Betta And Ammonia Build-up

[ral]

Ammonia is the number killer of tropical fish. In the same way we breath out CO2, fish release ammonia. A person in a small sealed environment will eventually die from the CO2 build-up, It is the same with your fish.

Most fish are kept in filtered aquarium were the filters clean up ammonia from the water. Betta's are often kept in small bowls and tanks without filters. The only way to remove or reduce ammonia levels from this environment is to remove the old water and add new.

I found a Ammonia and Water Color Chart which indicates that as little as an ammonia level of 0.5 parts per million (ppm) is harmful to a fish. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. conducted a study that a betta in a one quart (473 ml) container will produce fed once a day will produce 16 ppm of amonia in five days. That comes to a production level of 3.2 ppm of ammonia per day in 1 quarter.

Basically, in that small a container, the fish is not very active, so its ammonia production is less than it would be in a larger tank. But even with that, a daily change will not keep the ammonia levels below 0.5 ppm.

The typical betta contianer her for the betta hobbyist is a 1.1 gallon or 4163ml (8Lx4Wx8H).
Given the same figures use by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a betta should create 0.36 ppm of ammonia per day.

This would mean that, to keep ammonia levels down below, 0.5 ppm would require at least a 100% water change every other day.

A betta in a 1.1G is also likely to be more active than a betta in a 473ml container so this figures are preety conservative I guess.

 

[thelastbetta]

My betta is in a 1g. He's one of my most active bettas ever and I only change his water every 4 days.

 

[ral]

My own routine for 10 of my betta's in 1.1G tanks is to do 2 100% water changes per week. That is 3-4 days between water changes.

My four primary breeders are in 1.3G tanks and get 2 100% water changes per week with 2 30-40% partial changes in between the full water changes.

They all seem happy, but I am still a bit worried.

Death rates do not start until higher ammonia levels, but am starting to wonder if it might shorten their life.

 

[Silver1]

I don't think I have a betta in anything smaller then a 1.5, and the rest are in 2.5's, I have never had a problem.

 

[Synirr]

The typical betta contianer her for the betta hobbyist is a 1.1 gallon or 4163ml (8Lx4Wx8H).
Given the same figures use by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a betta should create 0.36 ppm of ammonia per day.

Ok, I know Aquarium Pharmaceuticals has fancy testing equipment and such and thus I should believe their figures.... but they are totally and completely wrong, at least in the case of my fish and my care methods.

I have tested my 1 gallon unfiltered bowls on waterchange day before, out of curiosity, and after 7 days without even so much as me suctioning poo out of the bottom the ammonia levels were consistently around the .1 ppm mark for every single tank.
Judging by this comment from the link you posted:

Also, tiny pieces of uneaten food will accumulate in the bowl, decompose, and release additional ammonia into the water.

I'd say that's where their study and my very unscientific testing differ. There is never uneaten food left in my bowls. My fish get 5 Hikari Bio-Gold pellets a day, plus 5-6 frozen bloodworms once or twice a week, and the occasional pea. I make absolutely sure they eat every bite of it

I gotta hand it to them, it's great that they're trying to encourage people to keep bettas in larger containers, but I'd be very interested to know the exact procedures they used in coming up with their figure

I'd say, if you're worried about it, do what I did and test your water for yourself... that'll give you a more accurate idea of how often it needs to be changed

 

[wuvmybetta]

It is true that ammonia has deadly effects on almost all fish, but bettas are a little different. I've wondered about their ability to deal with ammonia on many occasion, since water quality is one of the most important things when it comes to raising bettas. But, ammonia damages the breathing organs of tropical fish, that's where the most damage is done during cycling etc. The betta,on the other hand, doesn't breathe from the water. True they huff their gills....but what is the water doing. Is it just passing in and right back out? I don't think they draw any air from the water whatsoever....
So, overall, it seems that ammonia can't do the same damage as it does to other fish. I am *NOT* saying that it isn't harmful though, good gosh I do enough water changes each week just to battle ammonia



One other thing I've pondered on often....over in asia they have what is called a "honey wagon", they empty out the septic tanks and go dump it off in the rice paddies. This is full of human waste and I can't even imagine the ammonia. I wonder if the ecosystem is balanced enough to handle such a huge bioload OR is the water that they come from actually ammonia ridden almost year round.

 

[ral]

0.1 ppm after a week. Thanks for the info Synirr.

I suction out the pooh on a daily basis. I guess I can stick to my water change every 3-4 days routine on my 1.1-1.3G tanks.

I do it weekly on the 2.5G tanks.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

*bump*

these figure are still a great argument in favor of keeping bettas in no container under a gallon. this thread needs to be pinned.

 

[soritan]

Well, I know I personally have it bookmarked on my computer.