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Can You Put Seashells In A Betta Fish Tank?

Customizing fish tank setups by adding various types of decorations to the tank is very popular right now and we have seen a huge number of people reaching out with various questions about different things that they want to add to their fish tank.

With the betta fish being the best selling fish in recent years by far, it is only natural that we would see a bunch of people asking about if they can put seashells in a betta fish tank or not.

We already have an article going over keeping seashells in an aquarium safely but we wanted to publish this article going over the topic specific to a betta fish’ tank due to how sensitive betta fish can actually be.

Many people new to keeping the species think that betta fish are a hardy fish due to the “fighting fish” marketing that was initially done with the species but this is not correct.

As we covered in our article on using Melafix for bettas, bettas can be very sensitive to changes in their water parameters with this often causing problems with the fish.

Can You Put Seashells In A Betta Fish Tank?

The short answer to this question is “no”, we would not recommend adding seashells to a betta fish tank.

Even if the seashells are completely safe and free from any harmful bacteria or parasites, there is still a chance that the betta fish could end up ingesting small pieces of the seashell which could cause problems for the fish.

We have also seen a number of reports from people who have added seashells to their betta fish tank only to have the fish develop issues soon after.

Over time, seashells will often start to break down in your aquarium and cause problems with the pH levels of the tank and the calcium levels too.

This can quickly lead to health issues for your betta fish if not addressed and so it is always better to be safe than sorry.

If you want to add something natural looking to the substrate in your betta fish tank, we would recommend using either live plants, fake plants, leaves, or driftwood instead of seashells if possible.

Not only will these look much nicer in the long run, but they will also be much safer for your betta fish too.

What Are The Risks Of Putting Seashells In A Betta Fish Tank?

There are a few risks that come with adding seashells to your betta fish tank which you need to be aware of.

Here are the main risks of putting seashells in to your betta tank but we will cover them all in more detail blow:-

  • Ingesting Small Pieces Of The Shell.
  • Changing pH Levels.
  • Releasing Salt Into Your Aquarium Water.
  • Introducing Parasites.

It can be common for a betta tank with seashells in it to have more than one of these issues with it and some tanks can have problems with all four issues.

Ingesting Small Pieces Of The Shell

The first and most obvious risk is that your betta fish could end up ingesting small pieces of the seashell.

This could cause problems with the digestive system of the fish and lead to health issues further down the line.

We have seen a number of reports from people who have added seashells to their betta fish tank only to have the fish develop issues soon after.

Changing pH Levels

Over time, seashells will often start to break down in your aquarium and cause problems with the pH levels of the tank and the calcium levels too.

This can quickly lead to health issues for your betta fish if not addressed and so it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Aquariums with shells in them tend to have a much more alkaline pH than tanks without shells. This is because the calcium in the shells reacts with the water and increases the alkalinity.

For betta fish, this can be a problem because their ideal pH range is 6.0-7.5.

If the pH gets too high, it can cause problems with their gills and lead to respiratory problems. If the pH gets too low, it can cause problems with their digestive system of the fish.

Although there are ways that you can seal a seashell to prevent it from changing the pH levels of your tank, the varnish or sealant can then end up being a problem in your tank too.

Releasing Salt Into Your Aquarium Water

Another problem with adding seashells to your betta fish tank is that they can release salt into the water.

Betta fish are very sensitive to changes in their water parameters and so even a small change in the salt levels of the water can cause problems for the fish.

The amount of salt that is released from a seashell will depend on the type of seashell it is and how long it has been in the water.

Many people overlook this risk but even if you wash your seashell in fresh water multiple times, there is still a chance that it can cause issues with the salinity of your betta tank.

Introducing Parasites

The final risk that comes with adding seashells to your betta fish tank is that you could end up introducing parasites into the aquarium.

Some parasites are able to hide inside of some types of shell and some shells may actually have remnants of the creature that used to live in the shell in it too that may have parasites feeding on it.

Even though these parasites will usually be marine parasites, some of them can live in freshwater tanks with minimal issues.