Do betta fish need an air pump? This is a question that is usually asked by beginners out of curiosity about betta keepers.
A betta tank needs an air pump to power a nice filtration system.
Nonetheless, bettas were developed to survive in stagnant or even stagnant water, but they often do not appreciate an extreme amount of water movement. For this reason, you do not want to use a bubbler or oxygen pump in your betta tank.
Learn this information to learn more about why an independent air pump is not strictly necessary in a betta tank.
Do Betta Fish Need an Air Pump?
So, do betta fish need an air pump? The answer to this question is mandatory and no!
To avoid confusion, let's first explain the many uses of an air pump in an aquarium.
Air pump
An air pump has two uses in an aquarium.
- Air pumps are used to power a filtration system. An air pump can be integrated into the filtration unit or used individually from it, depending on the filtration system model you choose.
- If you want to add more ground agitation to the water in your tank, you should use an air pump to power a bubbler.
Aquarium filter
An aquarium filter:
- pumps water around your aquarium, stopping lifeless spots,
- removes safe waste particles from water,
- attracts dirty water using the filter media, where beneficial bacteria “clean” it by treating the ammonia and nitrites and return the clear water to your aquarium.
We highly recommend installing an aquarium filter system in your betta's aquarium. Most fish deaths are caused by buildups of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in the water, and a proper filtration system can prevent this.
Air pump vs aquarium filter
Air pumps have two main uses in betta fish aquariums: air pumps and aquarium filters.
Aquarium air pump
An air pump is simply not the equivalent of a filter, although you need an air pump to run one.
An air pump is used to increase the agitation of the water in the betta's tank, thereby improving gas exchange and thereby increasing dissolved oxygen levels in the tank. Most of the air bubbles created by the pump remain intact until they reach the bottom of the water, so as not to actually put additional oxygen into the water.
Usually, an air pump is paired with an air stone or bubbler decor by means of an aquarium air line dimension.
Airstones are artificially created porous stones. When the pump is turned on, it pushes air down the air line and through the air stone, creating bubbles that float to the top, disturbing the bottom of the water.
Generally, a aquarium decorationreminiscent of a seashell or a deep-sea diver, is used in the equivalent method. The airline connects to the decoration, pushing air bubbles into the tank.
Aquarium filter
An aquarium filter uses mechanical, natural and/or chemical filtration to remove safe waste particles and chemical toxins from the water. The natural look of the filter is home to beneficial bacteria that produce poisons, helping to care for your fish's protected environment.
Additionally, the air pump side of the filtration system ensures that your aquarium contains water that is sufficiently oxygenated for your livestock.
Many types of aquarium filters have a built-in air pump that powers the filtration system. However, some filters require a separate air pump, with undergravel and sponge filters being examples of this design.
Additionally, you should purchase battery-powered air pumps which are available as a short-term solution in case your filter pump fails.
Do I need an aquarium bubbler if I have a filter?
Bettas are labyrinth fish or Anabantoidei. Implying that fish have evolved a lung-like labyrinth organ that allows them to breathe atmospheric air. In fact, you will find that your betta makes many trips to the bottom of the water to get gulps of air.
In the wild environment, betta fish live in the slow-moving or stagnant water in our bodies, where dissolved oxygen is often briefly present. The labyrinth organ allows the betta to survive by using air to enrich dissolved oxygen in the water column.
Naturally, bettas should use their labyrinth organ regardless of the amount of oxygen in their tank water. So, provided you have a nice setting filter in your betta's tank, you don't really need an air bubbler either.
What about a Betta fish in a bowl?
Ideally, a betta fish should live in an aquarium that has a filtration system, heating, and plenty of vegetation and decorations. This type of installation guarantees superior water quality for your Siamese stopping fish.
Fortunately, the practice of keeping bettas in tiny vases or bowls and never using a filter is now outdated and considered by many aquaculturists to be cruel to the fish.
Another disadvantage of betta bowls is that they do not provide as much floor space for fuel exchange, which can result in an environment where there is not enough dissolved oxygen to care for the betta .
Unfortunately, using an air pump to try to aerate a bowl will create an extreme amount of water movement on the ground for the comfort of the betta.
Do air pumps stress Betta fish?
As previously mentioned, wild bettas are hardy fish that live in our body water with little to no water disturbance. Ornamental betta fish have been bred with long, flowing tails and forgiving finnage, which looks great but is a handicapping factor in terms of swimming.
If your betta cannot simply swim to the ground to feed or breathe using its labyrinth organ, it will undoubtedly become carefree. Additionally, if your pet is buffeted around his tank by jets of bubbles, his stress level will become sky-high.
So, if you add a bubbler to your betta's tank setup, you will almost certainly stress him out. Stress affects the betta's immune system, leaving it weak against attacks from parasites and diseases.
Bubble nesting
Male betta fish build bubble nests, even when alone in the tank, without female bettas to encourage this behavior.
Unfortunately, a bubbler or air pump can disrupt the nest building process, scattering its carefully constructed bubble nest far and wide and stressing your poor pet!
What are the benefits of using an air pump in a Betta tank?
The truth is that there are some benefits to using an air pump in a betta tank.
High oxygen ranges
If you keep your betta fish in a small nano tank With just a few snails or shrimp as the agent, it's possible that oxygen levels throughout the habitat will be good in your neighborhood, provided you also have a nice filtration system.
However, if you are keeping your betta in a larger tank with several peaceful companions, you will probably want to increase the oxygen levels throughout the tank, and one way to do this is to use a bubbler placed in a single corner of the tank. the aquarium. the aquarium where it will not disturb your good fish friend.
Improved water circulation and movement
In addition to keeping the environment healthy, clear, and protected for your betta fish and their companions, using a filter system powered by an air pump improves water movement and circulation.
In addition to improving dissolved oxygen levels in the tank by agitating the bottom of the water, an air pump moving water in the tank helps prevent dead spots from forming.
Lifeless places in your betta tank can be deadly for your fish. Basically, dead zones are areas of standing water that form because there may be little or no water flow to disturb them. The water becomes laden with harmful chemicals and bacteria that can kill fish.
Additionally, good water flow throughout the aquarium provides oxygen to colonies of beneficial bacteria that live in your filter media, on aquarium surfaces, plant leaves and decorations.
Promotes a healthy environment for Betta fish
Improved circulation and thriving bacteria promote a healthy environment for your betta fish and their tank mates.
Final concepts
I hope you really liked our data on whether bettas need an air pump for their aquarium. In case you probably have, share the article with different betta lovers!
Betta fish have a specific labyrinth organ that evolved to allow the fish to breathe atmospheric air when dissolved oxygen is scarce. Usually, an eco-friendly filtration system powered by an air pump is all you need in a medium-sized betta tank.
The filter pump helps oxygenate the tank by disturbing the bottom of the water so your betta and its fish buddies can breathe.
Bettas do not like an excessive amount of water movement in their environment and can become careless, particularly if the water bottom is too disturbed. For this trigger, you do not need to run an air bubbler in your betta's aquarium.
