Water parameters in 5gal?

Question

I have a planted 5gal tank, housing one recently purchased female betta after my other boy got dropsy and passed away.

The tank was completely cycled (yes, I really do know how it works) before anything was added, but the reason I'm asking about water parameters is because when I tested the water when my betta got dropsy, the readings were this.
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm
Nitrate- 0ppm

I've never had 0 Nitrates before, and I know I followed the directions for testing correctly (shaking the bottle, etc.) so... is this something I should be worried about? I know plants like to eat Nitrate and I want to make sure they have enough. I do dose with liquid fertilizer, but still.

The bioload isn't that big for a betta, and I have been wanting to add a snail or shrimp for a while (preferable something colorful, but I like Amano for their size). Perhaps that would be enough to bring Nitrate levels back up?

However, I am worried about shrimp or snails being picked on. At the moment, my current betta is still just a baby and very small. She doesn't seem very aggressive, but curious. I thought adding the shrimp now would give her a chance to get used to them before she's large enough to fit anyone in her mouth. I know they do get aggressive as they grow though too...

So, basically, I'm asking if anyone has any opinions on shrimp, snails, or if my 0 Nitrate is a problem!
Thanks!

Akeath · Accepted Answer

0 Nitrate will not be a problem, I have that on my planted tanks as well.  Really, the less Nitrates you have the better for fish/shrimp/snails.  And as long as you add fertilizer for your plants, they should be fine too.

I strongly recommend against putting any sort of shrimp with a Betta.  While she may not be able to eat the Amano whole, the Amano will be very vulnerable after molting and the Betta could easily pick off body parts till the Amano dies.  Shrimp and Bettas just aren't a good mix.  Eventually, the shrimp is going to be killed, it's just a matter of time.

Snails can work, but you need to be careful about which type of snail you put in.  Apple and Mystery Snails have very prominent antennae that Bettas have a tendency to bite off, so they wouldn't be a good choice.  Something like an Olive Nerite Snail would work much better, as they don't have prominent antennae and tend to have their bodies less exposed, so they are not likely to get picked at or nipped.

? · Answer

Honestly, if you know how the Nitrogen cycle works and cycled your tank already and saw the decrease in NH4/3 and NO2, then I wouldn't worry. If you're seeing 0 nitrates it's because you're understocked and overfiltered (a good thing!! Especially with young~). If you have healthy plants, even more reason not to worry.
You might have some nitrates but the test is expired or levels are too low to have a positive reading. I would check the expiration date or try to calibrate it. Have you tried getting a reading off a different water source? If you keep seeing weekly results of 0-0-0, I'd add the shrimp (make sure to quarantine, young fish are quite fragile, though I have a feeling you already know that :p).
If you ever get another fish with dropsy, try an epsom salt treatment. Dropsy is a symptom, but it is fluid retention. Epsom salts help remove built up fluids. I've seen many people have success with this though thankfully I never had the need to try it myself ;;. I am sorry he died.

? · Answer

Dropsy can also be an issue with food, and depending on how old your betta was that could have been a factor, too. A female betta and a few shrimp or a snail are probably just fine in a 5 gallon as long as you keep up with water changes as I'm sure you do. And most bettas adjust, especially if they're female and especially if they're young, to other tank inhabitants that aren't super colorful and fast swimming.

Trending News

Water parameters in 5gal?

3 Answers