My mom thinks I'm over-cleaning my betta's tank... how often do you clean it?

Question

It is a one-gallon tank with no filter, and I clean it once every two weeks. Am I cleaning it too much?

Answer 1

I wouldn't keep a betta in less then 2.5 gallons and even then I would clean it once a week. So you cleaning a 1 gallon every 2 weeks is definitely not too much. If you had a filter then yes it would be too much, but since you don't you also don't have a cycle so you need to change the water often to remove the ammonia that can kill the fish.

Answer 2

Actually, you are undercleaning it. A tank that size needs cleaned every 3 or 4 days, really (about 20-25% water change). Unless you upgrade to a 5 gallon, which only will need cleaned once every one or two weeks.

Drs. Foster and Smith has a filter made specifically for small aquariums. It only costs $6, and it has worked wonderfully for my 2 gallon African dwarf frog tank. It's well worth the investment if you want your Betta to live a long and healthy life.

Answer 3

While some Bettas are successfully kept in bowls or commercially-made, mini Betta tanks, many others do not do very well in these set ups. While it is more difficult to keep these fish in smaller containers, it can be done successfully if you are extremely careful about temperature control, diet, and water changes. Some tips for successfully keeping Bettas in small containers include:


Provide a good container, the bigger the container the better.


Feed a fresh or frozen meat-based food once a day; small worms like white or blood worms work well, as do crustaceans like brine shrimp and daphnia.


Supplement the diet with a small amount of commercially prepared Betta food, if your fish will accept it.


Keep the water temperature constant at around 80°F.


Avoid drafts and direct sunlight that can alter water temperature.


Change 25% of the water 2 to 3 times per week.


Treat the new water with an appropriate water treatment to remove chlorine; be sure it is the same temperature as the water in the bowl.


Keep a ventilated lid over the top of the container to prevent the fish from jumping out, but still providing air exchange.


Consider adding plants to help improve water quality and to provide much needed cover.


Never keep more than one male Betta in the same tank.


please the read listed link

Answer 4

I would agree with several of the above - every two weeks cannot be enough for a small bowl and no filter.
My own betta is thriving in a 15-gallon/60 litre community tank with a filter, that I clean once a week.
Why don't you get a bigger tank, a filter and some plants?

Answer 5

I'm sad to say you are under cleaning your bettas tank. In fact you are likely slowly killing him from ammonia poisoning. In tank smaller 2 gallon you should be doing a water change every 4 days.

Answer 6

For a one gallon tank with no filter, that's right. Actually, I would clean it every week, since one gallon wasn't recommended for me, they thought it would be a more stable tank with atleast 5 gallons

Answer 7

I clean mine about once a month. I just have the one fish in a 1/2 gallon tank.

Answer 8

My bettas are in a ten gallon tank with a pump and a divider i think im doing something wrong !

Answer 9

About once or twice every week! I used to have a beta fish, and I cleaned it ALOT, because it would get really messy & dirty!

Answer 10

I have 3 fish and that's how often we clean ours. One is a betta and two are goldfish. It also depends on how much they poop if you know what I mean. they need to be fed about once every 3 days.