Do Betta Fish Need A Filter?

Just like every other fish betta fish also need a filtration system installed in the fish tank. Filter is needed for all types of fish species for healthy living. The reason behind this is simple. All fish produce waste after eating food that unlike in the wild the waste drops down in the tank itself where these fish are going to live. So just imagine the complexity of the situation here. Just imagine yourself living inside the toilet all day long and not removing the waste. 

In the natural world nature takes care of all the filtration using several factors. But in a fish tank you must engineer the filtration using specially designed equipment like a fish tank filter. Because of the solid waste produced by the fish themselves, the water becomes toxic and makes it poisonous. A filter takes out ammonia and nitrites out of water and the bacteria that are present in the filter convert them into nitrates. 

But the problem is, nitrates in low quantities can be poisonous for the fish and that is why apart from a water filter, partial water changes once a week is a must for healthy living of bettas (and all types of other species as well) 

Simply speaking, water filters break down the bad water into slightly healthy water that you must replace weekly. The filter converts the toxic water into tolerable limits for the fish tank and when you replace it with the new one it becomes healthy for the fish to survive. Most people will tell you that their betta survived without a filter for 2-3 years. It's true that he will survive but with a filter he'll have a great time living a healthy life for more than 3 years and who won't love a healthy living betta. 

Some people complain that the betta fish fish are getting sucked in the filter media. If that is the case you can cover the mouth of the filter with a sponge that you can buy at craft stores. If you don't have a filter right now in your betta fish tank and want to buy one then make sure to buy one where you can control the flow of the water so that it does not harm the fish. Since bettas have large decorative fins sometimes it becomes difficult for them to swim near the filter area as the filter may suck in the fins. 

In lack of the filter the ammonia levels that build upon the fish tank water may damage gills of the betta causing troubles in breathing and damages to internal organs as well. People who do not use a filter but only rely on frequent water changes will tend to disturb the ecosystem drastically. So it's much better to have a filter installed and do partial water changes once a week.

Image Credits - By Pharaoh Hound (Own work) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons