How often should I change the water for my 2-gallon Betta tank?

Question
QUESTION: Hello! I just have a quick question about a 2-gallon tank that I bought for my Betta fish. I have recently placed the fish tank in my bedroom and I was wondering if that is healthy for the betta fish? I live in San Francisco and the weather here can be quite cold at times. As a result, I purchased a small water heater to keep the betta warm. I noticed that there's some moisture at the top of the tank and I was wondering if I should keep the betta tank in the bedroom or move it elsewhere for the fear that he might get sick. Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon!

ANSWER: Julian,

I have all my fish in my bedroom with me. It's ok to keep your Betta in your room. Just remember to spend some time with him, because they have great personalities. They need to interact with their human owners. Its good that you bought a heater because Betta's need heat. Make sure the heater is set at least 80 degrees, all mine are at 82 degrees. As long as you place a thermometer, either the kind that floats inside the tank or the kind that sticks to the outside so you can keep track of the temp inside. We don't want you to boil your fish. Hope this helps. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask. Good Luck with your Betta.

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QUESTION: Hi Jaymie Johnson!

Thanks a lot for the fast response, it really helped me. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask another question. How often should I change the water for my 2-gallon betta tank and how often should I be cleaning the gravel? I've tried to look up several websites concerning this matter, and so far I've received mixed answers. Some have said that you should change 25%-50% of the water every week and you should only vacuum the gravel if the water gets cloudy. Should I change 25%-50% of the water as well as vacuum the gravel once a week? Again, I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to hearing from you!

ANSWER: Hello Julian,

I am glad that i was able to help you out. As far as your last question, I have all my males in  2 gallon tanks and I change 25% of the water every week. On the second week i do a 50% water change and on the 3rd week i do a complete water change and gently clean the gravel. I do not use a vacuum at all. I don't use a filter in their tanks, and i find this works great for me. My males are all happy and healthy making bubble nest everyday. I will say though that i hope that in the cold months where you live, that you use a heater because they need the temp around 80 to 82 degrees.

I hope this helps, and if you have any more question feel free to ask.

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QUESTION: Hey Jaymie!

Thanks again for answering my question. I was also wondering if I should take my Betta out and put him in a small cup with some of the water in my two-gallon tank on the day that I change the water/clean the gravel or should I leave him in the tank while I'm cleaning the gravel or changing the water? I'm afraid that I might hurt him...Also, do you prefer that I leave the new water out overnight or is it okay to use the new water on the day of? The reason why I'm asking is because I'm worried that the new water might not be the same temperature as the old water (I already have a water heater in the tank) and it might stress the Betta. Thanks!

Answer
Julian,

When you do the 25% and 50% water changes, its ok to leave him in the tank. I siphon the water out then siphon the new water back in. It keeps the fish from being thrown around the tank. I do,, however, remove them from their tank when doing a complete water change. I put them back in the cups they came with , with water from the old tank. If the tank is at room temp then yes I would leave it out for 24 hours so that the water is the same. You say you have a heater, so, make sure the new tank water is the same temp. Don't forget to add water conditioner to the new water before you put your Betta back in. I use Betta-safe.

Happy water changing