Bettas Without Filters

[ncguppy830]

but for how long, a month tell me when they live five years

 

[singlecutguitar]

but for how long, a month tell me when they live five years

 
Yes, they'll live for years, I know that in asia the way of fishkeeping are slightly different. This is how we kept bettas. Myself is amazed at the first time when I join this forum and know about betta keeping outside asia. Here, the betta is not kept in aquarium, they kept in container and put them in dark places for their "meditation" and always feed them with mosquito larvae (in tropical region is very easy to breed mosquito larvae). The water is soaked by cattapa leaves that's why the water is brown. The Cattapa be used as traditional suplemen for the bettas. When they are ready, they will fight for entertaintment. 80% people in my place kept betta for fighting.
 
Bettas live in heavily planted area, the rice field, which has muddy water, even we can't look into the water because is to cloudy with mud. The water in the field itself is very toxic to organism with chemical from pesticide and insectiside, yet that's why betta will live in very bad condition like uncycle tanks, because in the wild, their habitat is more harmful to them.
 
There's some video showing how people here keep betta, maybe it'll be inappropriate for westerner, but I just want to share some info how we keep our fish without filtration http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK8mJjV17bE

 

[Wildbetta]

I do not personally agree with keeping bettas in containers smaller than 2.5 gallons unless it is jarred fry waiting on a home.  There is simply no need to keep them in such small containers in my personal opinion even when keeping breeders on a big scale.  I understand in your country things are different but keeping bettas for fighting is bad and very cruel. 
 
Keeping bettas without filters is not a big issue.  Keeping the water clean and warm is.  If a person can not commit to keeping the water changes up for a tank with no filter then they need to filter it and cycle it to keep from harming the fish.  Bettas have no issue with clean stagnant water and live comfortably for years in tanks like that. (big enough tanks that are clean and heated)  Cattapa leaves, Indian Almond leaves, Banana leaves, and most hardwood leaves (like Oak) stain the water a nice dark color and have great qualities that bettas love so I am a fan of them.

 

[tropicalmumma]

We have a filter, but there are other fish in the tank.  I don't know how many L the tank is, just how long it is, should probably find out I guess but it wasn't stated on there, just like the other tank I now have (not set up until we move) which is 6ft with hood and stand.  No idea how many litres for that either.  We've not kept any Betta in a small tank, they are kept in little plastic cups at the fish shop which I don't like, or small tanks.  I'm about to start a thread on that in fact.  The first tank I had was a hexagonal tank, about 1ft across and 1.5ft high with light and filter, but I wouldn't have put more than one fish in a tank that size.

 

[Maddycat]

 

Bottom line is you can keep him without a filter however if you want him to be healthy and live to his full life expectancy, then he needs a filter.




 
 
 
 
 



 

 



 
 
 
 

 
Bettas don't really need oxygen in the water because they breath mostly from the air, so, in theory, as long as the Betta has access to the surface, they could live without any oxygen in the water. But, I would not personally try this.

Didn't the labyrinth organ evolve for those times in the year when the fish only had pools of stagnate water to survive in till the rains came? If that's true than they wouldn't be able to solely survive without oxygen in the water indefinitely.

Bettas live in rice paddies and slow moving streams in the tropics where the temperatures are really high which depletes the water of O2.  So the high temperature and the slow to stagnant water led to the labyrinth organ not them staying in puddles.
 
 
Bettas are perfectly fine to be kept in tanks with no filter(they are one of the very few fish that can live very comfortably like this).  This is contradictory to what a lot of people think when keeping fish.  It is more practical and better for the fish's health to use a filter to keep a cycle in the tank which cuts down on the frequency and size of water changes.  Like I posted on your other thread, a 15L (3 gallon) tank is perfectly fine to have without a filter.  You will need to do 100% water changes every other day and your betta will be perfectly fine and thrive as long as you have the heater at a correct temperature, feed him a good quality food, and otherwise care for him in a excellent matter. 
 


I moved him this morning after preparing his new 15 litre tank, he seems happy. I warmed up his water first and he seems to be swimming like never before. I will see how the no filter goes. he also has a 2 snails in his tank, one is a baby one. I will see how it all goes without a filter. He really likes to play in the bubbler though.
Thank you for your advice.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

No problems!
I wish you all the best in regards to having no filter.
Do you have any pics we can see?

 

[singlecutguitar]

It's ok without filtration, but water changes must be apply. But with filtration is better. Myself have keep betta since childhood and never do it without filtration, they can live until 4 years