Best Water For Betta Fish [Complete Guide]

Overview

Betta fish is one of the most beautiful species of fish in the world. They are among the best fish species to have as your pet. Because of their beautiful colors and their body structure, many people in the United States love to have them as their sea pets.

Their friendly nature is another reason why people prefer to pet them over other fishes. If you are here, then surely you are among those people. As a betta fish owner, it is your responsibility to take every possible measure regarding the health of your fish.

Providing a suitable environment for them is important for a healthy betta fish. It is important because this is among the basic needs of your betta fish. As you need a clean and proper environment to live, similarly your betta fish also need a suitable environment to thrive properly.

As a betta fish owner, many people get confused about which water is suitable for the betta fish. A lot of people think normal water that looks clean is good for the betta fish but in fact, that can be dangerous to your fish. Anything that looks clean doesn’t mean it is clean or good for your fish.

A question arises here: how can we determine the suitable water for betta fish? “Your Aquarium Guide” is here to answer this question. Let’s discuss each type of water with all specifications and features. So, you can understand each of the following and can choose the best one for your betta fish.

Which is the Best Water for Betta Fish?

When we talk about water most people think that it is just composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Well, this is true in the case of pure water which is just H2O. But the fact is that most of the available water is not just the compound of hydrogen and oxygen.

It also contains many other elements and nutrients. Even normal drinking water is not just pure water. It also contains some nutrients that are beneficial for your health. Similarly, the water that your fish need to survive is not just pure composition of H2O but some other important elements are also needed to be in it.

Therefore, before choosing water for your betta fish you must be sure about the nutrient level and purity of it. Let’s start our discussion with the tap water.

Using Tap Water For Your Betta fish

Tap water is the most common and easiest source of water to be available. This is the water that is available in your kitchen tap or any other tap. This water is delivered to you by pipelines and you used it for different purposes like drinking, washing clothes and dishes, etc.

Tap water can be used for your betta fish but there are some pre-conditions to check. Most of the water is treated with chemicals to remove harmful elements in it and make it ready for human use. It depends on the location where you live because tap water is not treated with chemicals all over the world.

If you live in the United States then there is a strong possibility that your tap water is treated with chlorine to eliminate harmful metals from it. It doesn’t mean you can use this water for your fish as you can use for yourself.

Products That May Help You

• Seachem Fresh and Saltwater ConditionerAPI Pond Stress Coat Water Conditioner
• Tetra AquaSafe Plus Water Conditioner/Dechlorinator

This water is treated with chlorine and chlorine can be harmful to your fish. This chlorine can damage the sensitive gills of your fish and can cause the respiratory problem and your fish would die ultimately. Here is good news for you.

You can use a water conditioner to eliminate harmful elements like chlorine. These water conditioners only remove unwanted elements and the nutrients remain intact. Here is the list of some best water conditioners for your betta fish.

Using Distilled Water For Your Betta fish

Most people think that distilled water is good for betta fish but the fact is different. Distilled water is pure water which is the reason people think it’s good to use for your fish. Distilled water is obtained by boiling the water until the water vapors are formed.

These water vapors are stored separately and again converted into water. This is how the water without any contamination is obtained. This process also removes all the nutrients and minerals which are necessary for the health of your betta fish.

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So, we can conclude that distilled water is not good for your fish. You can make it utilizable by adding the nutrients but it is a bit costly and unnecessary when you have other options to use.

Using Spring Water For Your Betta Fish

Another good option is the spring water. Springwater is the water obtained directly from the underground source. When the underground moving water finds a place to come out to the surface it is collected directly and stored in bottles.

Products That May Help You

• Evian Naturally Filtered Spring Water in Large Bottles
• Poland Spring Natural Spring Water, 320 Fluid Ounce

You can buy bottles or gallons of water from the market. Distilled water is similar to tap water except it does not need any treatment before using it. You can directly use spring water for your fish tank without any worry.

Using Mineral Water For Your Betta Fish

Mineral water is much similar to the spring water. The main difference between them is that mineral water contains some extra amount of minerals in it.

Mineral water is the spring water with more added nutrients in it. Mineral water is considered to be spring water with extra minerals that are unnecessary for human beings but for your betta fish, it can be very beneficial.

Using Betta Specific Water For Your Betta fish

Its name says it all. Betta specific water is made especially for the betta fish. As humans need some specific conditions of water to use it. Similarly, betta fish also need some particular water conditions to live happily. So, betta specific water contains everything they need.

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It contains all the minerals and nutrients that are beneficial for the betta fish. The water is getting treated well and all the contaminants get removed from it. The best thing about betta specific water is that it contains a moderate amount of minerals and other nutrients in it.

You can use this water directly without any worry. but to avail of this worry-free experience, you have to spend some money to buy it. You can buy betta specific water from the nearest aquatic store or can order online.

Using Well Water And Other Sources

If you live in the village or have visited a rural area, you surely have an idea about what the well is. You will be surprised to know that more than 15 million houses in the United States have well water.

The well is an underground water reservoir that is built by digging or drilling the ground to access the water under it. Well, water is generally safe to use but it is recommended to test the water in the well before using it for your betta fish.

Some other water resources are also there but they can only be used after testing them. You can test the water by taking the sample to the testing lab to assure its purity before using them for your betta fish.

Tips

• Do not shift water too frequently because betta requires some time to adjust in the changing environment.
• The pH of the water should be near 7. The suitable pH range for betta fish is between 6.8 and 8.
• Maintain the water temperature between 24˚C to 28˚C (76 to 82 ˚F).

Frequently Asked Question [FAQs]

1) What type of water does betta fish need?

You can use any type of water that is free from chemicals and other impurities and have an adequate amount of essential nutrients and minerals. Betta-specific water is the best-bottled water to use because it is made especially for the betta fish.

2) Is purified water good for fish?

Yes, purified water is a good choice. Purified water is free from any contaminants, impurities, and chemicals but the essential nutrients remain intact.\

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3) Can betta fish live/survive in tap water?

Tap water can be good for betta fish if it is not treated with chlorine. You can use a water conditioner to make tap water ready to use for betta fish.

4) Can you use distilled water for betta fish?

Using distilled water for your Betta fish can be dangerous because distilled water is obtained from vapors. As a result, it lacks all the essential elements needed for the health of your fish.

Final Verdict

It is said that “Water is life”. This is true for both humans and aquatic life animals. So be careful while choosing one for your fish. The best water for your betta fish is the one that contains all the necessary nutrients and fulfills the suitable conditions for betta fish to live a healthy life.

“Your Aquarium Guide” has provided you with every possible information about the water that you can use for your betta fish. So, you can choose the best one for your betta fish.