Switching beta fresh to salt

hoffy02 · 01/15/2010, 05:56 PM

Sorry for the supernoob question

I have read of changing freshwater fish to saltwater but cant find anything on the Beta fish...

I know there are marine beta but can you switch a freshwater one through a period of acclimation?

I am building a 120 in wall that will be a mixed reef. My daughter has a small beta tank in her room and I know the question of dropping him in is coming so I figured I would get the answer before hand.

If it can be done what would be the proper method? time? acclimation process?

If it cant be done simply reply with "idiot"

Thanks peoples!

mandingCa · 01/15/2010, 06:01 PM

i am very interested in this...you got me thinking...my daughter also has a betta that would be neat in my nano...

BethanyM · 01/15/2010, 06:16 PM

Please don't try this!! Reef tanks are such a different environment than their requirements, PH, flow, salinity.

I think it would be best to tell your daughter her betta is happy getting all the food to himself in his little tank. Mr. Betta doesn't like to share.

LifeAquatic · 01/15/2010, 06:17 PM

Im not sure that can be done.

bertoni · 01/15/2010, 07:25 PM

Marine betta are a completely different species than the freshwater fish of that name. Only a few fish that live in saltwater can survive in saltwater, and most of those are pufferfish, I think.

hoffy02 · 01/15/2010, 07:33 PM

thanks peoples..
I wasnt going to try it without knowing if it would work first.. just curious if anyone had any info either way..

thanks for your help as always..

Elysia · 01/15/2010, 07:39 PM

Actually, people have success w/ fancy guppies and various mollies (many of which are brackish species), but, as mentioned, the common marine "betta," or comet, is actually Calloplesiops altivelis, which is not an "air breather" and grows to over six inches.

Joshua H. · 01/15/2010, 07:48 PM

I remember posting a thread similar to this when i first started saltwater and somone told me that it might be possible to convert a freshwater fish to salt. The thread said that it would take years and years of breeding before it's done. Slowly raising the salinity level as the fish breed until eventualy they get used to it. I'm quessing that when the fish breed, the fry are then kinda imune to the higher salinity level and then those can take a little higher level then breed and on and on. But I'm sure just one fish will not workout. It'll be a painful guarenteed death. I think mr beta is perfectly happy where he's at

bertoni · 01/15/2010, 07:48 PM

That's definitely true of molly fishes. I didn't know about the guppies.

Elysia · 01/15/2010, 07:53 PM

I was surprised when I heard about the guppies as well, but someone had very slowly converted her breeding fancy guppies over to salt, and had them living with her seahorses for some time. The mollies, if you start w/ ones that are in brackish conditions, can be converted to full salt safely in less than 12 hours.

keegoaz · 01/15/2010, 08:02 PM

almost all species of fresh water beta will not survive in salt water brackish is as far as you can get a select few

RGC · 01/15/2010, 08:09 PM

Mollies and guppies do much better w/ some salt in the water. I believe they do very well in brackish water/ Black mollies were used years ago in salt water tanks before the huge variety of fish were available like they are today. I've never known anyone that has had success changing Bettas to salt water and I've bred Bettas since about 1992.

Rybren · 01/15/2010, 08:25 PM

You can also bring Bumblebee Gobies over to the salty side. I brought 3 over. Unfortunately, they're so small that somebody eventually has them for a snack.

Paul B (of 40 yr old reef fame) has a couple in his tank right now.

hoffy02 · 01/16/2010, 06:53 AM

LOL! by the time i could "Breed" the salt into this Beta, my daughter will be in college!! I'll make it up to her with a pretty Damsel.......

Im kidding... Thanks again for all the replies

mandingCa · 01/16/2010, 12:13 PM

yep...after doing a little research, only marine bettas are saltwater loving.

01/15/2010, 05:56 PM	#1
hoffy02 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Crosby, TX. Posts: 399	Switching beta fresh to salt Sorry for the supernoob question I have read of changing freshwater fish to saltwater but cant find anything on the Beta fish... I know there are marine beta but can you switch a freshwater one through a period of acclimation? I am building a 120 in wall that will be a mixed reef. My daughter has a small beta tank in her room and I know the question of dropping him in is coming so I figured I would get the answer before hand. If it can be done what would be the proper method? time? acclimation process? If it cant be done simply reply with "idiot" Thanks peoples!

01/15/2010, 06:16 PM	#3
BethanyM Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Indiana / Louisville Metro Posts: 385	Please don't try this!! Reef tanks are such a different environment than their requirements, PH, flow, salinity. I think it would be best to tell your daughter her betta is happy getting all the food to himself in his little tank. Mr. Betta doesn't like to share. __________________ Maybe this world is another planet's hell. - Aldous Huxley Current Tank Info: 24 nanocube D, 125 in the works

01/15/2010, 07:25 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Marine betta are a completely different species than the freshwater fish of that name. Only a few fish that live in saltwater can survive in saltwater, and most of those are pufferfish, I think. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/15/2010, 07:48 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That's definitely true of molly fishes. I didn't know about the guppies. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/15/2010, 08:02 PM	#11
keegoaz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Detroit! Posts: 203	almost all species of fresh water beta will not survive in salt water brackish is as far as you can get a select few __________________ tea time tony Current Tank Info: new tank on the way

01/15/2010, 06:01 PM	#2
mandingCa Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 119	i am very interested in this...you got me thinking...my daughter also has a betta that would be neat in my nano...

01/15/2010, 06:17 PM	#4
LifeAquatic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 922	Im not sure that can be done.

01/15/2010, 07:33 PM	#6
hoffy02 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Crosby, TX. Posts: 399	thanks peoples.. I wasnt going to try it without knowing if it would work first.. just curious if anyone had any info either way.. thanks for your help as always..

01/15/2010, 07:39 PM	#7
Elysia Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,718	Actually, people have success w/ fancy guppies and various mollies (many of which are brackish species), but, as mentioned, the common marine "betta," or comet, is actually Calloplesiops altivelis, which is not an "air breather" and grows to over six inches.

01/15/2010, 07:48 PM	#8
Joshua H. Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Nemo, Tx Posts: 89	I remember posting a thread similar to this when i first started saltwater and somone told me that it might be possible to convert a freshwater fish to salt. The thread said that it would take years and years of breeding before it's done. Slowly raising the salinity level as the fish breed until eventualy they get used to it. I'm quessing that when the fish breed, the fry are then kinda imune to the higher salinity level and then those can take a little higher level then breed and on and on. But I'm sure just one fish will not workout. It'll be a painful guarenteed death. I think mr beta is perfectly happy where he's at

01/15/2010, 07:53 PM	#10
Elysia Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,718	I was surprised when I heard about the guppies as well, but someone had very slowly converted her breeding fancy guppies over to salt, and had them living with her seahorses for some time. The mollies, if you start w/ ones that are in brackish conditions, can be converted to full salt safely in less than 12 hours.

01/15/2010, 08:09 PM	#12
RGC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gloversville , ny Posts: 157	Mollies and guppies do much better w/ some salt in the water. I believe they do very well in brackish water/ Black mollies were used years ago in salt water tanks before the huge variety of fish were available like they are today. I've never known anyone that has had success changing Bettas to salt water and I've bred Bettas since about 1992.

01/15/2010, 08:25 PM	#13
Rybren Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,642	You can also bring Bumblebee Gobies over to the salty side. I brought 3 over. Unfortunately, they're so small that somebody eventually has them for a snack. Paul B (of 40 yr old reef fame) has a couple in his tank right now. __________________ 120G Mixed Reef, 28G AIO zoa/pipefish tank

01/16/2010, 06:53 AM	#14
hoffy02 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Crosby, TX. Posts: 399	LOL! by the time i could "Breed" the salt into this Beta, my daughter will be in college!! I'll make it up to her with a pretty Damsel....... Im kidding... Thanks again for all the replies

01/16/2010, 12:13 PM	#15
mandingCa Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 119	yep...after doing a little research, only marine bettas are saltwater loving.