Do Betta Fish Like Water Pumps?

Bettas do not need water pumps. While bettas certainly benefit from filtration, extra sources of water movement like pumps are not good for them. Bettas need more than an unfiltered bowl to thrive and live out their full life span, but a water pump makes it hard for long-finned bettas to swim.

  1. Bettas in Bowls

    • The practice of keeping bettas in bowls has supporters and detractors. Undoubtedly, bettas do live longer when they have more space. At the same time, most pet shop bettas have long, flowing fins. Long-finned bettas have trouble swimming against current, which a bowl will not have. Nevertheless, a betta will do better in an aquarium with some water movement than it would in an unheated, unfiltered bowl.

    Bettas in Aquariums

    • Bettas get along well with most community aquarium fish, despite their pugnacious reputation. Additionally, aquariums typically make it easier to include heaters in their water. As tropical fish, bettas need warmth to survive and thrive. With a few caveats, bettas make great aquarium fish; they adapt well to live in real aquariums -- as long as you don't have water pumps or other sources of excess current.

    Bettas and Other Fish

    • Bettas are known for fighting. They often sell under another common name, Siamese fighting fish. Only male bettas fight, and only then with other male bettas. They do not pick on female bettas or other fish, for the most part. Rarely, male bettas may mistake other fish with long, flowing fins for other male bettas and attack them. This may happen with very long-finned guppy variants. However, bettas are often the victims of the bullying of other fish. Bettas are the classic victims of fin-nipping fish like barbs and certain tetras.

    Filters

    • Bettas do benefit from filtration. They have the ability to breathe air, but poor water quality can dramatically shorten their life spans. The downside of filters is that they produce extra current, which cause swimming trouble for bettas. If a filter has an adjustable output, set it to the lowest setting possible, or use a small filter to avoid creating excessive current. Under no circumstances add a supplemental water pump to a betta's tank, since the extra water movement will make it struggle to swim.