I would have ot disagree with this thread. I agree that IDEALLY 5-10 gallons (the bigger the better) is best. However you can have them in a smaller vase or tank without a filter if you change the water frequently. I have had my betta for over a year in a vase with a live plant (fish plant, not house plant) and I change the water once - twice per week and he is doing just fine. I feed him a variety of blood worms/brine srimp/betta pellets once a day, and there is still a good amount of room for him to swim around and flare his fins up at his mirror. He had pretty bad fin rot when I got him but his fins look great now.
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Betta owners -URGENT ATTENTION-
- Thread starter pixietina
- Start Date
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #22
I know breeders who keep theres in vases that hold 3-4 gallons which is ine as long as a water change is taken place 1 every 2 days minimum
A lot of that depends on climate too.
Around here, a large vase or small tank would overheat and evaporate far, far too quickly.
5 gallons is the minimum I can do without getting superheated water.
And being in a travel trailer, there is no such thing as locating a tank away from a window.
I do have blinds and they do help, but the trailer itself heats up, even with AC.
I keep my tank wrapped with damp bath towels during the day just to help keep the temps from getting too high.
If I had a bit more room in my cabana, I'd set up a patio pond with a betta and some mosquitofish.
Around here, a large vase or small tank would overheat and evaporate far, far too quickly.
5 gallons is the minimum I can do without getting superheated water.
And being in a travel trailer, there is no such thing as locating a tank away from a window.
I do have blinds and they do help, but the trailer itself heats up, even with AC.
I keep my tank wrapped with damp bath towels during the day just to help keep the temps from getting too high.
If I had a bit more room in my cabana, I'd set up a patio pond with a betta and some mosquitofish.
It's been a while since I kept bettas. The last tank I had with them was a heavily planted 55 gallon that also contained cories, Harlequin rasboras and Dwarf loaches.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #25
maybe i should make it clearer....
the i-pond is the newest enemy
the i-pond is the newest enemy
Ohhh yes. I agree that all of those 'tanks' are quite awful and sad. I HATE seeing them in little cups.
This is my guy steve jr.
This is my guy steve jr.
I have always thought it was strange that they were in such tiny little jars
I've only had a few bettas and they were females in my 30 gallon tank, along with a bunch of sword tails and platys.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #28
i find the females are alot nicer too keep so plesant!Originally Posted by EnzoLeya
I have always thought it was strange that they were in such tiny little jarsI've only had a few bettas and they were females in my 30 gallon tank, along with a bunch of sword tails and platys.
although its easy too make the mistake and get a short tailed male
My worst fearOriginally Posted by pixietina
i find the females are alot nicer too keep so plesant!
although its easy too make the mistake and get a short tailed male
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #30
i spent a fair few months studying genetics and tail types... so if i see a plekat id snatch it up, whereas halfmoon betta's are rarer, but im sooo picky about the perfect finnageOriginally Posted by Aussie_Dog
My worst fear. On the other hand, Plakats are hard to come by in petstores (which usually only sell Veiltails, and Crowntails) so if I found one, I might think it a blessing in disguise. A Plakat, just for me! lol, though I'd have to run out and get another tank. But it would suck if one of the "girls" was bullying and fighting the rest, and you're sure that it's a male ("yay, another fintype to round out my collection!"), only to find out that nope, it's all girl. So you're fresh outta luck and gotta watch the big girl beat up the other girls, unless you separate her, too, in her own little tank.
I really think it's sad how they market them as being able to live in like... 2 cups of water.
When I got my very first Betta I kept him in a 2 gallon bowl which he loved. He passed away and my interest in fish grew slightly. We had gotten little gold comets for the water troughs at the barn and the new barn owner didn't want the fish anymore so I took the fishy from my horse's feeder home. He is now in a 20 gallon tank with a female betta I bought 2-3 years ago. She's still kicking along... acting a bit strange though. She has been laying up onto the filter where it sucks the water in, but comes up for snacks whenever I come in the room so who knows... anyway she's quite happy in her 20 gallon digs. I would never keep ANY fish in a those tiny bowls... there's no way you could change the water enough, not to mention frequent water changes are so stressful on the fish. I never understood the tiny jars they say bettas can live in...
When I got my very first Betta I kept him in a 2 gallon bowl which he loved. He passed away and my interest in fish grew slightly. We had gotten little gold comets for the water troughs at the barn and the new barn owner didn't want the fish anymore so I took the fishy from my horse's feeder home. He is now in a 20 gallon tank with a female betta I bought 2-3 years ago. She's still kicking along... acting a bit strange though. She has been laying up onto the filter where it sucks the water in, but comes up for snacks whenever I come in the room so who knows... anyway she's quite happy in her 20 gallon digs. I would never keep ANY fish in a those tiny bowls... there's no way you could change the water enough, not to mention frequent water changes are so stressful on the fish. I never understood the tiny jars they say bettas can live in...
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #32
some breeders are worse for it would you believe theres jam jars they find they keep bettas in and the newest is a beanie box
grrr
I've had steve jr. for a year and this thread made me break out my three gallon eclipse! He was only in a one gallon vase, and was doing pretty good. But he is much happier I think in this bigger home
I did have to rig up the filter and block it to make the water flow MUCH slower though as it was WAY to strong for him.
I may consider getting him a friend. I don't know if three gallons is big enough though or what to get him!!
I did have to rig up the filter and block it to make the water flow MUCH slower though as it was WAY to strong for him.
I may consider getting him a friend. I don't know if three gallons is big enough though or what to get him!!
Oh thankgoodness!!! Someone said it!! I soooo feel the same way but since I really am not educated in this type of fish I didn't know. Actually, when I was a kid I did own a betta and did place him in a large aquarium with my other fish. He got along fine with everyone else.
don't have anything in the tank at present - i'm hoping to switch schools for next year, & the fish live at school [except over holidays & the summer, of course!].
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #36
african dwarf frogs are apparently good with them, but my personal favorite is corydoras,rasboras or ottos...Originally Posted by laureen227
what kind of fish are good 'betta companions'? i've got a small tank w/a divider, so i can have 2 bettas... but i'd prefer having a single betta & some other compatible fish.
don't have anything in the tank at present - i'm hoping to switch schools for next year, & the fish live at school [except over holidays & the summer, of course!].
all great little fish tetras and guppies arent the best too go with bettas due too tetras nibble the beutiful fins and guppies look alot like bettas which gets the males al wound up and attack em
Cherry barbs can also do well in a betta tank. They color up nicely, especially the males, and they aren't nippy like some other barbs. Very peaceful fish.
