With other types of tropical fish, filters with air pumps are a must for aerating the water - but bettas don't really need aeration because they have a special "labyrinth lung" that allows them to breathe air from the surface of the water. Still, filters are useful for keeping a betta's water clean in between water changes - as long as the filter isn't too strong.
Pros and Cons of Filters for Betta Aquariums
For betta owners, filters are most useful in a large tank that has not just a betta, but also betta companion animals like cory catfish, Plecos and African dwarf frogs - which make a lot of waste for the filter to work with! But a filter whose current is too strong can really bother male bettas, whose long flowing fins have to work hard at swimming against the tide. And most beginning betta owners start with a single betta in a small tank - not an aquarium community.
So should beginning betta owners skip the filter, especially in smaller tanks such as 1.5-gallon to 3-gallon tanks? Not necessarily. Use the following tips to choose a filter that's gentle enough for bettas and the right size for a small tank.
Types of Betta Tank Filters and Small Betta Tank Kits
There are many betta tanks and aquariums on the market. Ironically, the bigger the tank, the less work for the owner - so skip the little betta bowls and look for at least a 1.5-gallon aquarium setup.
The following aquarium kits with filters, and individually-sold filters, work well for bettas:
- Whisper 3i Series in-tank filters are ideal for small betta tanks and can be bought alone or included in a Tetra Water Wonders 1.5-gallon aquarium kit, which is made for goldfish but is a great starter tank for bettas, too. Whisper filters use Bio-Bag disposable filter cartridges with "ultra-activated" carbon to absorb odors and prevent water discoloration. The filter is almost silent, and the current it produces is not strong enough to bother most bettas.
- Toms Aquarium Products Mini-Filter - This internal power filter gets good reviews and is rated for 1.5 gallon tanks. The filter has an adjustable flow for sensitive bettas, and provides 3-stage filtration. This filter is a good choice for those who don't like the filter that came with their betta aquarium kit, or whose betta tank didn't come with a filter.
- Aqueon Mini-Bow Aquarium Series are aquarium kits that come in beginner-friendly sizes - such as 1, 3 and 5-gallon tanks - and include an under-gravel filter system and an air pump. The Mini-Bow tanks are well-reviewed and a favorite of betta experts as well as beginners.
All of the above filters and aquarium kits are inexpensive and available at major pet stores such as Petco and Petsmart, as well as some major retailers like Wal-mart.
For more tips on setting up a betta tank, see Bettas for Beginners.
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