Do Bettas Like Bubblers? (7 Interesting Facts)

If you keep betta fish, you may find yourself being enticed to install bubblers in their tank. But before actually buying/installing the bubblers, you will want to know whether the betta fish will like them. This article has the answer.

Do bettas like bubblers? Most bettas like bubblers, as long as they don’t produce a very strong current and as long as they only produce small bubbles. But some bettas, especially the more laidback ones, may be distressed by the presence of bubblers.

Thus for some betta fish bubbles from a bubbler are a welcome distraction. Sometimes, you may even find a betta obsessed with bubbler (or rather, the bubbles from the bubbler).

But for another betta, you find that the bubbles from the bubbler are a huge source of distress.

Consequently, before getting a betta bubble tank (or bubbler), you need to try to understand the type of bettas you have.

If your bettas are of the more playful variety, chances are that they will like the bubbles from the bubbler.

But if your bettas are of the more laidback type, they may find the bubbles from the bubbler distressing.

Thus seeing bubblers for betta containers in a chain pet store, by itself, shouldn’t entice you into buying the bubblers. You really need to think about whether the bettas you have are likely to love the bubblers.

The most important thing to know here is that the bettas don’t really need bubblers.

Thus even if you ultimately decide to buy bubblers for your bettas’ aquarium, the bubblers would be ‘luxury’ stuff. They wouldn’t be essentials, really. The bettas would still be alright without them.

What Are Bubblers?

As their name suggests, bubblers are simply devices that produce bubbles.

So they are devices that people attach to the air pumps in aquariums, and they serve the purpose of producing bubbles.

The fish in the aquarium thereafter get to play with the bubbles that the bubblers produce. The fish (and any aquarium plants) may also benefit from the better aeration that the bubblers make possible.

Do Bettas Need A Bubbler?

Before procuring a bubbler for your bettas, you are likely to have two questions. One is on whether the bettas need a bubbler. And the other is on whether the bettas like bubblers.

Let’s start with the first one – on whether bettas need a bubbler. Do betta fish need a bubbler?

The true position is that bettas don’t really need a bubbler. They have a special organ, known as the labyrinth organ, through which they draw oxygen, and therefore don’t need a bubbler.

So we have said that bettas don’t really need a bubbler. But can bettas have a bubbler in their aquarium? The answer is ‘yes’. Though they don’t really need a bubbler, it is also not usually harmful to them.

The only scenario in which a bubbler may be bad for bettas is if it produces very strong currents. Or if it produces very big bubbles.

Ultimately, we see that because they have a labyrinth organ, bettas don’t absolutely need a bubbler…

The whole thing is akin to asking, do betta fish need an air pump? The answer is usually no – thanks to the fact that they have a labyrinth organ.

But if you change the question to ‘can betta fish live with air pump’, the answer becomes ‘yes’.

By the way, it is important to realize that these bettas are even capable of producing bubbles themselves! Sometimes, you may encounter bubbles on top of fish tank inhabited by bettas.

Then when you investigate on why are there bubbles in my fish tank, it turns out that the bettas are producing the bubbles.

All this demonstrates the extent to which bettas don’t really need bubblers.

Do Bettas Like Bubblers?

So far, we have established that bettas don’t absolutely need bubblers. That is because they have labyrinth organs, through which they draw oxygen.

The other question we need to ask ourselves is on whether bettas like bubblers. They may not need the bubblers, but do they like them if available?

After all, it is surely possible for fish not to need something, but to nonetheless like if it is available.

So, does a betta like bubblers? The answer is that a typical betta will like bubblers, as long as the currents they produce aren’t too strong. And as long as they don’t produce bubbles that are too big.

There are a few laidback bettas that may find the presence of bubblers overwhelming though. So for these, the bubblers turn out to be distressing.

Sometimes, you may hear a betta owner saying, ‘my sweet betta girl loves playing in the bubbles produced by a bubbler’. So you know that this is a case of a betta that likes bubblers.

On the other hand, you may find a betta owner complaining that their bettas can’t stand the bubbles produced by a bubbler. So you know that these are the sorts of bettas that don’t like bubblers.

Generally, the more playful bettas tend to like bubblers. Conversely, the more laidback bettas tend to find bubblers overwhelming, and dislike them.

These are also the dynamics that play out when you ask questions like, do betta fish like aerators? Or do bettas like air stones?

Those are in fact types of bubblers. And you find most bettas liking them, though a few bettas find them overwhelming.

How Do I Know If My Bettas Like Bubblers?

In answering the do bettas like bubblers question, we have seen that most do – but a few also dislike bubblers.

Now as a person who keeps bettas, you will want to know whether your bettas specifically like bubblers. So how do you figure that out?

One way is simply by watching how they react to the bubblers. If they become excited and more playful once the bubblers start producing bubbles/currents, then you know that they like them.

But if they seem to become distressed once the bubblers start producing bubbles/currents, then you know that they don’t like them.

It may also be possible to foretell whether your bettas are likely to love bubblers. If yours are the more playful types of bettas, they are likely to love bubblers.

Conversely, if yours are the more laidback types of bettas, they are likely to dislike bubblers.

That tends to be the case – but not always.

Should I Put A Bubbler In My Betta Tank?

The most practical bubbler-related question you may have, as a person who keeps bettas, is on whether to put a bubbler in your betta tank.

So you keep asking yourself, should I get a bubbler for my betta tank?

Now at this point, you have to make reference to what we said while answering the do bettas like bubblers question.

We said that most bettas like bubblers but a few dislike them. But earlier, we had also clarified that the bettas don’t absolutely need bubblers – as they have labyrinth organs.

The labyrinth organs serve for the bettas more or less the purpose that bubblers would have served. Thus bubblers here are ‘luxury’ devices…

The way forward then is to focus on the bettas that are specifically in your tank. If they are of the type that likes bubblers, then you can put a bubbler in the tank.

But if they are of the type that dislikes bubblers, you shouldn’t procure the bubbler. Doing so would only end up distressing your fish.

The personality of your bettas, as you know it, may be an important factor here. Are your bettas generally playful? Or are they generally laidback?

If they are generally playful, chances are that they will like bubblers. But if they are generally laidback, there is a good chance that they will dislike the bubblers.

What you need to know is that other than the bettas, the plants in your aquarium could also benefit from the bubblers. The better aeration that bubblers make possible can benefit the plants.

So that may also be a consideration, when trying to work out whether or not to get a bubbler.

Which Bubblers Do Bettas Like?

Earlier, we said that some bettas like bubblers.

The question that follows is on which specific types of bubblers the bettas like. This is because there are many types of bubblers.

Generally, bettas like bubblers that produce light currents, and small bubbles. Those are not overwhelming to the bettas. So they like them.

The bubblers that meet that description tend to be those of the type known as ‘air stones’. So those may be the better ones for bettas.

Where Can I Buy Bubblers For My Bettas?

If you decide to buy bubblers for your bettas, the next question is on where to procure them.

One option open to you is that of buying the bubblers from the local stores that sell aquarium equipment.

Another option is that of buying the bubblers from online stores that stock aquarium equipment.

There may also be the possibility of buying the bubblers from other people who keep fishes like bettas, and who have bubblers they don’t need for the time being.

Final Verdict – Do Bettas Like Bubblers

Most bettas seem to like having bubblers in their aquariums. But there are also some few bettas that dislike bubblers.

The bettas that like bubblers tend to love them because the bubbles they produce are nice to play with.

On the other hand, the bettas that dislike bubblers tend to loathe them because they find the currents and the bubbles they produce overwhelming or distressing.

It is important to understand that strictly speaking, bettas don’t need bubblers. They have labyrinth organs, through which they draw oxygen from the tank’s surface efficiently.

Nonetheless, if the bubblers are availed in the aquariums, most bettas come to like them.

Normally, it is the more playful bettas that tend to like having bubblers in their tanks. The more laidback bettas tend not to like the bubblers – especially the bubbles and currents they produce.

Even for the bettas that do like bubblers, proper settings are important. The key is to ensure that the bubblers don’t produce too strong currents or big bubbles.

Ideally, if you are buying bubblers for betta tanks, you should go for those that can produce low/light currents and small bubbles.

Air stones are among the best types of bubblers in that regard. That is because they tend to produce light currents, and relatively small bubbles, which bettas can cope with nicely.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet fish a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️