# How often should I do 100% water changes?



## Tycoon (May 13, 2007)

I have a 1 gallon tank with no filter and it has 1 betta living in it.

Should I do water changes once a week? twice a week?


I set up the tank two days ago and its been getting pretty cloudy. I think the betta bites (food) is what causing it though. Some of them just sink in the bottom and they stay down there 'til they dissolve into the water.


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## frogman6 (Apr 21, 2007)

i wouldnt do a whole hundred percent water change just do about 30 or 40 and for the betta bites dont feed as much and get a betta food that floats


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

Tycoon said:


> I have a 1 gallon tank with no filter and it has 1 betta living in it.
> 
> Should I do water changes once a week? twice a week?
> 
> ...


With such a small bowl, I'd recommend 30% water changes every day or so.

Only feed wht your betta can eat in a few minutes, and remove any uneaten food afterwards.

If possible, upgrade your tank to 5g minimum - your fish will really appreciate it!


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## tangy (Apr 23, 2007)

hello.  its best if you keep the guy in a 5 gallon tank or larger. feed him 1 pellet at a time until he wont accept any after, its a good way to bond with your critter and keep food from falling into the water and dissolving. do 25% water changes a week/50% water changes every 2 weeks, and completely change the water every 4 weeks. thats how my fish book says it, although there are others here who perform maintainance differently.


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## Tycoon (May 13, 2007)

tangyman said:


> hello.  its best if you keep the guy in a 5 gallon tank or larger. feed him 1 pellet at a time until he wont accept any after, its a good way to bond with your critter and keep food from falling into the water and dissolving. do 25% water changes a week/50% water changes every 2 weeks, and completely change the water every 4 weeks. thats how my fish book says it, although there are others here who perform maintainance differently.




hmmm... cool. I think this is what im gonna do.


Im gonna try and upgrade to a 5 gal. tank this summer when I get job. Im a broke teenager right now lol :lol:


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## Rue (Jan 28, 2007)

...in a 1 g, I'd be doing 75% changes every 2-3 days...


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## leifthebunny (Mar 13, 2007)

In addition to the advice above, if you haven't already, remove the food in the bottom. It will just mold and cause the water to keep getting cloudy and smelly.


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## Tycoon (May 13, 2007)

leifthebunny said:


> In addition to the advice above, if you haven't already, remove the food in the bottom. It will just mold and cause the water to keep getting cloudy and smelly.



alright will do


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

The only way I would recommend doing 100% water changes is if it is the exacy same temp and also has been dechlorinated before putting the fish in. Before I knew better I did have a betta in one of those tiny display tanks and did change about 50% of the water twice a week and never had a problem but I never had left over food from feeding. In a 1 gallon tank, with just a betta, I wuld say 50% water changes twice a week should be plenty and should also keep the stress levels dwon that are caused fromchanging too much water. Ultimately a really small sponge filter would be the best way to go to keep the water in even better shape and allow for once a week water changes. 

But like the others said, I would recommend a 5 gallon with a sponge filter for a betta. The betta has more room and this allows for a slightly larger sponge filter and a much healthier tank. Also allows for a small live plant that would help even more.


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