When you get a new tank for your Betta fish do you have to clean it with soap?

Answer 1

1. Put on a pair of rubber gloves, or wash your hands, then run a large bowl of clean water the same temperature as the water in the tank.
2. Using a net on a stick (which you can buy from pet shops) gently scoop up your fish and place it in the bowl. Move the bowl away from where the tank is, but not in a different room so you can see if it tries to jump out.
3. Tip all the dirty water out of the tank and then pour all the little stones at the bottom into a sieve. (You might want to buy another sieve just for cleaning your fish, unless you don't mind eating fish poo whenever you drain pasta.) Run the sieve under cold running water, shaking vigorously so all the stones move round. Try to avoid tipping them all out.
4. Get any tank ornaments (castles, etc.) and give them a good scrub under hot running water, then put to one side.
5. Soak a cloth in vinegar quickly, then go round the top inside of the tank with it. This will get rid of all the white mineral deposits, and be assured that vinegar is harmless to fish.
6. Fill the tank with warm/hot water, then add a quirt of a gentle washing up liquid, and clean all the inside of the tank with a soft cloth or sponge.
7. Tip out all the water. Make sure all trace of the washing up liquid is gone, then fill the tank back up to the desired level with clean water at the right temperature for your fish, and tip in the cleaned stones.
8. Spread out the stones evenly at the bottom of the tank, then place the ornaments and plants back in. Now is a good time to put in a water protector thing. These are bottles of liquid that make the water safe for the fish. (important if you live in a hard water area.) Follow the directions on the bottle as to how much to put in.
9. Get your fish in the net again and tip it back in. My fish is quite old and whenever I return him to the tank after it has been cleaned he sinks to the bottom for a bit, but perks up eventually, so don't worry if your fish does this too.

Hope this helps you =)

By Ella R 12/12/09

Answer 2

As long as the fish bowl only has one betta, or perhaps some ghost shrimp, then you should clean it weekly.
If you have any other type of fish in it such as a goldfish, then you need to get a 20 gallon starter kit.

Answer 3

No there is nothing living that will clean the glass for you but your own effort. Something else too. A Bowl is not a suitable container for any kind of fish. They were acceptable in the ignorance of the 17th century because people didn't have the faintest idea about keeping fish alive and healthy. People know better now and there is no excuse for this kind of cruelty in this day and age of knowledge. The basic rules for keeping any kind of fish are. 1 inch of fish needs a minimum of 1 gallon of water. :- Every tank needs a permanently running cycled filter. Every tank needs to have at least 50% of it water changed evey week. Comply with the above rules and your fish stand a chance of surviving. Fail to comply with them and I can guarantee that your fish will have constant health problems.

Answer 4

No, it is important NOT to clean the tank with soap! Soap residue will likely kill your fish-- even if you think you've rinsed it thoroughly, there is likely enough soap left on the tank to kill your fish. Clean your tank with hot water, then leave it in the sun to dry if you are concerned it might have contaminants from previous fish that lived (and possible died) in the tank. If the tank is new, a thorough cleaning with hot water should be sufficient.

Answer 5

== == Its best not to, because any residue that is left over can seriously harm or even kill your fish. It is better just to wash it with hot water alone.