“We can kill fish with well water that’s perfectly good to drink,” said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist. Even during a normal summer, the most likely cause of fish death is oxygen depletion, Higginbotham said.

Many aquarium hobbyists keep fish in untreated well water for many years without issue. All I can tell you is that heavy metal poisoning is a possibility. If your betta has been ok so far he may continue to be fine.

If your home has well water, the water will not contain chlorine. But using well water for a fish tank can present several other issues. Well water can also vary in its pH and hardness, and it usually contains little oxygen, so it will require aeration before fish can safely live in it.

Betta fish will thrive in a water with a “neutral” pH of around 7.0. Most tap water pH will fall within a range of 6.5 to 7.5. It’s easy to adjust the temperature directly out of the faucet to the best range for your fish.

It is recommended that purified mineral water be used instead of distilled water. Alternatively, tap water can be used, but it must be treated to remove chemicals that are potentially toxic to fish. Chlorine or chloramine is often added to tap water as a purifier, but such chemicals can damage the gills of fish.

Let the water sit for 15 minutes. Your betta needs this time to slowly adjust to the temperature, pH level, and mineral hardness of the water in the tank. If you rush these steps and do not give your betta time to acclimate to the water, it will be harmful to the fish’s health.

If your fish is swimming frantically without going anywhere, crashing at the bottom of his tank, rubbing himself on gravel or rocks, or locking his fins at his side, he may be experiencing significant stress.

There are a few factors that influence how often you should change your betta’s water. But the short version is that small water changes of 10-20% once every 7-10 days are best for your betta’s health.

every 4 to 5 weeks

Did the water change kill the fish? Because the fish live in the water, and the changes happen slowly, they adjust to it. When a sudden, large water change occurs, it causes such a drastic shift in the makeup of the water that the fish often cannot tolerate it and they die.

To treat cloudy water in a betta tank, normally it’s best just to leave it to clear up on it’s own. However, you can also add more beneficial bacteria to stabilize the tank, make sure you’re not overstocking, perform regular water changes, maintain your filter, vacuum the gravel and reduce the amount of light.

Betta fish are often sold without an aquarium filter because they are able to live in smaller tanks or bowls. So, betta fish can live without a filter, but having using a filter for your betta, like a sponge filter, will help maintain healthier water conditions and disaster. …

“They should not live in bowls. Instead, they should ideally be in a 5-gallon glass or plastic tank or larger.” Having an environment of this size allows the betta fish to exhibit normal activity and have less buildup of toxins in their environment.

Using a filter is much better for your Betta. When using a filter in a Betta tank, the biggest issue is monitoring the water flow. Bettas don’t like fast flowing water and will have trouble swimming. If the filter is too strong it can even pull the Betta onto the intake tube and the fish may drown.

Betta Fish Requirements Betta fish are often housed in bowls. That means no filter and no heater. Even people who keep betta fish in small tanks rarely provide filtration or heated water, and they survive for the most part. Betta may survive in bowls of stagnant water, but that doesn’t mean they are thriving.

Bettas are tropical fish and need to swim in warm water between 74 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Choose an aquarium heater with 5 watts of power for each gallon of water in the aquarium. A large aquarium may need a heater at either end. Wait 15 minutes after filling the tank before turning on the heater.

The most common sign of temperature shock is lethargy. Fish are cold-blooded, so unlike mammals who generate their own heat, they can only absorb warmth from the water. When the water is too cold to do this, they’ll often stop moving.

In order to warm a betta fish tank without a heater, you can try a few things. Place a thick blanket or towel around the tank to create insulation. Also, move the tank to a warmer place at your house to raise the temperature up. Fill a plastic bottle with boiling water for a few mins and take the water out.