Betta care is a continuous challenge for betta owners, and water changes are an essential part of this journey. It is key to maintain a betta fish happy and healthy. A new betta owner might worry about how to change the water for their betta fish. All the questions, such as how to change water, how much to change, and how often to change, are essential considerations.
Why Water Changes are Crucial for Betta Health?
Water is the lifeline for any fish, as it’s their entire world. You simply can’t ignore its importance. Over time, uneaten food, fish waste, and decaying matter build up in the tank. They release harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrites into the water.
If water remains in the tank without any change, it becomes contaminated, degrading the water quality. Bad water quality can harm your fish without you even realizing it. It is one of the biggest threats to fish, causing stress, sickness, and a shorter life. So, water changes are necessary to dilute the toxicity of these contaminants.
How Often and How Much Water Should You Change?
The frequency of water changes and the amount of water to change depend on several factors, including tank size, whether the tank is filtered or unfiltered, the number of fish and plants, and the amount of food being fed to fish. Smaller tanks need frequent water changes, as they have less water to dilute the toxin.
Live plants help absorb some of the waste, keeping the water cleaner. The more plants you have, the less frequent your water changes may need to be.
Similarly, having a filter means you don’t need to change the water as often, but you should still perform regular water changes to maintain balance.
Here’s a simple guide to make it easy for you.
| Tank Size | Filtration | How Often to Change | % of Water to Change |
| 3 Gallons | Unfiltered | 2-3 times per week | 25-50% |
| 3 Gallons | Filtered | 1-2 times per week | 25-30% |
| 5 Gallons | Unfiltered | 1-2 times per week | 25-50% |
| 5 Gallons | Filtered | Once a week | 25-30% |
| 10 Gallons | Filtered | Once a week | 20-25% |
| 20+ Gallons | Filtered | Every 1-2 weeks | 15-25% |
If you have other betta mates in the tank, such as snails, consider performing 40-50% water changes once a week for tanks up to 5 gallons. Snails produce a lot of waste, which can increase the need for frequent changes. A higher number of inhabitants means more food needs to be provided, which could lead to more uneaten food and more fish waste.
Having excessive plants in your tank might allow you for a relaxed water change schedule, but still, changes are beneficial once a week if you want to stay on the safer side.
Essential Tools for a Betta Water Change
When you plan a water change, keep all the necessary items ready. Besides routine tank supplements like heater, filter, and thermometer, arrange the following tools.
Aquarium Gravel Vacuum/Siphon: This tool helps clean debris from the tank bottom while draining some of the water. You can find manual or battery-operated ones, but ensure you get one that suits your tank size.
Fish-Safe Water Conditioner: When adding new water to your tank, always use a water conditioner, such as Seachem Prime or API Stress Coat. Tap water often contains chlorine, chloramines, and other chemicals that can harm your fish. The conditioner neutralizes these, making the water safe for your betta.
Dedicated Bucket: It’s a good idea to have separate buckets for your old tank water and the new water you’re preparing. This keeps things clean and prevents cross-contamination. Don’t use these buckets for anything other than your aquarium!
Betta-Safe Net: You usually don’t need to remove your betta for a partial water change. However, a net can be handy if you ever need to move your fish during a complete water change. Be sure to use a soft, fine-mesh net to minimize stress on your betta and avoid chasing them around the tank.
How to Perform a Water Change (Procedure)
Prepare New Water
Fill a bucket with tap water, add conditioner, and stir gently. Follow the instructions on the conditioner bottle based on your tank size (e.g., 1 drop per gallon).
Make sure the temperature is similar to that of the tank water, around 78-80°F. Use a thermometer to ensure it’s matched.
Also, consider checking water parameters such as ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. They should be in the optimal range. If ammonia or nitrites rise above 0.5 ppm, perform an extra water change to keep your betta safe. Nitrates should remain below 40 ppm. This is especially important if your tank is not fully cycled.
Turn Off Equipment
Turn off the heater and filter while doing the water change. Bettas can tolerate 5-10 minutes without a heater. This will prevent your equipment from any accidental damage during the process. This is also essential for your safety.
The fish will be fine for a few minutes without the filter and heater as long as you are quick.
Remove Old Water
If you are aiming for routine partial water changes, remove the specified amount of water based on the condition of your tank. For example, if you have a 10-gallon betta tank with a filter, you should perform water changes of 20-25% of the tank volume. This would be 2 to 2.5 gallons of total water. While water can be removed using a clean cup or scoop. We generally use a hose or siphon to remove water. It ensures the removal of any debris or waste build-up inside the substrate.
During siphoning, keep the hose within the substrate, especially if it’s gravel. Also, turn the substrate over using a rod to confirm no contaminants remain inside. Avoid accidentally siphoning up your betta by keeping a careful eye on the fish during the process.
Clean the Tank
Cleaning the tank is typically not part of the water change process. However, it would be relatively better if you consider it. If you find algae on the tank walls, decorations or plants, scrub it gently using an algae scraper. Most of the time, particles are stuck in the filter media, so they need to be removed. If needed, rinse it in old tank water.
Refill the tank
Now, it’s time to refill the tank with the new water using the cup you have arranged already. Add the exact amount you have removed. Once again, ensure that the new water is set as per betta’s standards. Pour in the water slowly and carefully to avoid disturbing your betta too much. It will also ensure that the temperature and water parameters don’t shift too quickly.
Once you add new water, plug the heater and filter back in. Check everything is working. After refilling the tank, test all essential parameters, including temperature, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
Whether or Not to Transfer betta
It might be a concern for you whether to transfer the betta during water changes or leave it in the tank. Our point of view on this is that if you plan to do a complete water change, which is usually done during a full tank cleaning, then you’ll need to transfer it. To do it successfully, don’t skip our article on how to clean the betta tank, as it contains essential considerations for this task.
Remember, if you need to remove the betta fish, ensure that you properly acclimate it when reintroducing it to the tank.
However, during partial water change, don’t disturb it. Taking your betta out can cause unnecessary stress, and it’s not recommended unless absolutely necessary. They tend to stay out of the way during the process.
When to Do a Full Water Change
A complete water change is not advisable unless necessary. It can disrupt the beneficial bacteria in your tank, affecting the nitrogen cycle. Changing all the water at once can cause sudden shifts in tank temperature and pH, which can be harmful to your betta.
You might need a full water change if:
- Your betta has a severe disease, and you need to sterilize the tank to kill pathogens.
- Something toxic, like cleaning products, accidentally gets into the tank.
- Your water becomes dangerously toxic, and partial changes aren’t enough to fix it.
