Murky water in bettas small tank - help!

Question
QUESTION: Hi Stephanie,

I have two male Bettas, both in two separate but rather small tanks. I got them yesterday and since then, their water has been quite murky. It's not greenish or white really, just cloudy. I have about an inch of gravel at the bottom of the tank.

I cleaned out about three-quarters of the water this morning and rinsed out the gravel, but even right after doing so, it didn't seem to help. Is it possible for me to remedy this without buying a filter?

Thanks.
ANSWER: Hello,

Unfortunately bowls often take daily cleaning and very careful feeding to prevent them from becoming cloudy. As a second note, bettas are actually tropical fish. While they can live in cold water, they are MUCH happier in heated water. They come from very warm areas of the world, and putting them in confined, cold spaces shortens their life span considerably.

There are some products you can buy for betta bowls that will help break down waste and keep them clean. Other then that, you simply have to change the water (no more then half) every day.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Stephanie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Stephanie,

Actually I live in Singapore and so the two tanks are kept at a pretty warm temperature most of the time.

I changed half of the water today and the situation seems to have improved for one tank; however, for the other, it seems the same if not worse. The betta in the cloudy tank doesn't eat as much as the other (still eats, but not very much) and doesn't blow as many bubbles. He's also not as lively. Is this a sign of unhealthiness?

Thank you.

Answer
Hello,

Bettas like temperatures between 78 and 80 F, so if your tank naturally stays that warm then its perfect!

The fact that the betta in the cloudy bowl is eating is a good sign. His tank might be more polluted because he doesn't eat all his food and it falls to the bottom, creating waste. You should continue changing some of the water daily, maybe reducing it to changing 25% or so. Sometimes changing too much water can cause a loss of good bacteria, leading to build-ups of bad bacteria and cloudy water.

I hope that clarifies things a bit, don't hesitate to contact me again with any further questions.

Regards,
Stephanie