Bettas and oxygen requirements

[Bobbie]

Hi so this is a bit of an odd question, but I was discussing bettas with some other fish keepers and we couldn’t decide who was right. 
 

Can a betta live a long, healthy life in water with very low oxygen levels so long as they have access to air & an undamaged labyrinth organ?

Or do bettas require high oxygen levels in their water just like any other fish, and would do well with an airstone in their tank? 

I told someone an airstone would be beneficial to their betta, but people with more experience with bettas than me said that fish with labyrinth organs don’t need extra oxygen because they come from areas with low oxygen in the water. 
 

Edit: I should probably add that we had been discussing treatment for a bloated betta that is gasping for air when I suggested an airstone might help. 

Edited July 8, 2021 by Bobbie

[Streetwise]

I moved a Betta to an unheated tank. It seems to be thriving. I am looking forward to the club presentation that covers Bettas.

[Odd Duck]

@Bobbie  It certainly is true that bettas can survive with fairly low oxygen in the water if the water is otherwise clean, they have a healthy labyrinth, and have access to the surface.  It is also true that it’s very easy to get them better dissolved oxygen levels and I would absolutely expect them to be healthier with better oxygenation, so why would we not provide it to help our fish thrive and not just survive?

I have had many bettas over the decades I’ve been keeping fish, even raised a single clutch of bettas way back in the day, and it just makes sense to me to provide some air.  It keeps the water surface cleaner for better gas exchange, it helps turn over the water to bring unoxygenated water to the surface for even more gas exchange, and we can use it to drive a sponge filter for better water quality without too much current for the fish.

It’s also a bit of a myth that they live in stagnant water.  They live in relatively *still* water, but everything I’ve read about their actual habitat from people that have been there, and videos I’ve seen, says the water is slow moving but flowing, not just stagnant puddles.

I hope this helps convince your friend that there is significant benefit to adding air (especially if attached to a sponge filter) and no harm at all, so why not add one?

[Streetwise]

Thanks @Odd Duck! I moved my Betta from a 3.5 to a 16 gallon community tank. She seems happier, and I won’t keep Bettas in tiny tanks again.

[Bobbie]

Thank you @Odd Duck

The person with the betta is just a teenager and was confused by all the different pieces of advice, but he’s willing to listen to an adult with years of experience and will look into buying an airstone for his fish : )

[NanoNano]

Long finned fish so:

Plus:

* Promotes gas exchange of things in addition to oxygen like ammonia (which can contribute to fin rot) and other things than can get smelly or work for evil if they accumulate in quantity.

* Promotes gas exchange and water movement that encourages beneficial waste/uneaten food breakdown and nitrifying bacteria growth.

* Promotes water movement that helps keep water temperature evenly distributed.

Minus:

* Can cause too much water movement which some Bettas find stressful.

* Can cause too much water movement which can make swimming  difficult for some long finned Bettas

* Needs access to a  AC power outlet

* Vibration and noise can be disruptive to fish and people.

I have a bunch of Bettas and my current thinking is that heavy natural plantings with a lot of light seem to give the same benefits as airstones for my Bettas.  I *do* have two small Nano pumps that I move from tank to tank and run for 2-3 hours a day when I get a tank that has a snail/shrimp population explosion,  but I'm not sure that's really necessary.

 

[Phantom240]

Is it necessary? Probably not, however as aquarists, we all generally want to give our fish the best possible conditions to live long and healthy lives, so having oxygen rich water is a plus.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Oxygen is always good. I have a Veiltail that does not do well with bubbles (he chews his tail when stressed), so his 5 gallon tank has a filter outlet aimed at creating surface agitation (as much as he can take) and lots of plants.

The water movement helps to minimize biofilm as well.

Edited July 10, 2021 by eatyourpeas
Added more info.

[NanoNano]

I wasn't explicit in my previous post and feel I probably should be as I read through comments.  The genesis of this thread is a sick Betta.  

Dissolved oxygen is necessary for the natural oxidization processes of waste, byproducts, and other elements produced within the entire biome of a tank- if the biome is out of balance it can lead to illness or poisoning.  Good general conversation,  but with a sick fish, focusing on oxygen from the standpoint of just "the respiration of a Betta" is probably a little too limited in what's needed to help the person/fish in need.

Edited July 10, 2021 by NanoNano

[Phantom240]

Ah, yes that does change things. I know I'm not in any way an authority on how oxygen plays a part in the bigger picture of the biome with a sick fish. 

 

[Chloe and Speckles]

I'd just like to say this, because it surprised me -- the reason airstones help with oxygen exchange isn't because some of the oxygen in the bubbles diffuses into the water, it's because the airstone creates surface agitation. It is not the bubbles but entirely the surface agitation that makes there be more oxygen exchange. So if there is, for example, plants blocking the surroundings of the airstone and it's not actually agitating the surface of the water, maybe move the plants so that there can be more surface agitation.