# Do I need a filter?



## stlovefamily (Apr 12, 2009)

I just lost my first betta after having him for 4 years. I never had a filter or light, just a 3 gallon tank. I have read that they should have a filter and light? If so what do you rec. in the 2-3 gallon size? Links would be great


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Tanks under 3 gallons tend to be more unstable, The smaller you go the more unstable they tend to be, 
So you may very well get a cycle, and then it just ups and looses it, Then you gotta think, I put my fish thru all the ammonia , then the nitrites, to get to the good stuff, Great, Then Boom one day down the road you test and see, What happened to my cycle, and your fish gets to go thru it all over again... I think anything under a 3 gaLLON SHOULD NOT HAVE A FILTER IN IT, mORE HARM CAN COME OF IT THEN GOOD, bESIDES TAKING AWAY MUCH NEEDED ROOM FOR YOUR FISH....

oh bummer, hit the caps key and i'm to lazy to re-type that


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Filters are not necessary, although they can help keep the water cleaner. I have plenty of bettas who do just fine without filters. Four years for a betta is quite a long time, so I doubt it was the lack of filter that got him, simply old age. In small tanks, you will need a small filter, because bettas don't like a lot of current, with their long fins it is hard for them to swim against a current. I do/have run filters in several of my tanks, my preferred weapon (er, filter) of choice is the Penn Plax Small World Filter. You will need an air pump and check valve, although you can buy them with or without this addition, so it's easy to fit into or create a system with. I like these because I can easily adjust the flow rate to pretty much nothing so the betta isn't over stressed, and they are small enough to work in something like a 2.5 gallon, all the way up through a 10 gallon (which is what I stick 'em in)

















A light source is more important than a filter, as the fish needs it to keep themselves in a proper day/night cycle. This can sometimes be skipped though if the betta is kept in a room that normally has a bright light on all day anyhow, if the tank is not in a shadowed corner or anything like that.

More important than both the filter and light though, is a heater. Bettas are tropical fish, they thrive in warm water, so keeping the water somewhere above 76 is best (78-82 is the recomended range). I'd be sure you havea heater before worrying about a light or filter.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

I started out using those filters, I quickly grew to hate em 
You have to change the cartridge every month, otherwise it can seep harmful stuff back into your tank.
and I hate throwing money away, unless you rip out the charcoal and replace it with a sponge, (but thats tricky to do)

I found the plain sponge filter was the best and you never had to throw anything away or replace the cartridge.. 
Thats all I use when I do put one in a smaller tank, 5 gallons and under...


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Chicklet - a dremel with a little cutting wheel on it does wonders for making 'lids' on those cartridges so you can open 'em up and do whatever you like with them. The hard plastic is really easy to cut. I like the penn plax ones simply because the shape is really easy for me to work with and the flow is nice to adjust. But then, I really don't use filters much in betta tanks anyhow. I have them.... I don't really see that much of a need for them, as I don't terribly well care to keep my tank cycled. xD;


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

I liked the fact they were so small too, Kinda pissed me off when I realized I couldn't remove the charcoal so easy, :evil:
Then I found the sponge ones, almost the same design as the " Penn Plax Small World Filter" and they open for easy cleaning,
I must admit They are a tad bigger then the "Penn Plax Small World Filter" they fit good in anything down to a 2 gallon tank if needed...


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

you don't NEED a filter, but if you get a filter and cycle the tank it would be healthier than no filter, I wouldn't get a filter if you weren't planning to cycle b4 u get another fish tho cuz having a fish while the tank cycles can harm them. I do reccomend a heater tho, I recently moved my betta's temp in his tank from 77 to 79 and MORE HAPPY BUBBLENESTS!!!


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