HELP!! is this normal i just floated the bag of my betta in my un cycled tank?

Question

i decied to use him to cycle hes not gasping for air or anything but hes staying at the top of the tank is this normal and its a 10 gallon tank should i turn the light of or what should i do

Answer 1

Don't worry so much. A little betta in a 10 gallon tank will cause such a small ammonia spike that you probably won't even be able to measure it. If you want to play it safe, buy a test for ammonia and test for it every day. If you notice it start to crawl up past .5, change a third of the water.

In the mean time, go back to the fish store and ask them for a handful of gravel from one of their mature tanks (ask them to bag it for you) and then put this into your filter - you will be introducing live bacteria and won't need to worry about the cycle at all. A fishless cycle, or exposing the fish to toxins, is kind of pointless when you can just bypass the cycle altogether by doing this (and the method is virtually flawless).

Answer 2

First of all you obviously need to learn about cycling a tank
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php

As for the light, you keep it on for 10-12 hours during the day, and turn it off for 12-14 hours

And you shouldn't use a betta for cycling

As for new fish putting into a new tank, it always takes them time to adjust to their new environment

And he doesn't gasp for air, betta's get air from the top of the tank, because they're labyrinth fish

Do some research


Hope that helps
Good luck


EB

Answer 3

Bettas generally stay towards the top of the tank, so that's normal. They take their oxygen in from the surface of the water.

Bettas are not good fish to start/use to cycle a fish tank. Your best bet is to either return the fish, or move him to a smaller container until the tank cycles, and change the water frequently in that container(every 1-2 days depending on it's size). Leaving the betta in the fish tank to cycle it, he'll end up dying, and the cycle will stop.

Do a fishless cycle on the 10 gallon tank, it's quicker, cheaper, and less work for you. Get a cocktail or salad shrimp, put it inside a mesh filter media bag or pair of nylons/pantyhose with the leg/foot cut off, knot it, and toss it in the tank and let it rot. Don't need to do any water changes, just top off the water when it evaporates. Should take about 4-8 weeks to complete, you won't stress/kill any fish doing it this way either. Just get a test kit and monitor the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrate levels so you know how the cycle is progressing.

Answer 4

I notice that bettas usualy stay high in the water column in general, but since youre cycling your tank with him you should know you wouldnt see him gasp for air. Bettas have labarynth lungs similar to us so they can breath air from the surface of the water and dont always get oxygen from the water. So, you probably wont see him gasp. If hes still swimming normaly and not on his side or anything, dont worry about it, your tank wont be cycling with such a small fish, but Im sure he's perfectly happy.

Answer 5

Pretty common for any fish to act 'strange' when placed in a new tank. Since he was just added the fact that the tank has not cycled will not be a problem yet, but it will be a problem in a day or two. Also you should leave the tank light off for at least the first 24 hours to allow your fish to settle in. Also try to give it a little privacy so that you are not scaring it even more than it has been to this point. Changing a fishes habitat is a big deal, and proper care should be taken.

Answer 6

yes, have the light on during the day so the tank will be better illuminated. bettas prefer to stay near the top of the tank,since they actually will breathe their air like marine mammals do. He could also be waiting for some food. You could sprinkle a flake or two, and wait for him to eat it, and then keep an eye on him to see what he does next. I think he will be fine.

Answer 7

in simple terms like yet another poster has reported, bettas are like various different fish whilst it comprises suitable housing so specific, they could be saved in a cycled tank. additionally, a a million.5 gallon tank should not be sufficiently vast to cycle. properly, you may cycle it in spite of the shown fact that it incredibly is totally puzzling to maintain that cycle in any such small quantity of water. once you do prefer to cycle the tank, get a minimum of five gallons. of direction, you do no longer prefer a filter out to cycle a tank in case you do it with the Walstad technique. rather of constructive micro organism in a filter out changing ammonia and nitrites into nitrates, the stay plant life get rid of ammonia and nitrites and nitrates. it incredibly is a very low tech, low upkeep set up that I strongly recommend to those that keep bettas. you ought to use a filter out in case you like in spite of the shown fact that it may basically be necessary for water circulate and of direction you may wish a heater considering that bettas like their water interior the seventy 8-80F selection. in case you like greater counsel in this, be chuffed to deliver me an e mail and that i'll tell you such as you like fascinated by it. below is a image of my Max's tank this is desperate up utilising the Walstad technique besides as a link telling you somewhat greater approximately this set up.

Answer 8

Yes its normal.

Answer 9

CHILL OUT! its ok bettas are top water swimmers.