Betta fish are beautiful and fascinating creatures. They have a variety of colors, they’re easy to care for, and they make great pets! But bettas need special water parameters in order to thrive. In this blog post we’ll discuss the pH levels that your betta needs, how often you should change their water, what temperature is best for them, the nitrate level that’s good for them.
Betta Fish Water Parameters
- Temperature: 75°-80°F (24°-26.5°C)
- Ammonia: 0 ppm.
- Nitrite: <0.25 ppm.
- Nitrate: <20 ppm.
- GH: 3-4 dGH (50-65 ppm)
- KH: 3-5 dKH (52- 90 ppm)
- pH: 6.0-7.0.
- Minimum Tank size: 1 Gallon
Aquarium fish water parameters
- The pH level is the measure of how acidic or alkaline a liquid solution is, with lower numbers being more acidic and higher numbers being more alkaline. Different fish have different tolerances for what they can survive in. it’s important to know your specific species’ requirements when setting up an aquarium as there are many factors involved. As a general rule, the more acidic a water solution is, the poorer its buffering capacity and ability to neutralize changes in pH.
- The KH (Carbonate hardness) level measures how well CO(II) ions can combine with OH(-Ion’s). The higher this number is, the less likely it becomes that nitrogenous compounds will circulate in the water.
- The GH (General hardness) level is one of the most important factors when considering what fish you want to put in your aquarium, as it measures how much calcium carbonate there is dissolved in a solution and affects pH levels. The KH and GH are connected; higher KH levels result from hard or alkaline water, and higher GH levels result from soft or acidic water.
- The temperature of the aquarium should be tailored to what kind of fish you are keeping; for instance, tropical species need warmer waters (with temperatures between 23°C – 27° Celsius). Non-tropical freshwater fish can live in cooler temps (between 18°C – 21° Celsius).
- The hardness of the water is measured on the German degree (dGH) scale and has a numeric range between 0 – 18. The more dGH, the higher its content of dissolved minerals like calcium carbonate. It’s recommended to keep this number between 12-18 for aquariums containing non-tropical freshwater fish.
1. pH for betta
Bettas are tropical fish, so they do best in water that is slightly acidic. The pH range for a betta’s tank should be between the values of about six and seven.
You can test the pH of your water by buying a pH testing kit and using it to measure the specific levels.
How to lower pH in betta tank?
The best way to maintain this level is with regular, partial water changes that use an acidic solution which will bring down any high pH in the tank. This should be done about once every two weeks.
How to raise pH in betta tank?
Just add a pinch of baking soda to the tank. When you do water changes make sure that the amount of sodium bicarbonate used equals twice its weight in natural sea salt.
2. How often to change the water in your betta tank?
Betta fish require weekly water changes to avoid death and other problems from a buildup of toxins in the tank. If your Betta is showing gasping or unusual behavior, change its water immediately before more severe symptoms present themselves as well.
You should also dump out any leftovers after feeding your betta fish because they are not capable of breaking down the waste in their digestive tract.
3. Temperature for bettas
Betta fish need a temperature between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, their metabolism slows down and they can die from ich or other diseases.
If it’s too warm, they have an increased risk of injury from jumping out, hemorrhagic septicemia (blood poisoning), and/or bacterial infections due to a weakened immune system.
What are betta temperature shock symptoms?
If you change the temperature of your betta’s water too quickly they can suffer from shock. Symptoms include gasping, rapid swimming, lethargy or coma, and eventually death if not remedied.
4. Nitrate level for bettas
Nitrate levels for betta fish can range from less than 0.25 mg/l to more than 20 mg/l in their natural environments, and it is typically not a threat to the health of your pet unless they are exposed over time or if water quality problems occur (such as when ammonia spikes).
Nitrates themselves are relatively benign and not a major contributor to water quality problems, and in fact, nitrates are necessary for good health.
A lot of misinformation out there says that bettas can live up to five years with low-nitrate levels. This is simply false information based on the erroneous interpretation of a study from 1995 about fish living in polluted environments where they were exposed to high levels of nitrate.
The study concluded that the fish in those environments lived up to five years, but only if they were able to avoid predation by other animals.
The best way for you and your betta fish! – to ensure a long happy life is with good water quality and plenty of fresh food.
What nitrite level is safe for your betta?
Nitrite levels less than 0.25 mg/l are considered safe for betta fish, but any nitrites can be dangerous if they’re not removed from the water with regular water changes.
5. Betta tank set up
Other things you need to know about your betta’s environment, including the size of their tank, whether or not they have a filter, and how much light they get from their tank window or lamp.
A betta’s tank should be at least one gallon, but the more space they have, the better. A filter is a good idea too. Your betta will also need someplace to hide or find refuge from their fishy friends if you’re housing them with other species of fish.
Keep in mind that your pet may not like the light, so either choose a tank with darker colors or make sure to provide them with shade.
Summary
In conclusion, betta fish need the right pH level, temperature, and correct nitrate level in their tank water to thrive. They also require a setup that is perfect for them and depending on what you want from your pet will determine how much care they take with it.
If you are considering adding or caring for a betta fish as a pet make sure to research all of these points before setting him or her up so that your betta can be healthy and happy!
The benefits of owning a pet betta fish! They’re easy to care for and make great pets! But it’s important that you keep an eye on them in order to provide them with the best life possible – which includes giving them the right water parameters!
References:
- BETTAS NEED MORE THAN BOWLS https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet_column/betta-fish/
- Aquarium Water Quality: Total Alkalinity and Hardness https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Recreation-and-Leisure/Aquarium-Fish/Aquarium-Water-Quality-Total-Alkalinity-and-Hardness
Hi, my name is Sean, and I’m the primary writer on the site. I’m blogging mostly about freshwater and saltwater aquariums, fish, invertebrates, and plants. I’m experienced in the fishkeeping hobby for many years. Over the years I have kept many tanks, and have recently begun getting more serious in wanting to become a professional aquarist. All my knowledge comes from experience and reading forums and a lot of informative sites. In pursuit of becoming a professional, I also want to inspire as many people as I can to pick up this hobby and keep the public interest growing.
Read more about Sean.
Please join also my Facebook group.
