Despite what you may have heard, bubbles in a betta fish tank are an optional, rather than mandatory, feature.
While bubbles produced by an air pump can increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, there are other perfectly good ways to oxygenate your fish tank.
But do bettas like bubbles? The answer is that some do and some don’t, and it depends on the type of bubbles.
Curious to learn more? Let’s dive in to learn all about bettas and bubbles!
Key Takeaways
- Bubbles from air pumps can benefit betta fish by increasing the tank’s oxygen levels. Still, their necessity and appeal can vary based on individual fish preferences and the type of bubbles.
- Bettas often prefer gentle bubbles from an airstone over strong currents caused by large, unobstructed bubbles, which can stress the fish.
- Bettas possess a labyrinth organ allowing them to breathe atmospheric air, thus they don’t strictly require bubbles, but an appropriately powered air pump can aid in maintaining adequate dissolved oxygen levels.
Do Betta Fish Like Bubbles?
There is mixed opinion about how much betta fish enjoy bubbles. Ultimately it comes down to the types of bubbles created and the preferences of your particular betta fish.
If your air hose just releases air directly to the aquarium without an air stone, the bubbles will be huge spheres rocketing to the top of the tank. A delicate betta fish won’t enjoy these kinds of bubbles and might even become frightened and stressed by them.
An airstone that releases a fizz of tiny, gentle bubbles will be more pleasant for your betta, and he might even learn to enjoy interacting with them!
Reddit contributor FirstMidnight31363 has some good advice for anyone wondering whether or not to buy a bubbler for their betta fish. He says:
Try anchoring and burying the air stone in a corner using a handful of gravel if you have enough or something to help dampen/divert the amount of current it’s creating (even if it’s just a shotglass or a saucer as a temporary fix).
That can be a great way of introducing a bubbler to your betta tank without stressing him.
Do Bettas Like To Play With Bubbles?
While some bettas will avoid making direct contact with bubbles, others will positively seek them out. This depends a lot on your betta’s temperament. Just like us, every betta fish has a unique character. While some humans enjoy wild adrenaline rushes, others prefer calmer activities for stimulation.
If your betta is daring and playful by nature, he may enjoy frolicking in the stream of bubbles and spend lots of time right above the airstone. If you’ve ever been in a jacuzzi, you’ll know just how pleasant bubbles moving over your skin can feel, and maybe it’s the same for your pet fish!
I’ve owned two betta fish with flowing finnage who loved spending time in the gentle bubble stream created by an airstone. However, other bettas I’ve had were stressed by being buffeted around by the bubbles, so I removed the bubbler completely. It really depends on your fish’s personality.
After all, betta fish are from relatively still or slow-moving waters and are not adapted to cope with fast currents, and a bubbling stream that is too powerful could cause a current in the tank that’s stressful for your fish.
Can Bubbles Hurt My Betta?
If your fish is caught in a fast-flowing stream of bubbles, he might temporarily lose control of his movement and be driven up toward the water’s surface. Once at the surface, the current will disperse and move your betta horizontally away from the bubbler. Therefore, it’s doubtful that the bubbles would cause your betta any lasting damage unless he was pushed hard against a decoration or the viewing panes.
Stress compromises a fish’s immune system. So, a betta that’s constantly harassed by being caught in a fast bubble stream will be more prone to ailments and diseases, so it’s important to find an air pump that’s not too powerful.
How Are Air Bubbles Created in an Aquarium?
Bubbles are delivered to an aquarium by an external air pump via an air hose. The air pump pushes air from outside of the tank into the airline, which runs down to the bottom of the aquarium to release bubbles into the tank water.
The air hose can be simply tucked into the gravel to release large bubbles, or it is more commonly connected to a sponge filter, airstone, or decorative bubbler.
What’s a Sponge Filter?
Sponge filters are some of the simplest and cheapest aquarium filters, and their gentle nature makes them especially good for betta tanks and those containing fry, very small fish, or shrimp.
Typically powered exclusively by an air pump, sponge filters use the current created by the bubbles to push water through a sponge that filters the water. Bubbles are then released through the top of the sponge filter to rise to the water’s surface.
Some sponge filters come with an internal airstone to improve aeration.
What’s an Airstone?
An airstone (also known as a bubble stone) is a device attached to the output of the air hose to diffuse the large bubbles from the air pump into a cloud of tiny, fizzing bubbles.
This improves oxygenation in the water by increasing the surface area of the bubbles and also makes the movement of bubbles slower and gentler.
Other Types of Bubblers
An air pump can also be attached to a bubble wall, bar, or wand. These long tubes are good at releasing bubbles over an extended area but often don’t make bubbles quite as fine as an airstone.
What’s the Best Type of Bubbler for Betta Fish?
Since betta fish prefer a gentle flow of slow-moving water, bubblers that produce very fine bubbles are the best option. Airstones are typically better at this than bubble walls or bars, but there are still many types of air stones to choose from.
Limewood air stones are some of the best for producing a fizz of very fine bubbles that are less likely to cause disturbance to your betta fish.
Do Betta Fish Need Oxygen?
Yes! Betta fish, like every other fish species, need oxygen to survive. Without it, they’ll die in a matter of minutes.
What separates betta fish from most other fish is that they’re equipped with a special physiological adaptation known as a labyrinth organ that enables them to breathe oxygen from the air and extract it from water.
Bettas have evolved this remarkable ability due to living in shallow, stagnant waters like rice paddies that can become very low in oxygen.
However, bettas and other labyrinth fish must also have some oxygen dissolved in the water. They breathe some oxygen in the water via their gills and some through their mouth at the water’s surface, so there must be adequate levels of oxygen dissolved in their water.
Do Betta Fish Need an Air Pump?
Although betta fish need some oxygen dissolved in the water, they don’t necessarily need an air pump to produce bubbles.
A certain amount of oxygen is dissolved at the water’s surface through gaseous exchange, and that process is increased if the water’s surface is agitated by bubbles.
Air pumps increase the gaseous exchange at the water’s surface by agitating the water, but other types of filters can also perform the same job. Internal power filters or hang-on-back (HOB) filters also push water around the tank to create a current. If the filter output is above the water’s surface, the mini waterfall effect will also create bubbles to help oxygenate the water.
The trouble is that betta fish don’t tend to enjoy fast currents or water disturbance, meaning power filters may be inappropriate, especially in smaller tanks. Sponge filters powered by an air pump can be a better choice in many circumstances.
How Powerful Should My Air Pump Be for a Betta Fish?
Your air pump’s electrical charge, or wattage, will largely determine the rate at which bubbles are produced and the strength of current created by them. Being delicate fish, bettas prefer a gentle water current.
A 2-2.5 watt air pump would be appropriate for tanks up to 20 gallons in size. For a 40-gallon aquarium, a 3-watt pump should produce about the right current.
You want to strike the right balance between an air pump or filter that provides the tank with enough oxygen while not causing too much disturbance to your betta.
Final Thoughts
When bubbles are delivered by a gentle air pump and dispersed by a good airstone, many bettas enjoy the presence of bubbles in their aquarium.
Even if some individuals don’t like to play in the stream of bubbles, your pet betta fish may benefit from the additional oxygen an air pump produces.
If you don’t want bubbles in your tank, there are plenty of other ways to oxygenate your water. Along with maintaining good water quality, any filter that agitates the water’s surface should ensure you have enough oxygen in the water to keep your betta healthy and happy.
