Betta setup question

[jenricae]

I found myself with a betta fish that wasn't wanted so i took a 1g vase i had and re-made it into his home. I put some gravel and a few shells and java moss into it and lit it with a small LED light.

I've had this setup going for a few months now and the betta and java moss are all doing fine. He's very responsive and his colours are great. From all appearances he's very healthy.

I can't help but think that this might not be the ideal situation for this male betta. Is it okay to keep him in this size of bowl? what is the smallest space suited for a single male betta? do they need tankmates? if so, what?

 

[paperdog9]

It is reccommended to house them in 2.5 gallons or more, and they like thier water at a temperature of 76-82 degrees, so a heater might be neccisary as well. They do not NEED tankmates, and will be perfectly fine alone. It sounds like he's happy and healthy, and live plants are good, especially in unfiltered tanks. Does this help?

 

[Thyra]

Bettas can have varied personalities. I kept one in a vase for close to two years. Then I got on this forum and it was recommending at least 2.5g so I got him all set up. He was never happy again. Evidently he liked the security of a confined space. The biggest problem with the vase is heating, but there are several possibilities. One is a goose neck lamp. You need to take the temp frequently to see just where to set it, but I found I could keep it between 76-78 degrees easily. I left it on all night - don't know if that is good or bad. I have read that in the wild they will live in very confined areas and even breed if a female can find a way to slither through the mud and get to them. I "Googled" some breeders and from the pictures I could see it looks like they keep them in plastic bags and/or small jars.

 

[CatKittyFish]

I have to agree with thyra. Bettas are a fish with ALOT of personality. Sometimes they like smaller tanks better. I guess it's just what u find will work for him. I currently have 4 bettas. All in different size tanks depending on the response ii get from them. Right now my only unhappy fish is my crowntail. I downgraded him and he doesn't like it lol. As long as he seems happy I wouldn't mess with it set up. I do agree with the temp requirements and I know u can buy little small heaters for them if needed. But other than that....sounds great to me

 

[IThinkTherefore]

If you are going to keep a betta in a one gallon tank, you will *need* to do 100% water changes every two to three days, and be sure he has access to plenty of surface area. Frequent water changes are stressful for fish, but the ammonia from your betta's waste can be lethal.

Betta are tropical fish and cold water can make them more susceptible to ich, fin rot, and other diseases or parasites. 76-78 degrees is ideal.

Finally, betta do not live in confined areas of water or mud puddles. They live in shallow expanses of water that can contain thousands of gallons of water and be and miles wide. During the dry season, they sometimes can be trapped in puddles so developed the ability to extract oxygen from the surface air and survive toxic levels of ammonia for short periods of time. Because they can exist like this, they are often kept in the bare minimum for survival.

Breeders keep betta in jars the way breeders keep dogs in crates: it isn't ideal, but the only practical way to have a thousand fish in the house.

Remember, that bowl is his entire world. A 2.5 gallon tank and heater can be found second-hand for next to nothing, and a five gallon would be able to hold a cycle. Your fish would be much, much happier in a larger home.




And as for those whose betta prefer small tanks, did the larger tanks have strong currents or lack hiding places? Also I've heard that some betta simply take time to adjust to a larger home, but after a few weeks zoom all over the place.

Just my .02

 

[Dylandrewsdad]

Just my .02

Your .02 is well worth it! Great advice!

 

[aakaakaak]

Tangent:
Actually, once you crate train a dog they use it as a security shelter in stressful situations. When things are going on in the house they actually perfer the familiar confines of their crate. Like fish, not all dogs are like this. However, most are if trained properly.

 

[Thyra]

I agree with Aak about the security situation. It is my understanding that most of the bettas easily available are not bred in the wild and so they know nothing but the small container they are raised in. In fact the books I have read say those in natural surroundings tend to stay in a very small area and defend that area - that is probably why they haven't killed each other to the point of extinction. They each have their own personality. I had one that I have no doubt preferred his bowl. When I put him in the 2 1/2 g tank with the same decor and in the same place in the kitchen, he never again blew bubbles (which I have been told is a sign of a happy betta) or got excited about me cooking, etc. I have another in a 5g which seems quite happy and another in a 16g who seems very content, but stays in about an area a fourth of the size of the tank. Their personalities (and colors) are what makes them so attractive. I read somewhere that it was actually a ichthyologist that came up with and promoted the betta in a bowl concept.

 

[bassbonediva]

There's a distinct difference between using a crate for a dog every once in a while and the dog living in the crate 24/7/365 where its forced to live in it's own feces for even short periods of time and never gets ANY exercise. THAT is what keeping a betta in a small tank is like. Ammonia builds up in a small tank much more quickly than it does in larger tanks, even if the small tank has a filter.

I currently have three male bettas. One is in a 9gal long tank, one is in a 10gal tank, and one is in a 20gL with three panda cories. All three tanks are heated, filtered, and planted. ALL of those three boys are healthy, happy, active and have tons of personality. No, they don't build bubblenests (I've only ever had one betta that blew a bubblenest), but there are other ways to tell if they're happy than just bubblenests. If they want to interact with you (each of my boys comes up to the front of the tank when they see me approach, but won't if it's someone else) and their colors are good, they're happy. I have never had a happy betta in a tiny tank.

As far as bettas' habitats in the wild, they are found in rice paddies and pools that are generally about three feet deep. Their territories extend to about a three-foot diameter centered around a central feature, such as a plant or tree root. They are not found in puddles, which is what the bowls sold for them are equivalent to.

 

[aakaakaak]

From what I remember, bettas prefer leaf hammocks in shaded corners to dog crates.

Thanks for clarifying what I left dangling. I didn't mean crate life as the ONLY thing.

Edit: In some cases a properly crate trained dog will hold their bodily fluids while stuck in a crate until they go toxic and die. That's when they release what they've been holding. Puppy mills don't properly crate train so the dogs will do their business in their own crates.

 

[bassbonediva]

From what I remember, bettas prefer leaf hammocks in shaded corners to dog crates.

Thanks for clarifying what I left dangling. I didn't mean crate life as the ONLY thing.

Edit: In some cases a properly crate trained dog will hold their bodily fluids while stuck in a crate until they go toxic and die. That's when they release what they've been holding. Puppy mills don't properly crate train so the dogs will do their business in their own crates.

I think you're taking the crate analogy a bit too far. lol The point of the dog crate analogy is as I said: You wouldn't make a dog live in a crate too small for it 24/7/365 without taking it out and letting it's waste build up (like puppy mills do), so why would you do the same to a betta?

 

[aakaakaak]

Lol, sorry paige. The edit was a random tangent unrelated to anything but the difference between proper and impropor crate training. It's got nothing to do with betas.

 

[IThinkTherefore]

Your .02 is well worth it! Great advice!

Thank you *twirlysmi

Tangent:
Actually, once you crate train a dog they use it as a security shelter in stressful situations.

I'm definitely with you there! I didn't mean to talk bad about crating in general - I've always crate trained puppies, it makes house training soooo much easier!

There's a distinct difference between using a crate for a dog every once in a while and the dog living in the crate 24/7/365 where its forced to live in it's own feces for even short periods of time and never gets ANY exercise.

This I agree with as well - crate training is awesome, but of course not to live in permanently .

. In fact the books I have read say those in natural surroundings tend to stay in a very small area and defend that area - that is probably why they haven't killed each other to the point of extinction.

Wild betta are territorial, but not as aggressive as our modern versions, which were originally bred to fight. In the wild, the fish will spar and the weaker will leave, rarely causing injury. However selective breeding has made it so that a modern betta splendens is more likely to fight to the death, even with room to retreat

 

[Thyra]

That is exactly what I meant - they defend their territory, but don't go looking to take on bigger territory - and their territory, according to what I read, is relatively small.