Is My Tap Water Killing My Bettas?

Raechal · May 31, 2011

Okay so a couple days ago I bought a tank for a betta and I filled it with water from my sink and added dechlor to it. I made sure it was the right temperature (around 78) and acclimated the betta slowly to the tank. I added her and she seemed fine and then later that night I found her dead. Nothing wrong with her eyes or body and the water temp was fine.

So the next day I went out and bought a male betta, the first was a female, and I cleaned out the tank and added new water and did everything all over again. Went out and came back later that night and he was dead too.

Today I bought a beautiful delta male and I added spring water to his tank and a little dechlor. He is swimming around fine, colors are bright, he is eating well and seems to be loving all the room he has.

I have had so many bettas in the past and have never had any die on me like this. I just moved into this new house which is in a different area than where I lived before.

Could my tap water be bad even if I add dechlor to it? I can't think of any other reason why they both died and this one is fine in the spring water?

Any thoughts?

-FighterFishh · May 31, 2011

Have you tested your tap water? It may have ammonia in it before you add the fish in, so that would be bad. Also, what filter do you have? Is it matured or new? If it's new, that could also be a problem.

Raechal · May 31, 2011

I haven't had my tap water tested. Just assumed it was fine. :[ I don't have a filter in the tank since there is just a betta in there I plan on just doing frequent water changes and he has a couple live plants :]

-FighterFishh · May 31, 2011

Raechal said:
I haven't had my tap water tested. Just assumed it was fine. :[ I don't have a filter in the tank since there is just a betta in there I plan on just doing frequent water changes and he has a couple live plants :]

Okay

It might be a good idea for you get an API water testing kits. It's one of those liquid ones, but it's very accurate and worth the money. This should just help you keep on top of the water paras and let you test at home rather than having to take a sample else where :good:

Raechal · May 31, 2011

yeah I plan on getting a large tank again and that is when I will buy the test strips. I hope my tap water isn't bad

-FighterFishh · May 31, 2011

Raechal said:
yeah I plan on getting a large tank again and that is when I will buy the test strips. I hope my tap water isn't bad

Not test strips, liquid test kits, like these:
Test Kit Here!

The sooner you can get hold of them, the better. If you can't get any some time soon, then take some water to your LFS to get tested instead :good:

dayzofspeed · May 31, 2011

Raechal said:
Okay so a couple days ago I bought a tank for a betta and I filled it with water from my sink and added dechlor to it. I made sure it was the right temperature (around 78) and acclimated the betta slowly to the tank. I added her and she seemed fine and then later that night I found her dead. Nothing wrong with her eyes or body and the water temp was fine.

So the next day I went out and bought a male betta, the first was a female, and I cleaned out the tank and added new water and did everything all over again. Went out and came back later that night and he was dead too.

Today I bought a beautiful delta male and I added spring water to his tank and a little dechlor. He is swimming around fine, colors are bright, he is eating well and seems to be loving all the room he has.

I have had so many bettas in the past and have never had any die on me like this. I just moved into this new house which is in a different area than where I lived before.

Could my tap water be bad even if I add dechlor to it? I can't think of any other reason why they both died and this one is fine in the spring water?

Any thoughts?

never kept bettas myself, but you said above that you emptied the tank and then refilled it with tap water, does a betta tank not need to be cycled as other tanks do? pls ignore my ignorance if i am wrong about that

lilfishie · May 31, 2011

they do better in a cycled tank, but with smaller tanks you can get away with it with fequent water changes, i however keep all mine (6 males/12 females + more on the way) in fully cycled/filtered/heated/planted tanks.

Raechal, since you had no problems before you moved, i am thinking its something in the water there, some suppliers now add metals/etc that the dechlorinate doesn't remove :sad:

Raechal · May 31, 2011

I usually do a fishless cycle on all of my tanks, when I had several large tanks, but not in my betta's tanks that don't have filters. :] I keep live plants and a heater and do frequent water changes. he is still alive so it had to have been the water, right?

KittyKat · Jun 1, 2011

He could very easily just be slightly hardier than the other two, while there can still be a problem with the water. Chloramine + dechlorinator will result in ammonia as well (on top of any which is already in the tap water), so it is best to use dechlorinators which will deal with ammonia anyway, especially for small tanks where large water changes are preformed.

Do get liquid ammonia and nitrite tests, as mentioned above.

Better is Betta · Jun 1, 2011

If you can get a 100ml bottle of Prime that will treat your tap water. It rids chlorine, ammonia and nitrates. :good:

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