# How long can a Betta live in unconditioned water?



## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

Don't freak out, it's just a question. I'm not out of any water conditioner or planning any evil experiments lol.. 

I'm just genuinely curious as to how long a Betta can live in unconditioned straight tap water. I've hear of people not using any water conditioner for like, a month or months at a time just not knowing that the little guy needs a conditioner. Of course the fish is usually seriously ill by then and such, but typically what's the longest anyone has heard of a Betta living like that?


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## umi (Oct 1, 2012)

I suspect that's what killed my first betta (less than 24 hrs). 

I know of an office betta has lived in my office for over three years without any treated water.

I'm sure it varies on the condition and is position of the betta.


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

As far as I know....4 days. My cousins betta, she didn't condition the water and he lived 4 days then died.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

When I was younger, like 10 years old I had a betta fish. This betta was kept in a 1 gallon vase, no heater and certainly no water conditioner. Keep in mind I was 10, and had no idea about bettas. That fish lived for a year or more. How, I don't know. He was a trooper though.


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## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

Interesting. Maybe it just depends on how much chlorine is in your water. I would suspect if you have a high amount it would do much more damage much faster.


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## Fin Fancier (Aug 11, 2012)

I owned bettas when I was younger, and lived in the country. I often would just age the water with no conditioning. My bettas lived for years, with none that I can remember living for less than 6 months. The first time I tried doing this after moving to the city I learned the difference in water chemistry the hard way after my fish didn't survive an untreated water change. Every area is different, but I'd definitely say rather safe than sorry.


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## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

my parents neighbor had a betta that lived in a small vase without conditioner 4-5 years. a fellow customer at an LPS once went to get a replacement betta for her child (typical uncaring "ornamental" fish owner). i asked how long her vase betta lasted, she said 3 yrs and didnt even use conditioner from her curt refusal to purchase conditioner for the replacemnt betta. my nieghbor never heard about conditioner but i cant know how she came to that outcome.


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## jake1515 (Feb 15, 2012)

These are all anecdotal. =(


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## Lisa1010 (Aug 29, 2012)

Conditioner? I have had my betta for about 3 weeks now and she is doing just fine, but I haven't used any conditioner. I use my mom and dad's water and not mine and they have well water. I checked the water and it was fine so I just started using it. Why do you need conditioner??? What I do is when I go to visit, I take water jugs and fill them up then when I do a water change I just use that water and not my nasty tap water. I have about 4 gallons and put them in the basement until I use them. Am I doing something wrong?

Lisa


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

Lisa1010 said:


> Conditioner? I have had my betta for about 3 weeks now and she is doing just fine, but I haven't used any conditioner. I use my mom and dad's water and not mine and they have well water. I checked the water and it was fine so I just started using it. Why do you need conditioner??? What I do is when I go to visit, I take water jugs and fill them up then when I do a water change I just use that water and not my nasty tap water. I have about 4 gallons and put them in the basement until I use them. Am I doing something wrong?
> 
> Lisa


:shock:

Water conditonder/dechlorinator is HIGHLY recommended. It helps remove heavy metals, chemicals and other traces of dangerous materials from your water that could otherwise kill your fish.


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## meiperfectneina19 (Aug 15, 2012)

When I was younger and lived in the tropics I usually used rain water or aged tap water for my water changes. One of my friends once had a fish and didn't know she couldn't use tap water for it... it died in less than 24 hours.


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## Lisa1010 (Aug 29, 2012)

So what is aged tap water? How long does the water need to sit before it is considered aged?

Lisa


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

24-48 hours


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## umi (Oct 1, 2012)

jake1515 said:


> These are all anecdotal. =(


True, but better than experimenting to get a statistically significant consensus.

And actually, the office fish I referred to is still alive. It's current owner (inherited him from his cubicle) doesn't even know how old he is. He's been here for the full 3 years my coworker has been here. 3+ years and still going. (He's a tough hardy little guy!)

It depends on the fish, water quality, and luck.


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## Lisa1010 (Aug 29, 2012)

So after 24-48 hours of aging well water, does it still need to be conditioned?

Lisa


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## laynisample (Sep 10, 2012)

Water conditioner mainly removes chlorine. From what I've heard, well water does not /need/ to be conditioned, but I would just to remove the other chemicals. Water conditioner is pretty cheap and you can pick it up at any pet store. (I've even found it at my local grocery store where they sell fish for like $7.00 for a big bottle.) I generally use API water conditioner and if a fish gets sick or starts biting their tail I'll switch to stress coat. It lasts forever and truly is a good investment. General rule is 1/2ml per gallon.


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## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

I use API Stress Coat+ ... i have never aged my water though i do let the water sit with conditioner for atleast 24 hours in my bigger tanks before adding my fish. I want to make sure it's acclimated before adding one of my guys.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

LizzyP said:


> When I was younger, like 10 years old I had a betta fish. This betta was kept in a 1 gallon vase, no heater and certainly no water conditioner. Keep in mind I was 10, and had no idea about bettas. That fish lived for a year or more. How, I don't know. He was a trooper though.


I'm 11 and I use water conditioner... lol. It doesn't hurt to research when you're young.. I know that you're an adult now so no offense. I have no intention to start an argument and that's just what I thought in mind for first.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I think you guys are missing the point, lol. Bettas can live their lives in unconditioned water. Every city is different, they all add different amounts of chlorine/chloramine to the water, so there is no definite answer to this question.


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## laynisample (Sep 10, 2012)

I've never aged my water. When I do water changes I have two old (thoroughly washed) milk jugs. To do a 10 gallon, 3 gallon and 2.5 gallon tanks. I cannot carry anything heavier due to a bad back, so water comes out and the gallons get filled up until I have the desired amount and keep dumping them, then I fill them up from the bath tub and run back and fourth until they're full, dump conditioner in and put the hoods back on. 

It's simply not possible for me to age the water. What is the purpose of it, just as someone who is curious?


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## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

I'm curious too.. maybe just so they don't have to buy conditioner?

I used to use a big mixing bowl specifically for my fish, fill it up in the bath tub then take it and dump it in my 2.5, 3, 4 and 5 gallon tanks. I've recently bought a bucket that I now use for when i vacuum tanks and to fill them back up. Much easier on my back but it kills my hands (a touch of arthritis at 21, awesome huh? :| ) I'll dump in the water conditioner and wait a few hours (or over night, depending) then readd fish.


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## crowntaillove (Sep 3, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> I'm 11 and I use water conditioner... lol. It doesn't hurt to research when you're young.. I know that you're an adult now so no offense. I have no intention to start an argument and that's just what I thought in mind for first.


I had dial up internet that took ages to research anything when I was 10. xD

(Not trying to be rude by any means.)


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

crowntaillove said:


> I had dial up internet that took ages to research anything when I was 10. xD
> 
> (Not trying to be rude by any means.)


I'm not offended, don't worry. So your internet was slow? 

Aging the water has no point. LOL


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## deso (Apr 24, 2012)

When I lived in Hawaii as a kid, I kept my bettas in untreated tap water. Some lived to be 3 years old. Of course, the water quality was brilliant there, so I wouldn't recommend anyone trying that anywhere else in the world.

And Lebron, I didn't even have internet of any sort at your age. My parents were never big on technology. I had to go to the bookstore and buy the only two books on bettas that I could find  Dial-up internet is ridiculously slow. We're talking 5+ minutes of loading time per webpage, especially if it's image-heavy or Flash.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Lisa1010 said:


> So after 24-48 hours of aging well water, does it still need to be conditioned?
> 
> Lisa


if your water only has chlorine, 24-48 hours
before it is safe
if chloramine is added... about 2 weeks


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Aging water is an old technique from the days before effective water conditioner/dechlorinator was available. Many municipal water districts are now using chloramine which is just as deadly and does not evaporate as chlorine does.

Modern condiitoner, besides dealing with chlorine (Olympia has the full complicated story, if anyone's interested) also converts ammonia to harmless ammonium and removes (encapsulates?) heavy metals.

They work on contact, so there's no reason to wait once you have added conditioner.

With well-water, unless you have a current test outlining everything in your water, it's best to use conditioner.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Sorry to pop the bubble but nothing is removed heavy metal wise. Binded for up to 48 hours maybe, as far as I know.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## meiperfectneina19 (Aug 15, 2012)

I usually ended up aging the water for a week or more... My mom always keeps water bottles around the house because many times there is no water coming out of the tap... so we had to fill up drums and bottles when there was to have later on.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

deso said:


> And Lebron, I didn't even have internet of any sort at your age. My parents were never big on technology. I had to go to the bookstore and buy the only two books on bettas that I could find  Dial-up internet is ridiculously slow. We're talking 5+ minutes of loading time per webpage, especially if it's image-heavy or Flash.


Oh... Then sorry if I sounded rude if I was. But still, researching is a bit fun if I do say so myself! xD Oh god, I get impatient if it was only 1 minute of waiting.. lol.


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## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

Dial-up was horrible, some people still use it too which totally amazes me. It goes through phone lines so if you have a home phone you can't use it while on the internet. 

I would like to read Olympia's story about the water. Is it a sticky on here somewhere?


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## crowntaillove (Sep 3, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> I'm not offended, don't worry. So your internet was slow?
> 
> Aging the water has no point. LOL


 
Slow, unreliable, and irritating. lol. If someone called while you were trying to do something online, god forbid play a game, it would knock you off. I can still remember what the dial up sounded like while it was connecting... man do I feel like a dinosaur. xP


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

The text you are now reading was transmitted over a phoneline at 42.8Kpbs.

Sometimes it gets as fast as 44Kpbs. I've never seen it at the advertised 56Kpbs. Welcome to the 20th century.


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