My Betta’s Tank has a Bunch of Bubbles! Is my Betta Okay!?

First. Take a breath. Short answer. Yes! Everything is okay! Don’t worry, I freaked out too when I first found bubbles at the top of Blub’s fish tank. It was a few days after we had gotten him and I thought that I was a terrible fish owner!

So… Johnny… what are these bubbles?

Well, I’m glad you asked! We like to call them Bubble Nests! They actually mean your little one is ready to mate and is good and healthy! Now, male Bettas will blow these nests every so often (and not every Betta will so don’t worry if yours isn’t!) For us, Blub blows nests while Flub doesn’t. Most commonly Blub blows his nests whenever we change the water in his tank, which definitely makes sense!

But… why bubbles?

Also glad you asked! Bettas mate externally. The male Betta will blow bubbles while the female secures the eggs in these nests. Since most wild Bettas live in shallow water there isn’t much oxygen, so the Bubbles ensure a nice clean oxygen-filled space for the little ones to thrive! Male Bettas are actually the keepers of the eggs and help protect them from danger! (Isn’t that pretty cool?)

Is there any way to guarantee to get my little one to blow nests?

Well, yes and no. Again, not all Bettas are going to blow bubbles. Some quick tips would be:

1. Make sure to clean water regularly. I usually recommend 1/3 water changes once a week. If your tank sides start to get dirty, definitely do a 100% water change, but Betta’s can sometimes get shocked or stressed when you completely change the water. (Make sure you are always using conditioner. This is a must!)
2. Use a waterfall filter! A lot of tanks have pretty awesome settings. I recommend setting the waterfall to gentle!
3. Use a heater if your tank is 3 gallons or more. Bettas like to live in 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to keep your tank away from open windows (as that can drastically change the water temperature.)
4. Make your Betta’s living space comfy! If you need a list of things we use in our tank check out this article we posted. It’s pretty thorough and there’s plenty of articles out there in case you need a helping hand!

Should I be trying to get my Betta to blow bubbles?

Nah, it shouldn’t be your top priority. Honestly, bubbles are mostly for folks who are trying to breed Bettas. As long as you’re keeping your Bettas tank clean and you’re feeding them regularly you’re all set!