Tank Question

[newtobettafish]

Hi Everyone,

I just set up a 5g tank for my betta fish a few days ago. I did not put my fish in yet because I was letting the new tank run. Then yesterday, just when I was going to put my fish in his new home, I noticed that the tank water was cloudy. There is one live bamboo plant in there and it has a fuzz on its roots and slightly along the stem. I called Petco and was told that this was a normal part of the nitrogen cycle and that the water should clear up in a week or two.

Is the cloudiness normal? Should I put my betta fish in or remove the bamboo plant and clean the tank?

 

[prsturm]

The cloudiness is "normal" in the sense that everybody goes through it, yes. The cloudiness is a non-specific symptom so it can mean anything: bacterial bloom, particulate matter being squeezed out of the way of hydrogen bonds between water molecules... all kinds of things. Since you're tank is so new and not cycled, it could just be water getting rid of its unwanted baggage, or evaporation leading to free particles in the water. Your main concern is not the cloudiness. Your main concern is the cycling of the tank and ammonia/nitrite levels.

 

[achase]

There is a link to an article on the fishless cycle in my signature. Like prsturm said you will need to cycle your tank before you add your betta.
Also I'm not sure that bamboo plants are totally aquatic. I'm pretty sure that they will begin to rot if submerged.

Where are you keeping your betta now?