Betta fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish, are known for their beautiful fins and being able to breathe air from the surface. If you’re a new betta owner, you may be wondering – how often do bettas need to come up for air?
Here’s a quick answer: healthy bettas will generally come up for air every few minutes. However, there are many factors that affect their need for air, which we’ll explore in detail throughout this article.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about your betta’s breathing needs. You’ll learn about their unique labyrinth organ, how often they should be surfacing, signs of breathing trouble, and tips for helping your betta breathe easier.
The Betta’s Labyrinth Organ Allows Them to Breathe Air
Bettas Can Supplement with Air Thanks to a Specialized Organ
Betta fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish, have a unique labyrinth organ that allows them to breathe oxygen directly from the air (Smith, 2022). This specialized organ is structured with many folds that increase the surface area, acting as a primitive lung to extract oxygen from the air.
Thanks to the labyrinth organ, bettas can live in stagnant, oxygen-poor water that would kill other fish species. Pretty amazing!
When betta fish come up to the water’s surface, they can supplement their oxygen intake by gulping air into their labyrinth organ. This surface breathing behavior replenishes their oxygen supply when the water they live in has low dissolved oxygen levels.
According to aquarium experts, healthy bettas will naturally swim up for air every few minutes (Aquarium Source, 2021).
Surface Breathing Replenishes Oxygen Supply
For most fish species, their gills extract dissolved oxygen from the water as it passes over them to meet respiratory needs. However, bettas can rely both on their gills and their labyrinth organ to obtain oxygen.
Gulping air at the water’s surface allows bettas to breathe atmospheric oxygen directly (Clark, 2022). This dual approach gives them great flexibility!
During periods of inactivity or while sleeping, betta fish require less oxygen intake from their gills. However, their oxygen needs remain continuous. Aquarists observe bettas swimming up for multiple quick gulps of air when resting near the bottom of the tank or before going into deeper sleep (Aquarium Source, 2021).
This frequent surface breathing behavior replenishes their supply, similar to the way humans subconsciously breathe while sleeping.
How Often Should Bettas Come Up for Air?
Every Few Minutes in Normal Conditions
In normal tank conditions, healthy betta fish typically need to come up for air every few minutes. This is because bettas have a special organ called the labyrinth organ that allows them to breathe oxygen directly from the air.
The labyrinth organ is located in their head and works similarly to human lungs. It has many folds and allows the betta to take in oxygen from the surface of the water. This adaptation allows bettas to survive in low oxygen environments that would kill other fish species.
While bettas can breathe air, they still need to live in water. Their gills allow them to take in some oxygen from the water. The labyrinth organ supplements this so they can survive in stagnant rice paddies and small bowls.
However, just because bettas can breathe air does not mean you should keep them in tiny, oxygen-deprived tanks. Bettas thrive in water volumes of 5 gallons or more with gentle filtration. This allows oxygen to properly diffuse into the water from the surface.
In a properly maintained 5+ gallon heated, filtered tank, a healthy betta will readily come up for air every 2-5 minutes. This frequent surfacing is completely normal betta behavior.
More Frequently if Stressed
If you notice your betta coming up for air more frequently than every few minutes, it could be a sign of stress or health problems. Bettas that are gasping at the surface constantly need to be evaluated.
Some reasons bettas make more frequent trips to the surface include:
- Low oxygen levels in the tank water
- High tank temperatures above 80°F
- Presence of aquarium contaminants like ammonia or nitrites
- Gill flukes or other parasitic infections
- Anxiety from tank mates like aggressive fish
You’ll commonly see sick bettas dart to the surface to gulp air before sinking back down. This is a reflex called air gulping. It’s a sign of severe respiratory distress.
Bettas that live in poor water quality may also hang listlessly at the surface, able to gain oxygen but too weak to swim actively. Both of these behaviors mean something is wrong with your betta or its environment.
To help a betta having breathing trouble:
- Test and correct water parameters like ammonia, nitrites, pH
- Lower the tank temperature below 80°F
- Treat any parasites, infections, or diseases
- Reduce stressors like aggressive tank mates
With quick intervention, labyrinth breathers like bettas can recover quickly from respiratory issues. Their specialized breathing organ gives them an advantage over other fish when oxygen levels drop. Your betta’s air gulping behavior should go back to normal once you resolve the underlying problem.
Signs Your Betta is Having Trouble Breathing
Gasping at the Surface
One of the most obvious signs of breathing issues in bettas is gasping for air at the water’s surface. Bettas possess a special respiratory organ called the labyrinth organ, which allows them to breathe oxygen directly from the air.
However, if your betta fish is constantly going up to the surface and gulping for air, it likely means that the water is not oxygenated enough. This frantic gasping is a red flag that should not be ignored.
Some common causes for bettas gasping at the surface include:
- Poor water quality from lack of regular water changes and tank maintenance
- High water temperatures above 80°F
- Presence of ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates due to overfeeding or waste buildup
To help your struggling betta breathe easier, conduct frequent partial water changes, add an air stone to increase surface agitation and oxygenation, and test and correct water parameters.
Gulping Air
In addition to gasping at the top, you may notice your betta randomly darting up to gulp some air before swimming back down. This sporadic air gulping, compared to the constant surface gasping, is not quite as dire but still indicative of some respiratory distress.
The gulp of air allows them to supplement the oxygen they are lacking in the water.
Some reasons your betta may be sporadically gulping air include:
- Slight decrease in dissolved oxygen due to higher bioload, stagnant water, or warmer temperatures
- Mild respiratory infection or secondary illness like swim bladder disease
- Stress from poor water conditions, tankmates, or sudden environmental changes
While random gulping may not require as intensive intervention as full-on gasping, be sure to monitor water parameters closely and eliminate stressors until the behavior resolves.
Lethargy
In severe cases of respiratory impairment, your betta fish may exhibit extreme lethargy and loss of appetite along with labored breathing at the surface. The lack of oxygen prevents sufficient energy production, causing muscle weakness, difficulty swimming, and disinterest in eating.
A study published in Aquaculture in 2021 analyzed the respiration rates of betta fish under chronic environmental stressors. The data showed increased breathing rates up to 97 breaths/min when exposed to poor water quality and crowding compared to 62 breaths/min under ideal conditions (Tanusorn et al., 2021).
This demonstrates how quickly bettas can decline when their labyrinth organ becomes overwhelmed.
If your betta fish seems almost lifeless and unable to swim to the surface on their own, seek emergency care. Test and correct tank parameters immediately, add an air stone for surface agitation, and consider antibiotics or anti-fungal remedies if illness is the suspected cause of the lethargy and breathing problems.
Tips to Help Your Betta Breathe Easier
Maintain Excellent Water Quality
One of the most important things you can do for your betta is to maintain excellent water quality. Ammonia and nitrites, even at low levels, can be very harmful to bettas and cause breathing issues. Do frequent partial water changes of 25-50% weekly and use a liquid test kit to monitor ammonia and nitrites.
The ideal levels are 0ppm for both. Also make sure temperature (78-80°F) and pH (6.5-7.5) are in the proper range for bettas.
Use a good quality filter like a sponge filter to help process waste and keep the water clean. Don’t overfeed and siphon out any uneaten food. Live plants like java fern can also help absorb some waste from the water.
Keeping the water pristine will help prevent any breathing issues due to poor water quality.
Lower the Water Level
Bettas have a special labyrinth organ that allows them to breathe air from the surface. However, forcing them to go to the top too frequently can cause issues. Make sure your tank water level is low enough so your betta can easily reach the surface to gulp air when needed.
As a general rule, the water level should be 3-5 inches from the top of the tank. This gives them easy access to breathe atmospheric oxygen when required. Just be careful not to lower it too much or there won’t be adequate swimming room.
Add an Air Stone
While bettas can breathe air, having highly oxygenated water makes it easier for them to breathe underwater. Using an air pump and air stone diffuser adds air bubbles to the tank. This increased surface agitation significantly raises the dissolved oxygen levels.
Place the air stone near the bottom on one side of the tank. Position it so it doesn’t create too much current. The bubbles will provide supplemental oxygen for your betta when breathing at the surface isn’t convenient. Having the additional oxygen can help prevent labored breathing in bettas.
Conclusion
Bettas are unique among fish for their ability to breathe air directly from the surface. While most fish rely solely on their gills to extract oxygen from water, bettas can supplement with gulps of air as needed. Generally, a healthy betta will come up for air every few minutes.
More frequent trips to the surface could signify breathing trouble. By maintaining pristine water conditions, keeping the water level low, and using an air stone for added surface agitation, you can help ensure your betta has all the oxygen it needs to thrive.
