What's the Ideal Betta Fish Water Temperature Q&A

OPENING:  When it comes to keeping your betta tank at a constant 78 degrees it's pretty much a no brainer that a reliable, submersible aquarium heater is the way to go.  But agreeing to that doesn't mean you agree that all your questions about bettas and water temperature have been dealt with.  Actually that's decidedly not the case as these follow up questions show. 

Question: What's the ideal water temp for bettas?

Okay so what temperature should betta fish water be?  If you are talking ideal temperature you want to keep it between 76 and 82 degrees.  Bettas can do okay in slightly higher temperature zones.  But they will frankly will not thrive for long in water that falls below 72 degrees for extended periods.  And overnight counts as an extended period. 

Question: I heard that if you keep them cooler they'll actually live longer?

Really?  Well, keeping any betta in water cooler than 72 degrees F will definitely NOT extend their lifespan.  If anything the added stress opens them up to disease which will tend to shorten how long they live if anything.  So anyone telling you that is simply misinformed.  And following that kind of advice isn't doing your fighting beta fish any favors. 

Question: Yeah but, is a fluctuation in temperature really all that dangerous?  Or maybe I should ask how much is too much?

Bettas are sensitive to what you might consider to be subtle changes in water temperature.  Even a degree or two is often too much.  So yes, fluctuations can be dangerous to their health.  Something to keep in mind about your crowntail betta fish's water temperature.

Question: What do you do about the heater when doing your partial water changes?

It you have it installed vertically in a corner it would be best to unplug it.  Even though anymore many models come equipped with an automatic shut off feature should the water get too low, why risk it?  It's not worth having your heater break on you. 

Question: Why do I see so some fish keepers with their heater placed horizontally in their tank? 

It's often just a personal preference, although there are some advantages to horizontal or diagonal placement of their submersible heaters at just an inch or so off the substrate. 

Here's why.  Heated water rises.  When it does so it will pull the cooler water off the bottom which will gently keep the water in the tank circulating.  This movement will also work to eliminate hot or cold spots.  Plus you won't have to worry about exposing your heater when doing water changes.  Or if you turn it off you won't have to try to remember to turn it back on. So it may be an all around better set up. So those may be some good reasons for placing it horizontally.

Question: How to you know how many watts you need?

The commonly used rule of thumb is to figure you'll need 4-5 watts per gallon.  Remember that the air temp in the room where you keep your bettas also plays a role in how many watts you'll need to keep the tank temp stable.  So if you keep it cooler by running the AC during the summer, you may need more watts to keep the water warm enough. 

FYI - Did you know many recommend Eheim Jager brand heaters?  At the risk of sounding like an infomercial pitchman, German engineering is cited as the reason for its durability and ease of use.  It is also surprisingly affordable making them a good value. So that might be one brand to consider if you are looking for a heater for your betta tank.  

Oh and another feature to look for in any aquarium heater is an auto shut off mentioned earlier.  That way should the water level get too low rather than explode, crack or overheat it is supposed to simply shut down.  Not foolproof.  But having that built in is better than not having it in my opinion. 

Question: Aside from the preferred choice of using a heater, what other ways are there to heat like say bowls. 

Not a fan of bowls. And this is one reason why.  They are hard to heat.  You can try some kind of heating mat, or a heating pad even.  Some keep several carefully spaced bowls, a betta in each, in a 20 gallon long tank heating the water in the tank which in turn will keep the water in the bowls warm enough.  You might want to have an air stone going crazy to keep the water circulating so all the bowls stay the same temp.  Just seems like a lot of work when moving up to a five gallon tank heated with heater, even if you added a divider, would be so much easier.  Less hassle too.

Question:  Any other ideas?

Don't forget to get a thermostat so you can see what's going on inside the tank.  It's an essential tool for anyone serious about betta care.  An easy to read one with a suction cup to keep it in place is only a few bucks.  Get the kind that you put inside the tank.  Those that you stick to the outside don't seem to be as reliable for some reason.  But having a thermostat can take the guesswork out of determining exactly how warm is warm for your veiltail.  Letting you know if you need to adjust the heater up or down or something. 

CONCLUSION:  Having the water for your betta fish at room temperature is likely not going to cut it.  You need to heat it some way or another.  Hopefully some of your more pressing questions involved with aquarium heaters have been resolved.