# How often do bettas breathe?



## SwissCheeseHead (Dec 24, 2014)

We just picked up our first betta today and we're really excited to add him to the family. I've never owned a betta before and i was wondering how often they swim up to the surface to take breathes? When i was near his tank for a few minutes, he went up to the surface about 5 times in 3 or 4 minutes.


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## Varmint (Apr 5, 2014)

I've never paid attention, but what you are seeing is probably normal.

How do you have him housed? Is he in a tank with filtration, or is he in a unfiltered bowl? If it is the latter, he might need to come up for air more often. As long as he is active and responsive; he doesn't hold his fins tight to his body and sit still (that is called clamped) he should be fine.

If that answer doesn't make you feel better about what you are seeing, give us more details. Let us know if you have more questions since this is your first Betta. They are awesome fish. You will fall in love with him.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

They breath underwater too. They can do both.


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## SwissCheeseHead (Dec 24, 2014)

He's in a rimless top fin 5 gallon. It's filtered and should be cycled as i used a sponge and biomedia from other established tanks. He seems active and is swimming around otherwise. I would post pics but im not sure if i can do it from my phone. I'll try to get to a computer tomorrow to post a few.


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