Chlorine Doesn't Kill Bettas?

[ileopard]

My neighbor has had her betta for about 2 years now, and she has been using tap water treated with chlorine. I wonder, can bettas really handle that much chlorine?

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Chlorine!? There must be a mistake! Are you sure she didn't mean Dechlor? Chlorine and heavy metals will prove fatal to most if not all fish! Tell her this right away, and get her to switch to a water conditioner, commonly sold at any LFS.

 

[starrynightxxi]

you will often find that the hardier species may survive the addition of chlorinated water to their tanks but that doesn't mean it is good for them. luckily chlorine evaporates out of water after about 24 hours.


also are you sure the tap has been treated? it could be well water.

 

[tetraman]

I would treat it for the good of the fish, and treating the water has multiple other positive affects as well.

 

[ileopard]

I told her that. I hope she does.

 

[tetraman]

Some big fish aren't harmed by it.

 

[Synirr]

Some water companies use less chlorine than others, and some even filter out most of the harmful stuff before sending the water your way, it just depends on where your water comes from. Back home with my parents I was on well water and never used dechlor without any ill effects. However, after moving I didn't put enough dechlor in my female betta tank when I set it up again for the first time and I lost 2 girls and would have lost the rest if I hadn't noticed, so yes, chlorine definitely kills.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I don't use dechlor on the betta tanks, I've had no ill effects whatsoever. But before any of you say anything, yes, if something bad did happen (and it's pretty easy to tell), there's plenty of dechlor around.

 

[jollysue]

Does she let the water sit for a time before adding it to the tanks?

I keep water under the sink to denature for the betta tanks or any that need some topping off. I just upgraded to a 5 gal bucket-- --but now my cabinet door doesn't close. It won't fit all the way in in my doll house apartment.

 

[PaPeRo]

I don't use dechlor on the betta tanks, I've had no ill effects whatsoever. But before any of you say anything, yes, if something bad did happen (and it's pretty easy to tell), there's plenty of dechlor around.

Well if you know your tap only contains chlorine, letting it sit and evaporate for a few hours usually works too. If your tap contains chloramines then it's a different story. Chlloramines affect fish differently than chlorine. IIRC it's absorbed into their blood stream.

Of course if your tap goes through a RO system then it's detoxified and has already been dechlorinated.

 

[jollysue]

How do you test for chloramines? I guess I'll have to call the water dept. Or get a water report.

I'll just add some conditioner then, until I know.

Thanks.

Oh! I know--I'll check with my lps and lfs.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Well if you know your tap only contains chlorine, letting it sit and evaporate for a few hours usually works too. If your tap contains chloramines then it's a different story. Chlloramines affect fish differently than chlorine. IIRC it's absorbed into their blood stream.

Of course if your tap goes through a RO system then it's detoxified and has already been dechlorinated.

I don't let it sit. Tank emptied, most algae wiped off, refilled to roughly correct temp, betta goes in. Same method I've used for a year and a bit. And no RO either. Just the liquid rock what is called Pompey tap water.

 

[ileopard]

She doesn't let it sit for any time. And by law, aren't they required to treat the water with something? I can't smell anything in the water though. Could it be chloramine?

 

[lisa_perry75]

If you can smell chlorine in your tap water its overdosed

and yes they have to treat it for public health reasons.

Ahhhhh love the liquid rock of pompey! Where do you live ooh feeshy?

 

[jollysue]

Laws are different in different countries and states.

Until more recently (recently is comparative; recently at 65 is waaaaay different than recently at 20), my water was not treated with chlorine as Fresno, CA, USA, uses underground water, that didn't need it. Well water is not always treated, as Synirr mentioned. The well water at my employment is treated. The water is so bad that sometimes you can smell the chlorine and taste it. It is like drinking swimming pool water. Sometimes the water smells like sulfur. Needless to say we are glad, that they supply bottled water to drink.