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good. Now that the little battle has been resolved, lets get back to the original topic.

Actually I would probably do about 10-20% or so in an established (cycled) 5 gallon tank with just a betta in it. You'll want to keep nitrate below 30 ppm or so, I like to keep it below 15-20 ppm in my tanks. If you're not doing enough water changes you will notice a few things:

The tank will look dirty generally
High nitrate
Algae growth
"Sulky" or sickly inhabitants
Sometimes odour

A single betta in a 5 gallon tank will be very easy to maintain as far as bioload goes.

I have an almost-the-same question.

1 male betta in a 5 gallon eclipse hex tank with a biowheel filter (35gph). The tank is well established (the current inhabitants will be moving to a bigger tank when I get the betta).

I may or may not keep the filter running - I'm going to try both ways and see how the fish feels about it.

I'll be doing a weekly water change, but how much to change? I know probably there is a wide range that would be ok, I guess my question is more "how do I know if I need more?"

I think the answers are:
1) the tank looks messy
2) too many nitrates (how many is too many?)
3) any real sign of ammonia or nitrite

Am I on the right track? I was thinking of starting with 30% changes.

Thanks!

Melissa

After it's cycled, I'll definitly be testing the Nitrates fairly often. So, as long as I keep them low I should be fine, correct?
And since I do weekly water changes in all of my tanks, this tank will get the same. I guess I just wanted an estimate of how much would be needed to change.

Thanks for comments, everyone!

If it was cycled, you could do 10% a week, or 20% a fortnight if you wanted. You will be able to tell how stable your tank is, and how good the WQ is.

If you choose a high level fancy, like a halfmoon or a doubletail, you really should go weekly changes because the webbing and rays ate often so very fine that the slightest water problem causes the tail to rot off!

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

Bettas are generally delicate fish. They easily get fin rot due to their great flowing fins.

All of my other tanks are cycled and are much more heavily stocked then what the Betta tank would be. And my other tanks only needs around 20% weekly changes to keep the Nitrates low.
So, if the Betta tank will be cycled, why would 50% of the water need to be changed each week?

Yes the tank will cycle with a filter, but it would cycle without one as well. Spong filters offer good biological filtration, much better than is present in the tank without it, but it is not a mechanical filter that actually removes the waste from the water. On the down side, most sponge filters create a lot of water movement, which is why many people suggest that u clamp or in some way slow the air current.

I don't have the Bettas yet, but the will definitly be a long fin variaty. If I wanted a short fin I'd just go with females.


I keep thinking about this, so I have to ask. I still don't understand why the filter would be useless. With the filter, the tank should cycle. Correct?

a sponge would be a fine filter, but add a tap or a clamp to it so you can control the flow

I'm a big fan of UGFs for bettas, but thats a me thing they are ideal for more delicate longfins as they spread the suction out over a large area


i'd go with 50% changes too, gravel vac week on, week off

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

I plan on setting up a 10 gallon tank divided in half for 2 male Bettas. I will be using some floating and some planted Hornwort. I originally was planning on using a double sponge filter. But, if I don't use the filter, about how much water should I can each week?

got ya

Exactly...I was simply just wondering why you say to add a filter so naturally, as bettas are one of the few fish known to survive without filters.

And I even have a filtered betta tank. Though it's not a sponge filter...

I just think it's better to start him off w/o one, and add later if needed. But that is MY opinion.

There's nothing wrong with having different views. I was just curios. No harsh feelings please.

-Ferret

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Chris, I don't believe that Liana was trying to disprove anything u had said, nor do I think she was trying to pick a fight on a topic. Please don't over draumatize a situation.

well ferret it depends on the tank size. maybe u posted it but i didn't read it? n.e way they are many factors that go into it. is ur betta a short fin or long fin. short fins do better in flowwing water than long fin. if the tank is large then a filter is good. if it is a bowl then a filter isn't needed. happy ferret?

~Chris~

If I would use the filter, I will be adding a small sponge(or filter floss) to the out-flow. That should reduce the current enough for the Bettas to be happy.
But, if the filter won't help lower the water change amount, then I guess there is no need to use it. Thanks!

Why do you say that Chris?

IMO, all sponge filters do are hold beneficial bacteria...they dont really "filter" anything...and they make a LOT of current, which means the betta prolly wont be happy. But hey, some bettas dont mind current, and continue to build bubblenests. I think it depends on personality more than anything...

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

I'd do a 50% WC too.

Even if you did have the sponge filter, I'd prolly do close to 50% weekly as they don't really do all that much IMO.

It might make too much current...I had to take the sponge filter out of my 5 gallon betta tank. I didn't see a bubble nest until I did...

Bettas just seem to love fresh heated dechlorinated water.

IMO, leave the sponge filters out, do the weekly 50% WC and be prepared to see some bubble nests.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Well they won't be emitting that much waste, and while I do not have that exact same setup, I'd probably do a 50% water change.