Betta fish and filters

If you have a filter in your tank then you should only need to do a 30% water change once a week. This should include cleaning the gravel and making sure you get rid of any algae.

You shouldn’t remove all of the water from the tank as this would also remove the micro-organisms that are helping to maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Betta fish and filters – points to remember

There are certain things to do with the physical make-up of a betta fish that mean you have to think carefully about filtration. One of these things is the long delicate fins they have, which can be damaged by strong filtration.

Here are some points to remember about using a filter in a betta tank:

• Always use slow flow filtration that doesn’t stress or damage your fish.
• It’s very difficult to use a filter effectively in a tank that is less than 2.5 gallons in size.
• Opting for a larger tank usually makes management of the tank easier in the long run.

You can see that using a filter in the tank with your betta is a good idea. However, if you choose not to have a filter in the tank then you still have to ensure a high level of water quality is sustained. This means that you have to commit to doing a full water change twice every week.

Frequent water changes are time consuming, especially as you have to wait for the water to reach the right temperature before you re-introduce your betta. You should also remember that if there are any other fish in the tank with your betta then you have to provide a filter for their benefit.