The best kind of water that you need to choose for your betta fish tank is bottled water, spring water and tap water, although tap water will need to be dechlorinated to be safe for your betta fish to live in.
It is important to have the right temperature and pH so that they can thrive and mate and add the living ambiance to your room that you have been craving.
Betta fish have a very specific habitat, but it is not difficult to replicate. Check your pH levels, get a heater if you think your tank needs one, and then use the water that is most convenient to you.
Betta’s Natural Habitat
Betta fish often live in shallow zones and smaller bodies of water, and can even survive in ditch water. They will come to the surface of the water and breathe through what is called a labyrinth organ. This allows them to live in an aquarium that does not have a lot of circulation.
When you take care of your betta fish well, you can expect them to live up to four years. You won’t have to worry about the water too much. Once you get accustomed to what they need, taking care of their water needs will become second nature.
What are the requirements for water for betta fish?
The most important water requirement for betta fish is a pH of 6.8 to 7.5. The temperature of the water is not as important as the pH. Betta fish can withstand temperatures dropping slightly in their water, but prefer warmer water in the ranges of 76 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the room that your betta fish is in has a temperature below 76 degrees, you will want to include a heater in the tank. There are flat heaters, preset heaters, and submersible heaters that your betta fish will enjoy.
The best way to get the right temperature is to mix both cold and hot water to achieve 76 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
You want to keep chlorine out of your betta fish’s water, and it’s best if they have very little if no ammonia at all. Watch nitrite levels as well, and be sure they don’t go past 1.0, or past 40 for nitrates. All of these levels are very easy to monitor with almost any kind of water.
Can you use tap water in a betta fish tank?
No, you can not use tap water on its own for a betta fish tank. Tap water typically has additives such as chlorine, which is very harmful to betta fish. This could be lethal water for your bettas.
However, you can treat your tap water to make it safer for your bettas. There are conditioners on the market that can help you to clean the chlorine from the water in just a few minutes. These conditioners will not only remove chlorine but will also remove other chemicals that will make tap water safe for bettas.
Once those chemicals are removed, vital nutrients that your bettas will enjoy will remain.
Is bottled water okay for betta fish?
Bottled water is okay for betta fish, and you won’t need to add chemicals to it in order to ensure that it is safe for them. It already contains minerals and nutrients without chlorine so it is safe for the fish.
One thing you want to keep in mind when you are tending to your fish’s water is to check the pH levels before you add the bettas back into the tank. You can get tools that will help you to measure the pH levels of your water.
Can you use distilled water for betta fish?
No, you can not use distilled water in a betta fish tank as is. The process of distilling has removed the chemicals needed to make the water safe for the betta fish.
You can treat distilled water with aditives to make it safe for your fish, but I do not think it is worth the extra trouble.
How to regulate PH
To increase the pH of your water, a substance like baking powder will make it more alkaline. To make the water more acidic or reduce its pH, a few drops of an acid such as lemon juice will be effective.
Is well water okay for betta fish?
The typical answer for well water and betta fish is no. Well water seems fresher than tap water to many, but although it is not treated with the same chemicals, it still is not a pure substance. Well water can frequently include chemicals such as fertilizers, and can also be subject to metals such as iron.
These are not good nutrients or chemicals for your betta fish. Well water is difficult to assess for your betta fish on your own, but many pet stores will test it for you. Conditioners used on tap water might help, but they may not be equipped to remove all of the metals that well water could contain.
Well water also needs to be tested for pH levels. Again, adding baking powder to increase the pH or lemon juice to decrease the pH will help to treat your well water for your betta fish if needed.
Can my betta fish live in springwater?
Springwater is the same thing as bottled water most of the time. It is water that has been extracted from fresh springs. It is considered the healthiest and cleanest water on the planet, for both you and your beta fish.
This water does not have chlorine in it, and it won’t have any additional chemicals. Some mineral content can be found in spring water, so you want to check its pH levels. A conditioner such as a stress coat booster is an excellent addition to any spring water used for your betta fish.
Summary
Tap water and bottled water are very easy sources of water to get and use with your betta fish. You can treat tap water if that is the only kind of water that you want to use with your beta fish. Overall, betta fish are a lot easier to take care of than many people think.
If you want to learn more about Betta’s behavior, advice, and tips, please visit our collection of Betta Tips Articles.
About the author
Hi, I am Alex.
My passion is aquariums. I am especially drawn to betta fish. I love experimenting, learning, researching, and writing about them.
You can find the articles I wrote here