rasboras like six months after the tank is established...

Answer 1

I generally cycle all my community tanks with a betta. (Of course I have fair number of betta.) I'd start the cycling without for a couple of days. (Add some fish flakes finely ground between your finger.) Just keep in mind that, while a betta is pretty tough he's not immune to ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. Don't over feed as that can be dangerous.

Answer 2

yes, you can cycle a tank with a betta. I'm a little puzzled as to why the first answerer told you to take him out. I think people are so used to the idea that bettas don't need a filter, they begin to think that filters are bad for bettas, which is silly. How could clean water hurt a fish?

As long as you don't have another male betta in the tank, they do just fine with other fish. I had one in my community tank with an angelfish, black mollies and zebra danios, and he did just fine.

Answer 3

cycling a tank with Betta's is ok.. you will want to take him out after the tank is cycled before adding other fish. I would hold off on the corys until the tank is established. They can be sensitive to the water chemistry fluctuations when starting up a tank.... if you are looking to set up a community tank i would recommend tetras with the EXCEPTION of neon, cardinal, and rummy nose tetras.
hope this helps you out.

Answer 4

It would be more effective to cycle the tank with fish food since the food would rot inside the tank and quickly start up the cycling process. Using fish to cycle a tank may take some time.

Answer 5

no get himout of there!!!