How often do I change my Beta Fish's water?

Question

I just got him and I found tons of products tht make tap water immediately safe for him and some great feeding tips, but nothing on how often to change his water! I originally planned on changing it once a week, but I got him...Peter...yesterday and his water is already looking merky. I feel like changing it too often will shock him? Any beta experts out there??? PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

It really depends on the size of the bowl or tank he's kept in. If it's under 1/2 gallon, get a bigger container ASAP and until ten change the water everyday. If it's between 1/2 gallon and 5 gallons but has no filter, change all of the water every 2-3 days. Above that and assuming the betta is along in the tank, change about 50% of the water every week.

If however you have a 2.5 gallon or larger tank with a filter, you need only to change about 25% of the water once a week. Far, far better for your fish than any unfiltered environment and far less stressful. If you currently have less than this, please consider the investment in your fish's health.

If I can help further, feel free to email me.

Answer 2

This will depend somewhat on what you're using for him to live in. Bettas should be in at least a gallon of water, although a 2.5 gallon tank or larger would be even better. They are tropical fish, and prefer a water temperature of 76-86oF, and in most homes, this would require a heater (a small filter is also a good idea). If you're keeping him like this, it's okay to do 25% water changes once a week.

If you're keeping him in a bowl, or without a filter, you'll need to do 100% changes every 2-3 days.

One of the reasons for the murkiness may be that you're overfeeding him (only give about 3-5 betta pellets twice a day - you can also replace one pellet meal with a similar amount of frozen bloodworms or daphnia, or live mosquito larvae). But it may also (at least partially) be due to ammonia accumulating in his container. Ammonia is a part of the wastes that a fish produces, and in small levels (0.5 ppm) it's toxic to them. Beneficial bacteria will convert the ammonia to nitrite (slightly more toxic), then to nitrate, which you fish can tolerate at levels 80-100 times as high. In a new container, though, you don't have enough of these bacteria yet that all the ammonia and nitrite can be converted. So the bacteria that are there are reproducing like crazy, and this "bloom" can make the water appear cloudy. Once the number of bacteria in the tank are high enough that all the ammonia and nitrite are being converted, the bacteria will stop reporducing as quickly, and the cloudiness will go away on its own. Note that excess food in the container also produces ammonia as it decomposes.

In a bowl, it's difficult to get the number of bacteria needed, since they require oxygen to live, so that's why you need to do the water changes more frequently - it's all up to you to keep these levels low. In a tank, there's more room for gravel (on which the bacteria attach), plus a filter will help keep the bottom oxygenated, so the bacteria can live.

It's also easier to clean a tank, since you only need to remove a fraction of the water, your fish can stay in the tank while you clean. In a bowl that needs to have all the water changes, you need to relocate your fish (temporarily) and move it twice, which is more stressful for the fish.

Answer 3

i have had my betta for 5 yrs. here is some advise, if you use tap water let it set for 24 hrs and it must be room temp.
you only want to change out 1/4 of the water 1 x per week.
if the water gets really bad, and you need to do a good cleaning (i do this every 3-6 months) you can do a complete overhaul by putting him in a holding tank with some (1/4 to 1/2) of his orginal water, then rinse out everything you have in his tank, rocks and decorations. dont use soap or bleach, just rinse and rub. lay them out to dry, then re-assemble the entire tank, put back orginal water and then some fresh. they have to have a clean environment but the also need an amount of normal bacteria growth to keep a balance. hope this helps. also, keep out of direct sunlight, and bettas like a warm water temp of between 70-80 degrees. and dont overfeed, they can go several days without food if you leave on vacation. but come up with a schedule, i feed about 5-7 little pellets every other day.

Answer 4

Well, I did mine every 3 days or 4 at the most- don't use more of those drops (to make the water safe) than it says to because that will make the water murky.

A teeny bit is usually all you need.

The frequency of water changes should be done every 2-3
days if the bowl is 6" tall or less.

The only way changing the water would shock him is if the water you put him in is warmer or cooler than the water you're changing.

Usually you can just feel each and get them close to the same temperature. I put my betta and some of his old water in a measuring cup, then cleaned his bowl. That way, I could pour him in, really gently.

There are nutrients that form in the gravel so just swish it around in the cold water to get the waste out, it doesn't have to be too clean.

Also- put a plastic "grass" in his bowl because they sometimes like to rest in those. More of a layered one, not just straight up & down.

Oh- and don't overfeed. That makes for cloudy water too.

Answer 5

I got a male betta friday. I 've changed Ariel's water twice (Saturday & Today) so far. But I think it depends on the size of the bowl or tank Peter is in. Anything 24 oz - 1 1/2 gallons SHOULD BE CHANGED AT LEAST once a week. Don't overfeed him, not only will Peter get sick but IT WILL CLOUD THE WATER.

Answer 6

What size is the tank? If it is a gallon or under I would say twice a week. A 2.5 or 5 gallon would be ok once a week. And anything larger than that you could have a filter and do partial water changes every week or so. (bettas love the extra swimming room as much as the next fish so the bigger the tank the better!!!)

Answer 7

actually a Beta can live in poor water quality but always keep water in the same room available in a bowl or pitcher so when you change the water the chlorine will be gone and the temperature will be the same ambient room temperature. If the water is to cold the fish will die from the shock. If you do a water change this way every 4 days or so that would guarantee the fish will always have a clean habitat and it will be healthy. Their life span is aprox. 18 months on average.....

Answer 8

You should have a filter, and if so then once a week. If you don't, then you need to change it ever couple of days or you will see the water get murkey, and your fish won't live long.

Answer 9

i wouldnt change it more than once every week and a half. also don't put too many chemicals in the water. if you have to, buy a gallon of purified water (like at walmart or somewhere that you fill up the bottle yourself). the beta is getting used to his new environment. its ok for it to look a little mucky the first couple weeks you have him. either way, i change my beta's water every week and a half, and he has been alive for 3 and half years. good luck with Peter.

Answer 10

With Beta's change the water every two weeeks or so. Beta's are air breathing fish, so he can just hand out in a net for a minute or so while you scrub his tank. Beta's are a really pretty fish!