How often should i change water for my betta fish?

Hello, I recently bought a Betta fish, and this is my first time having a pet fish. I bought everything a betta fish would need. The only thing that I am confused about is how often you change their water. Some say to change it once per week, but I put in Indian almond leaves and heard that if you put one you should change it 3–4 days after and do a 20% change every day, but I am worried that it would cause stress to my fish.

English is not my first language. I'm sorry if you're confused

 

Hi dreyaajamesss
Welcome to fishlore.

To answer your question
When we have a filter we change water every time the nitrates reach a dangerous level. In a 20 litre/ 5 gallon tank that is usually half the water once a week.
Not only do we need a filter for this to be successful but the filter needs to be old and dirty. Old enough and dirty enough to have good bacteria ON it . We call a tank with this bacteria a cycled tank .

Without a filter you will have to change some water much more often.
.
Without an established filter you will need to change water often.

Changing half the water and replacing with temperature matched conditioned water will not stress the fish
What size tank .?
How big is the tank?
Do you have a filter?
Do you have something to add to the water to remove chlorine/ a water conditioner?

 

If your aquarium is already cycled, then once per week is a good rule of thumb to follow.

If your aquarium is not cycled yet, then you probably need to change water more frequently. Perhaps every day or every other day, until the cycle is established. Using a test kit to test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates can be very helpful during this time.

If you don't know what "cycled" means, then you must do some research on the nitrogen cycle immediately. It is fundamental to fishkeeping.

In my opinion, the Indian Almond leaf is not a factor to consider. It will release some tannins. So if your water is getting more tint than you like, a water change will lighten it up.

 

but I put in Indian almond leaves and heard that if you put one you should change it 3–4 days after and do a 20% change every day, but I am worried that it would cause stress to my fish.

In my opinion, the Indian Almond leaf is not a factor to consider. It will release some tannins. So if your water is getting more tint than you like, a water change will lighten it up.

Agree and that's pretty much all. Humic substances are beneficial for the fish, as are the biofilms and bacteria colonies that grow on such a leaf.

 

Hi dreyaajamesss
Welcome to fishlore.

To answer your question
When we have a filter we change water every time the nitrates reach a dangerous level. In a 20 litre/ 5 gallon tank that is usually half the water once a week.
Not only do we need a filter for this to be successful but the filter needs to be old and dirty. Old enough and dirty enough to have good bacteria ON it . We call a tank with this bacteria a cycled tank .

Without a filter you will have to change some water much more often.
.
Without an established filter you will need to change water often.

Change half the water and replacing with temperature matched conditioned water will not stress the fish
What size tank .?
How big is the tank?
Do you have a filter?
Do you have something to add to the water to remove chlorine/ a water conditioner?

I have a 2.5-gallon tank and I currently do not have a filter. The seller said the leaves would be enough for the tank, so I think that is the only water conditioner I have. I am planning to buy a filter, so maybe I should change her water every 3 days. Thank uuuuuu very much

If your aquarium is already cycled, then once per week is a good rule of thumb to follow.

If your aquarium is not cycled yet, then you probably need to change water more frequently. Perhaps every day or every other day, until the cycle is established. Using a test kit to test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates can be very helpful during this time.

If you don't know what "cycled" means, then you must do some research on the nitrogen cycle immediately. It is fundamental to fishkeeping.

In my opinion, the Indian Almond leaf is not a factor to consider. It will release some tannins. So if your water is getting more tint than you like, a water change will lighten it up.

I think my aquarium is not cycled haha. I am planning to save up for a filter and do a water change every three days. Thank u very much for the advice

 

I am very serious.
With a 2.5 gallon you will need to change half the water every two days minimum. It would be better to change some water every day , but never more than half.
If your house gets water from a city water supply you will need a conditioner immediately. Only if your house water comes from a well / underground will you be able to use the water without a conditioner/ de chlorinator.

The leaf is good for fish, But the leaf will do nothing to the chlorine in tap water.

I will say it now.
2-5 gallons is to small for a fish. To small to have a full working nitrogen cycle. To small to have a filter that has bacteria.


I have experience with small tanks.
I had a shrimp tank that was 2-5 gallons .
I have a couple of betta.

The only way to keep the fish alive is to change some water often.

Do you live in a warm climate/ the tropics?

 

Yes you really should have a filter. And unless it is quite warm where you live, you most likely need a heater as well. A betta should be kept roughly between 75-80°F.

In a 2.5 gallon, I'd recommend changing water every day at this stage. Especially if you are not testing for ammonia, nitrites.

If your water has chlorine then you need to use a water conditioner. The almond leaf will not help with that.

If its an option, then upgrading to a 5 gallon tank would be a good idea. 2.5 gallons is a bit small for just about any type of fish over the long term.

 

This will explain what the seller is trying to do with the leaves. The thinking is the Indian almond leaf will lower the PH making the ammonia into harmless ammonium. That may work depending on your water parameters. /Depending on how hard your water is./ Depending on the KH of your water.

Yes you can keep betta alive for a few months in these small containers. It is ok temporarily.
You can not go on holiday.

Another video on keeping betta alive in small containers by changing water everyday.

 

5 gallon would be better a 2.5 can work you either need to get a filter or live plants to help with water quality also will be doing alot of water changes 2.5 take awhile to fully cycle

 

Welcome to fishlore! Lots of betta lovers and knowledgable people here!

 

I am very serious.
With a 2.5 gallon you will need to change half the water every two days minimum. It would be better to change some water every day , but never more than half.
If your house gets water from a city water supply you will need a conditioner immediately. Only if your house water comes from a well / underground will you be able to use the water without a conditioner/ de chlorinator.

The leaf is good for fish, But the leaf will do nothing to the chlorine in tap water.

I will say it now.
2-5 gallons is to small for a fish. To small to have a full working nitrogen cycle. To small to have a filter that has bacteria.


I have experience with small tanks.
I had a shrimp tank that was 2-5 gallons .
I have a couple of betta.

The only way to keep the fish alive is to change some water often.

Do you live in a warm climate/ the tropics?

I live in Southeast Asia. I placed her in a location where she could get some sunlight (but not direct sunlight) for a short period of time and used stock water for her. Here in my province, they don't have a 5 gl tank available, so I settled for a 2.5. My parents wouldn't allow me to spend more money on her. So I think, for the meantime, she will stay in this 2.5 gallon tank until I convince my parents and do water changes very often.

 

The local people in your area know what needs to be done to your water.
The seller you got the fish from knows you’re local water and what works in your climate. Listen to the seller.

 

As long as the pH is down 6.2 or below you don't have to worry about ammonia or Nitrites it's non-toxic at a lower pH.

Also technically no, a filter isn't necessary either, a tank without a filter will cycle off the substrate and hard surfaces and hold the beneficial bacteria in the tank.

I would do 10% water change though every day to add new water and take out some old water. I would use a substrate that keeps waste on the top so you don't have to deep clean often and can use some airline tubing to siphon out the waste regularly in those small 1/4 gallon water changes.

It's a single fish. 2.5 gallons is small and I'm sure bigger is always better. But done is done for now and it can and does work. Of course a filter, bigger tank, in energy will be better for the fish, and for you. But you can cycle a tank without a filter and have it stay cycled and you can keep a small tank and small bioload stable by doing frequent small water changes and enough surfaces to hold beneficial bacteria to handle the load of the fish. Even a bare bowl can and will cycle.

And if you are lucky with a low pH, its even safer.

 

Nitrites it's non-toxic at a lower pH.

Erm... Ammonia is present as non-toxic Ammonium, correct, but low pH has no influence on the toxicity of Nitrite.

 

Also technically no, a filter isn't necessary either, a tank without a filter will cycle off the substrate and hard surfaces and hold the beneficial bacteria in the tank.

Of course a filter, bigger tank, in energy will be better for the fish, and for you. But you can cycle a tank without a filter and have it stay cycled and you can keep a small tank and small bioload stable by doing frequent small water changes and enough surfaces to hold beneficial bacteria to handle the load of the fish. Even a bare bowl can and will cycle.

In my opinion, a filterless setup is something that takes a bit of planning, preparation, and some knowledge and experience. I don't think its terribly difficult. But its not a beginner-friendly method either.

Yes it can be done, and it can be done very well. But should we be encouraging a new fishkeeper to attempt it for their first time? I don't think so.

To the OP. I recommend a filter. It will greatly increase your odds of success. If your parents won't allow it, then you will need to work with what you have. That's life, sometimes things are out of your control. But if you can manage to get a filter, it would be money well-spent for you and your fish.

 

In my opinion, a filterless setup is something that takes a bit of planning, preparation, and some knowledge and experience. I don't think its terribly difficult. But its not a beginner-friendly method either.

Yes it can be done, and it can be done very well. But should we be encouraging a new fishkeeper to attempt it for their first time? I don't think so.

To the OP. I recommend a filter. It will greatly increase your odds of success. If your parents won't allow it, then you will need to work with what you have. That's life, sometimes things are out of your control. But if you can manage to get a filter, it would be money well-spent for you and your fish.

Considering the new fish keeper is limited by the parent for a filter or a bigger tank, and heck, probably anything besides the 2.5g container, probably even an air pump is out of the question, yeah, I'm gonna encourage that they learn to do it because that's all that that fishkeeper can really do.

Parents have a way of saying yes, then allowing for the bare minimum expecting failure and discouragement of the distraction that the child wanted. I don't know the situation for this person or the family, but I'd like the fishkeeper to succeed for themselves, and for the Betta fish also.

I don't want to simply say, "buy a filter, you need a bigger tank, buy that also". and it's unfortunate for the fish if that's all we could advise this person to do.
Not everyone has that kind of money depending on where they are from, or their age, but everyone can learn, I just think this persons best option is watching some filter less videos for ideas, a relatively thick substrate, and any aquatic plants they can get. that, plus water changes can be a filter, especially for a single fish.

Erm... Ammonia is present as non-toxic Ammonium, correct, but low pH has no influence on the toxicity of Nitrite.

Yes.. it's something like that with nitrites, the toxicity doesn't change correct, but I mean, at lower pH there is Nitrites decomposing to nitric oxide, which it can escape the water as a gas and the formation of nitric and nitrous acids that lower pH further, while some nitrites continue onward to nitrates, which water changes correct for both acids and nitrates build ups. the function changes, nitrifying bacteria doesn't function as well at lower pH, other systems to degrade take over as it sits and the nitrifying bacteria slows to a crawl.

it's said that nitrite levels above 0.75 ppm in water can cause stress in fish and greater than 5 ppm can be toxic to fish. I think most folks can keep them down below 5ppm to cycle by quite a bit, may up in the 1 or 2ppm, but 5 ppm nitrites seems kind of huge to me.

"can be", they word things with nitrites a lot like they do with nitrates, nobody knows exactly when it's too much and toxic, but it must be because when it's clearly too much the fish die.
We have strong line drawn for ammonia. after that it's "might bes" and may bes".

I said "As long as the pH is down 6.2 or below you don't have to worry about ammonia or Nitrites it's non-toxic at a lower pH."

I still stand by that, but i could have explained and worded it differently. if he's taking care of the fish, and doing water changes, he's not getting anywhere near 5ppm nitrites,,,, if he can even get there at all through nitrite build up with a low side pH and it doesn't decompose to acids and nitric oxide first and maintain it somewhere around 1-2ppm with the excesses decomposing that can't be converted to nitrates then water changes making it inconsequential.

 

listen to the seller ( post #5 ) He knows how to keep fish in your water, climate and economy.

 

Yes.. it's something like that with nitrites, the toxicity doesn't change correct,

I still stand by that, but i could have explained and worded it differently.

That's important to distinguish! People could take that as "it's still there but harmless", which is just not the case.

at lower pH there is Nitrites decomposing to nitric oxide, which it can escape the water as a gas and the formation of nitric and nitrous acids that lower pH further, while some nitrites continue onward to nitrates, which water changes correct for both acids and nitrates build ups.

This is how pH-crashes come to be.

nitrifying bacteria doesn't function as well at lower pH, other systems to degrade take over as it sits and the nitrifying bacteria slows to a crawl.

If the tank was cycled in higher pH - yes. If it was cycled in low pH that's incorrect. The composition of species of nitrifying bacteria, archaeans and fungi is very individual to the pH range in which cycling took place. My tank's at about a pH of 5 and does have very well working nitrification, because I cycled the filter in these conditions. Or are you strictly talking Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas?

 

Considering the new fish keeper is limited by the parent for a filter or a bigger tank, and heck, probably anything besides the 2.5g container, probably even an air pump is out of the question, yeah, I'm gonna encourage that they learn to do it because that's all that that fishkeeper can really do.

Parents have a way of saying yes, then allowing for the bare minimum expecting failure and discouragement of the distraction that the child wanted. I don't know the situation for this person or the family, but I'd like the fishkeeper to succeed for themselves, and for the Betta fish also.

I don't want to simply say, "buy a filter, you need a bigger tank, buy that also". and it's unfortunate for the fish if that's all we could advise this person to do.
Not everyone has that kind of money depending on where they are from, or their age, but everyone can learn, I just think this persons best option is watching some filter less videos for ideas, a relatively thick substrate, and any aquatic plants they can get. that, plus water changes can be a filter, especially for a single fish.

Parents also have a way of saying no, followed by saying yes shortly afterwards.

I agree that if there is no other option, then they'll just have to make due, and we should point them in the right direction according to their needs.

But the kid should make sure that a filter really isn't on the table before they decide to try a more difficult option.

 

That's important to distinguish! People could take that as "it's still there but harmless", which is just not the case.

This is how pH-crashes come to be.

If the tank was cycled in higher pH - yes. If it was cycled in low pH that's incorrect. The composition of species of nitrifying bacteria, archaeans and fungi is very individual to the pH range in which cycling took place. My tank's at about a pH of 5 and does have very well working nitrification, because I cycled the filter in these conditions. Or are you strictly talking Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas?

I was referring to nitrosomas and nitrobacter, what most folks will cycle at and for as they are quickest path to a cycle, and then eventually wind up with archean Nitrososphaera and Thaumarchaeota ect. microorganisms, acidophiles and natural decomposition processes taking over the cycle as the pH drops.
I agree you can cycle for that pH and archean nitrification but most folks happen upon it by accident through neglect and it just kind of slowly transitions over. The archeans are there at a higher pH though in a well established cycled tank as are the normal nitrifiers most build up during their initial cycle are also present to a minor extent at low pH cycled tanks, one kind of just does the heavy lifting for the other as it transitions and a cycle doesn't necessarily crash on the way down or up, as long as the shifts of pH aren't drastic,
Still it's not the cycle that crashes and kills fish with the pH shift and one taking over for the other, it's the rapid change and osmotic shock that causes the fish kills. there are areas of overlap where one declines and the other takes over doing the hard work, depending on conditions and length of time.

You got some patience though, most folks can't wait 4 weeks for nitrobacter and get ansy after nitrosomas start making nitrites. LOL the nitrosomas and nitrobacter might double every 24 hours or so, the Archean microraganisms might double every 10 days, it's why I just normal cycle.
How long did it take you to cycle at low pH if you don't mind me asking? did you have a shortcut to it?

 

How long did it take you to cycle at low pH if you don't mind me asking?

The current tank: Instant, because I just switched the glass box and used the canister filter and most of the botanicals and leaf litter from the old tank. That old tank though... I can't really tell. Started out with an internal filter and stuffed all the media from it into the canister three months prior to the tank exchange.

did you have a shortcut to it?

I used leaf litter and botanicals as an ammonia source when I started the old tank. The biofilms help a lot.

Botanical method tanks are just set and forget in that regard.