do fish tanks need air?

Question

we have a betta and my dad said it doesnt need one of those things that puts air into the water.. is that true?

Answer 1

Your dad is correct. I have had a lot of experience with Bettas Here is the truth about bettas.. A Betta Splendens is in a family of fish known as Labyrinth Fish. What this means is they have an organ between their eyes and on the top of their head that is like a set of lungs. These fish need to go to the surface and yes, they do breathe air. So here is what you need to have to make a Betta happy.
1. Enough surface area of water for the betta to get air when it needs it. If you are planning on putting it in a vase with a plant above it, this is not a great option
2. The water needs to be still for the most part, so no aeration devices. In addition the water needs to be about 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

The bubble nests they build are for their eggs. Once the male mates with a female and fertilizes the eggs, he takes the eggs and puts them in the bubble nest. He guards it as well. It is best for him to be in the tank alone if this is the case. When the fry are born, remove all of them. Bettas are meat eaters and will eat all of their young. For more tips on how to care for a betta and what to feed them see the following page.

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/anabantids2/p/betta.htm

Answer 2

IF your Betta came from a tank that had an air pump and water filter then it would be best to follow that practice.
In the other scenario the Betta was kept in a jar until it was sold then put your Betta in a fish bowl and exchange 1/4 of the water every 2 weeks with water that has been sitting for a week.

Doing this, you keep the habitat the same to what the fish knows. The fish is less likely to get shock and die.

Best of luck!

Answer 3

Depends on the size of your tank, more specifically, the overall water. I had a fat goldfish bowl but it only had a skinny opening, meaning the fish were sluggish and coming to the surface a lot to get air. We added an airstone and my fish were much happier, swimming around etc... You don't necessarily need a filter if the tank/bowl is small and you do a 25% water change each week and don't over feed them. Good luck

Answer 4

The Betta or Siamese Fightning Fish doesn't need a large tank to survive, they can live quite well in a small bowl or fish tank without a filter or aeration system. They can live in water with a low oxygen content. Probably because they originated in the rice paddies of Thailand and Malaya.

Answer 5

Yes bettas dont need those air thingys they can hold there breath under the water for 15 mins then they gotta come up for air lol.... And there really called japanese fighting fish thats y there not aloud in with other fish or they will kill them lol....

Answer 6

Your dad is right on this one! Bettas belong to a group of fish called anabatids (includes gouramis and paradise fish as well). Members of this group have a labyrinth organ that functions like our lungs - it lets the fish breathe at the surface of the water, so, strictly speaking, they don't have to have a filter or an airstone to live. If you would ever plan to brred bettas, a filter would be likely to upset the water surface and destroy their bubble nest.

That's not to say they can't have a filter or an airstone - they just don't like any fast movement in the water (they're slow swimmers with the long fins) and don't absolutely require it.

http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/freshwater/anabantids/bettasplenden.html

Answer 7

No, I've had a couple of betta fish, and trust me, unless you have a big enough tank that it doesn't need to be filled very high up for the fish to have enough room, you need the oxygen filter.

Answer 8

Bettas, and their gourami cousins are rather rare amoung fish. They are able to breathe air from the surface of the water. A filter isn't bad for a betta as it helps to keep the water clean. As long as you change out his water regularly, and keep him warm (75-85F) he should be fine. Remember he only need as much food as one of his little eye balls per day. Don't feed him 1 day each week to let his digestive system clean itself out. (Other wise he'll get a pot belly, develop a swim bladder disorder, and get the bloat.)

Answer 9

NO. Bettas actually can breathe our air. This is why you see him go up once in a while. Dont put so many things into that small tank. Aeriation ( Air Bubbles) is only for larger tanks (10g 15g etc)

Answer 10

Yes. Fish tanks have air pumps to help the fish breath. Otherwise they would just stay at the bottom of the tank and not move much because they lack oxygen.