Changing Betta's Water

[danielwow12]

ok, another quick question (i hope! lol) i'm considering altering the way i change my betta's bowl for clean/efficient reasons. Right now, i'm currently cleaning out the 1 gallon bowl by removing the betta (via net) into the cup he came in (with the current bowl water). Then i pour out all the contents in the bowl and clean the gravel/bowl/plants etc. Then i make sure to repour the dechlorinized, room temp water into the bowl, and slowly accomodate my betta into the new environment.

I have heard that pouring out 20% and replacing 20% once a week is sufficient, but do they pour it out with the betta in it? seems kind of dangerous for the fish imo. I have cleaned previous bowl's like my current method, but i am curious to fully understand how these new ways work.

Thanks!

 

[Styx]

You could pull the water out with a cup or siphon it with a tube.

 

[OhMyDog]

I put the betta in a cup, pour out the old water, fill up the tank with new water at the same temp, add dechlorinator, add a drop of aquarisol and some salt, and plop the betta back in. I've never acclimated for water changes.. haven't lost a betta yet.

 

[Joby]

The way you are doing it already sounds good to me. I only ever had bettas with no filters for a short time when I had juvies jarred and changed 100% of their water every other day. As long as the water is the same temp and source from the original then I can't see a problem with 100%

 

[RANDYS]

I do the same as you do, 100% cleaning of tank. I've heard that unless the tank is cycled ammonia and other harmful chemicals can accumilate over time unless you do a 100% change at least a few times each week, so personally I'd keep doing what your doing unless you want to get a larger tank and then cycle it---then you'd only have to syphon out 1/3 each week.

 

[liz2]

i get my boys out of their dirty water using a glass jam jar, they swim straight in they havent realised yet thats its a dead end. I dont like nets they flop about too much and I am scared they will hurt their scales.

 

[Loko17]

Yea what i do is get a small plastic tub and stick it in the water enough for the betta to swim in then I take him out and put him up and get out all the water and wipe off the inside of the tank and get water of the same temp as before and make sure its dechlorinated and everything and then I put the betta back in. I think I read somewhere that netting bettas is a bad idea because it could hurt their fins and whatnot so maybe try scooping him out with a jar or something so he never has to come out of water.

 

[furryrabbit]

how often do you guys do 100% water changes then? is this method of doing 100% water changes plausible for a 5(us i think ) gal?

 

[Taridan]

I use a Syphon / Gravity Gavel Vac on anything of mine 5 gallons and up, anything smaller and I just carry the tank to the bathroom, use the old betta cup to lift the betta out in, pour the old water out into the toilet then fill back up with same temp de-clored water. Anything bigger than 5 I have to carry buckets of water from bathroom to bedroom.

 

[RANDYS]

how often do you guys do 100% water changes then? is this method of doing 100% water changes plausible for a 5(us i think ) gal?

I have a 5 gallon and a 3-4 gallon critter keeper and I do 100% changes on each. First I take out my female out of the tank and put her in a small cup then I take a cup and scoop out the water into bucket until the tank has a few inches of water in it. Then I take out the artifical ornaments and plants and rinse them off real good, I then take my tanks over to the sink and use the sprayer from the sink and rinse out the tank and rock real good about 5-6 times trying to get all the fecal material out---then I put about 5" of water in the tank with declorizer add ornaments and fill tanks to about 1 1/2" from top, I let set for around an hour or so then add fish, I do this about every 3-4 days/the water stays real clear and the females are doing great///takes me about 30 minutes to clean both tanks but to me it's relaxing so I take my time.

 

[Synirr]

Net betta into cup of tank water. Empty, rinse, add dechlor, refill. Add betta. Move to next tank and repeat
I just did this for all 21 of my 1 gallons today, lol!

 

[RANDYS]

Net betta into cup of tank water. Empty, rinse, add dechlor, refill. Add betta. Move to next tank and repeat
I just did this for all 21 of my 1 gallons today, lol!

WOW! Thats alot of tanks to clean at one time--I thought having to clean 6 last year was alot. What are your one gallons like and how long does it take to clean them. Being myself I don't think I would have the patience plus you know us guys we are not normally much into cleaning.

 

[Synirr]

Most of my 1 gallons are Aquaview tanks with a thin layer of marbles/gravel and one silk plant, like-a dis:

I also have some 1-ish gallon tupperware juvie jars to do. They look like this, but this is not my picture:

 

[BWBettas]

i recognise that pic lol! is it yeevias? or someone like that lol, i can remember reading it on UB before

Bret

 

[kali426]

i do 1 water change a week on all my tanks.i take atleast 25% of the water out with a syphon getting as much mess as possible in the process.the fish stays put,no point stressing them for nothing.bettas in the wild are used to having their water constantly refreshed by rain which causes their little territory to overflow.
their territory being rice paddies etc..try to simulate their natural habitat as close as possible and they will live happily for a long time.
i also like to buy 15 litre bottles of natural spring water.ive had great results with zero fish loss and zero fish sickness since ive been using it.you still use all your water conditioners and you still age it.it cost me $7.00 a bottle but its worth it to me.