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	pH for Bettas
T/A Mega Fish Posts: 942 Kudos: 1796 Registered: 20-Feb-2004	What pH are Bettas normally best in? My local water is about 8, and I have not had success with Bettas. We have tried buying from different stores, feeding different foods, sand, gravel, bare-bottom, filtered and unfiltered, heated and unheated, and even different maintance routines. All the Bettas died within 7 months. So the only thing I can think of is there is something with the water.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
Daniel Banned Posts: 600 Kudos: 524 Votes: 12 Registered: 25-Jul-2002	bettas like a lower ph around 6.8
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
ontariobetta Enthusiast Posts: 227 Kudos: 243 Votes: 2 Registered: 17-Jul-2004	8 is a bit high, if you could lower it into the 7s that would be better. Bettas are pretty tolerant of wide pH, but i have found they do best in 7.0-7.6 (I havn't been able to get it down past 7.0) ashley
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
T/A Mega Fish Posts: 942 Kudos: 1796 Registered: 20-Feb-2004	Thanks! I figured it had to be the something with the water. For the next Betta, I already planned on using a 5 gallon tank with a double sponge filter. Then I will position a filter bag with some peat in front of the out flow from the filter. That should do the trick, right?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
goldfisher Hobbyist Posts: 96 Votes: 0 Registered: 07-Aug-2004	Yea i think so.When i first tested my water (straight after i brought the kit) it was 7.4 which according to these ppl that have had extreme experiance is good. So i will see if i can keep it there.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
Callatya Moderator The girl's got crabs! Posts: 9662 Kudos: 5261 Registered: 16-Sep-2001	i have kept them at 8, its ok, i think you could give that a shot, but dont rule out another cause. For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
AngelZoo Fish Addict Posts: 771 Kudos: 501 Votes: 1 Registered: 16-Dec-2003	All my bettas are at a pH of about 8.0 I haven't ever really done an exact test in a long time... now I'm curious darn it! I'll be back with my answer shortly =)
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
AngelZoo Fish Addict Posts: 771 Kudos: 501 Votes: 1 Registered: 16-Dec-2003	Ok, it's like about 7.8 or 7.9 pH
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
T/A Mega Fish Posts: 942 Kudos: 1796 Registered: 20-Feb-2004	If it's not the pH, what else could be wrong with the water? I rarely used water conditioner, but I always aged the water for atleast 4 days. Plus, I do this for all my tanks, and never noticed any problems with other fish.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
goldfisher Hobbyist Posts: 96 Votes: 0 Registered: 07-Aug-2004	Its always good to use water conditioner as well as ageing your water which can prevent other things such as higth ammoinia that is untreated can cause illness. Is that right guys ?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17
ontariobetta Enthusiast Posts: 227 Kudos: 243 Votes: 2 Registered: 17-Jul-2004	It may not be the water then, it may be the bettas. Are you getting them from a LFS? Most (and i said 'Most') petstore bettas are already a year or so old and already unheathy from being in cramped dirty water. So if you've had them for 7months then there getting into old age. Course some live way longer, just depends. How are they dieing? Are they just getting weaker and weaker or do they just suddenly die? ashley
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:17


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