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Bettas and Filtration: What You Should Know
© RandomWiktor
© RandomWiktor
Introduction
____ With perhaps the exception of minimum gallonage, few topics are so heatedly debated in the realm of betta husbandry is the requirement or lack thereof for filtration in a betta tank. While no responsible aquarist would argue against the benefits of keeping fish in cycled tanks, bettas survive and thrive with partial or even full water changes in uncycled and unfiltered tanks. Indeed, traditional keeping in Thailand involves little more than a glass box and a dried almond leaf, and is home some of the world’s healthiest and most beautiful stock. Still, the ethical issue of denying bettas the same level of care we would other tropical fish is reason enough to re-consider traditional husbandry practices.
____ Three basic schools of thought have evolved with increasing concern for the appropriate husbandry of bettas in regards to filtration. Some betta keepers are staunchly opposed to filtration, citing the stagnant natural environment of wild Betta splendens. On the opposite end of the spectrum, many betta keepers insist that like all tropical fish, bettas demand cycled, filtered aquariums and are subjected to undue stress under any other conditions. Finally, many aquarists concede that both methods of keeping are acceptable, as are lesser degrees of both in-between. This article serves to investigate the positives and negatives of each philosophy, allowing you to decide where you stand.
View One: Bettas Should Not Have Filtration
____ Some betta keepers argue that it is un-natural, stressful, and even dangerous to keep bettas in water with any current. Because the environment of wild bettas is stagnant, they argue, it is unnecessary to have any current in captivity. The presence of a current in a betta’s aquarium, they argue, stresses the betta physically and psychologically by forcing them to swim in conditions they would never encounter in the wild. What’s more, the domesticated betta often has large, cumbersome finnage that catches current like a sail catches wind, making swimming in a current difficult, stressful, and dangerously exhausting.
____ Indeed, those subscribing to the anti-filtration school of thought note that the long term stress from swimming in a current will wear down a betta’s immune system, making it susceptible to disease. Alternately, it may affect the fish immediately and directly through stress potentially severe enough to result in heart failure. There is a great deal of anecdotal evidence supporting this claim from owners whose bettas have literally exhausted themselves to death.
____ It is true that heavily finned tail types such as halfmoons and super deltas can be stressed to the point of harm or even death by a current - sometimes even a mild one. However, many bettas benefit from mild filtration; the reduction of waste in the water, the growth of beneficial bacteria to stabilize water parameters, the decreased frequency and intensity of water changes, and the oxygenation of water to prevent the blooming of gram negative bacteria are just a few of the reasons why filtration may not be so bad after all. Plakats and females especially do not suffer much from the presence of a current, and some owners even report that it provides a valuable source of behavioral enrichment. Thus, in the case of shorter tail types, it may be less stressful to have a filtered, cycled tank than perform full water changes - as is needed in unfiltered tanks.
View Two: Only Cycled, Filtered Tanks are Acceptable
____ On the opposite side of the spectrum, some betta hobbyists insist that the only way to properly keep bettas is in a fully cycled, filtered tank. They argue that a betta’s hardiness is no excuse for keeping them in conditions any different than other tropical fish. If 100% water changes are considered inappropriately stressful and potentially dangerous for other fish, they must have equally negative effects on bettas. This is certainly a valid point. Full water changes risk dangers such as temperature fluctuations, pH changes, and other potentially damaging changes to the fish’s external environment that are known to result in chronic stress and illness in bettas. Cycling is considered the ideal choice for other fish, so one must question if
the exception of bettas to this rule is rooted in valid theory, or simply in owner convenience.
____ That said, it would seem that if cycling and filtration were essential to betta health, we would not observe the large number of bettas who survive and thrive in unfiltered aquariums globally. It is more common than not for a betta to live in a tank with no filtration, or with filtration but no cycling. Would we not observe an exponential failure in keeping if 100% water changes were as detrimental as they are made out to be? And what of the traditional Thailand breeders mentioned in the introduction, who were responsible for the species’ domestication, and have raised bettas in unfiltered containers since the species was first brought into captivity? If bettas truly could not survive under such conditions, they would not be in our homes and aquariums today.
View Three: The “Either/Or” Approach
____ In light of these revelations, a moderate “middle of the road” approach may be the most reasonable. The majority of betta keepers support varying degrees of filtration or lack thereof, and the diversity of betta husbandry suggests that the species is indeed capable of surviving in “either/or.” It seems reasonable to concede that bettas are versatile enough to survive with or without filtration, receiving small partial water changes or full cleanings, so long as consistent temperature and water parameters are maintained. Based on the myriad of betta keeping methods, most of which are successful, it seems that maintaining good water quality is, in the end, more important than how exactly you go about doing it. Remember, a filter is not an excuse for lazy cleaning schedules, just as the absence of a filter and performance of full water changes is not an excuse for failing to check water parameters and maintain a consistent temperature following cleanings. Healthy, stable water conditions mean a healthy, stable fish.
Further Information on Filtration: Tank Size and Intensity
____ If after reading this guide you elect to aim for a filtered, cycled tank, there are a few things to remember. Strong currents are, inarguably, stressful to bettas. You should aim to create a mild to moderate current depending on the size of your betta’s finnage. This means that you must be careful in selecting a filter that is sufficiently strong to manage the aquarium’s waste load, but not so powerful that it will stress your betta. There seems to be a direct correlation between the size of a betta’s tank and how stressful filtration is for the fish, so consider the following:
- Tanks that are under 2g tend to lack the space for a betta to escape currents; a “dead zone” is important so that your fish might rest. You may wish to reconsider filtering smaller aquariums.
- In small aquariums, aim for small in-tank filters; most HOBs and in-hood systems are too strong for tanks in the 2.5 gallon range. Whisper sells a new filter designed specifically with small aquariums in mind, and many excellent disposable models are also available. These filters tend to use an aerator to operate, allowing you to adjust the current as you see fit.
- Aquariums in the 5-10g range are generally large enough for the use of in-tank, HOB, or in-hood systems - just make sure that the filter you select does not create an overwhelming amount of current, and be sure to provide a well planted area in a current dead zone for resting.
- Any filter’s intensity can be reduced through the placement of aquarium foam over the output, the placement of pantyhose over the intake, or the use of a plastic bottle baffle. The creative placement of plants by the output can also dither the stream.
- If your fish appears to be stressed, lower the intensity of the filtration or consider removing it all together. While some bettas handle current nicely, others simply do not; assess the situation and do what is best for the health and wellbeing of your fish.
____ Diversity of opinion in fish keeping it what keeps the hobby evolving. When it comes to issues like filtration in betta tanks, there is no definitive “right” or “wrong,” as several methods appear to work. It is up to you individually to decide how you wish to keep your bettas. You may decide to go for the filtered, cycled tanks used for other species of tropical fish. You may seek the more traditional method of keeping bettas in stagnant water. Or you may fall somewhere in-between, perhaps using a filter but not cycling. So long as you maintain stable, appropriate water parameters, you should be gifted with a healthy, long-lived betta.
Suggested Reading:
Aquarium Cycling for Freshwater
The Nitrogen Cycle and Fishless Cycling Methods
Cycling Safety: The Fishless Method
Rules for Distribution:
I welcome you to share this information and any other articles I have written with other forums and websites under the following conditions:
1. Do not claim this work as your own.
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MultiQuote
I am often guilty of looking at filtered, high current betta tanks and frowning about it all, but you're right when you say it's up to the individual owner, and if betta health is maintained, we can't claim one is wrong or another is right.
Posted 12 April 2008 - 08:41 AM
) One side of this tank has a very mild, quiet filter that makes little to no current, and the other side is stagnant, though it is still cleaned by the same filter.