Betta fish, high gh

[BeginnerFishKeeper]

I plan on getting a betta fish in a few days but the gh of my water is extremely high. It measures 18 dgh from the tap but in my cycled tank it’s usually 13 dgh. I’ve seen some say 3-4 dgh is needed for bettas and anything higher can harm them. Some say under 20 dgh is fine. Thoughts? What should I do? Thanks 😊 

[Katya]

My water is also extremely hard out of the tap, but it doesn't seem to bother my betta.  I have a couple pieces driftwood; the tannins will soften the water a bit.  Ditto for catappa leaves -- leave them in after they sink and they'll release tannins.  

[Schwack]

Harm them in what way? Bettas are pretty tolerant fish, there's a reason they're a favorite for people just getting started in the hobby. Assuming you keep things warm and the water free of ammonia/nitrite, you're almost certainly going to have a pretty happy betta.

edit to add: I've kept several bettas in very high GH water with no issues or obvious distress. I can't imagine you'll have any trouble.

Edited November 16, 2021 by Schwack

[BeginnerFishKeeper]

Thank you @Katyaand @Schwack . So high gh shouldn’t be a problem? Are there any symptoms to look out for if it is affecting the fish? Also is 8.0 ph too high for a betta? I’m going to set up a quarantine tank for my betta and I’m worried about my tap water that has high gh and 8.0 ph

[Schwack]

On 11/16/2021 at 4:44 PM, BeginnerFishKeeper said:

Thank you @Katyaand @Schwack . So high gh shouldn’t be a problem? Are there any symptoms to look out for if it is affecting the fish? Also is 8.0 ph too high for a betta? I’m going to set up a quarantine tank for my betta and I’m worried about my tap water that has high gh and 8.0 ph

Your water sounds pretty close to mine, and my Bettas have been rock solid.

I've never actually seen pH shock in person, and I suspect it's hard to be sure when you do see it. Generally, I'd look for erratic behavior or lethargy. Either of those would indicate a problem to me.

That said, some bettas are more energetic than others and some are lazy. I have one that spends significant amounts of time just lying on the substrate. Once you have the fish and get to know its usual behavior it's easier to diagnose a problem. Just control the parameters you can and try to source your fish from water similar to your tap if you're extra paranoid.

[KaitieG]

I have very hard water--about 18 dgh and a Ph of 8 to 8.2, and I've had a happy healthy betta for going on 2 years with no issues.  If you love bettas, I'd say go ahead and give it a try.

[Gator]

@BeginnerFishKeeper; Bettas' originally came from SE Asia where the water is blackwater, it's very acidic, very soft, and very warm. Betta breeders, myself included when I bred them, try to duplicate those conditions as much as possible. Even if I were to buy one today, I'd still want to place it in one of my blackwater tanks where the Betta would be happiest. 

[BeginnerFishKeeper]

On 11/17/2021 at 6:54 AM, Gator said:

@BeginnerFishKeeper; Bettas' originally came from SE Asia where the water is blackwater, it's very acidic, very soft, and very warm. Betta breeders, myself included when I bred them, try to duplicate those conditions as much as possible. Even if I were to buy one today, I'd still want to place it in one of my blackwater tanks where the Betta would be happiest. 

So you think my waters high gh will be a problem?