Betta Care

[omega59]

Hi,

I want to get a single Betta fish. What is the required minimum tank size to house one? I read 1.5-2gallons will do ?

 

[Cazgar]

I'd say a minimum of 3 gallons, but 5 is better.

 

[lilfishie]

it differs for each person, i have kept bettas in 3 gals fine before currently all of mine have at least 5 gal

 

[omega59]

Would it matter if i got a male or female? are females more aggressive?

 

[lilfishie]

females are generally less aggressive,you cannot keep the 2 together, only females if you want mulitple

 

[omega59]

ahh okay, i will get a female then. Now is there anything else i need to know before selecting a healthy betta, what to look for?

 

[sheffieldlad]

ahh okay, i will get a female then. Now is there anything else i need to know before selecting a healthy betta, what to look for?

Make sure you have a heater and cycled filter which i realise doesn't fully answer your question but some people seem to think bettas don't require either.

The link in my sig has an article somewhere in it about betta care.

 

[FishFanatic04]

I have my Betta in a 3.5 gallon w/ filter and heater and he seems very happy..I would love for him to have more space even and I wouldn't want to go smaller.

 

[pablothebetta]

I personally wouldn't want to keep a betta in under 5 US gallons, though that's probably down to me keeping mine in a 7.4 US gallon tank (he was previously in a 4 US gallon tank, but his behaviour and activity levels improved dramatically when I upgraded his tank). I have heard them doing fine in tanks less than that, but I wouldn't recommend under 3 US gallons - it would seem far too small IME.

Be sure not to have any plastic plants in there or any coarse/sharp edges, as they can damage the bettas fins. Instead, make sure you have silk or live plants and 'Betta-safe' decor

 

[Rummynose]

If you want to choose a healthy Betta, pick up the container in which the fish is in. See how responsive the fish is, does it flare, does it swim around, does it follow your finger and interact with you, or is it lethargic, doesn't show any interest in what is going on....
Does the fish look healthy, no torn fins, no spots or tumors, does the fish look normal?

Some people deliberately choose Bettas that aren't doing so well in their little cups in the store. They take on the challenge of nursing it back to health, to give it a chance at life! If you're a first time Betta owner I would not recommend that, because there is a lot of things you need to know regarding medications and such to be truly helpful to this little life.

Have a look at spome pictures of how Bettas are supposed to look like before you go to the store. Most Bettas in petstores are Veiltail Bettas. Know how the male one looks as opposed to the female. Hope this helps!

 

[omega59]

How come they keep them in cups with such small amount of water if they require 1-3gallons roughly? They don't seem healthy or happy for that matter. I know walmart has some too I may go check them out.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Because they can handle a good amount of harmful chemicals in their tank but that does not mean this is how they should be kept

 

[Rummynose]

How come they keep them in cups with such small amount of water if they require 1-3gallons roughly? They don't seem healthy or happy for that matter. I know walmart has some too I may go check them out.

Bettas are labyrinth fish (anabantids) so they can also breathe surface air. I would think most other fish would suffocate in this little cup of water. Bettas can survive in small amounts of water, but long term it is not a healthy environment.

In their natural habitat the little puddles Bettas can be found in usually connect to larger bodies of water, they probably get cut off from the larger body of water when the water levels fall, but they have evolved to be able to survive in these puddles until the water rises. Because of this ability it seems to be encouraged to house Bettas in small containers. Fish are meant to swim, not hover in one spot!

 

[sheffieldlad]

How come they keep them in cups with such small amount of water if they require 1-3gallons roughly? They don't seem healthy or happy for that matter. I know walmart has some too I may go check them out.

They keep puppies in cages in some pet stores. You wouldn't take one home and keep it in a cage would you?

 

[omega59]

Because of this ability it seems to be encouraged to house Bettas in small containers. Fish are meant to swim, not hover in one spot!

Yeah I agree i think that is the reason why we see them in small cups. I found a local shop down the road. so i went in and they had all the males near the "wash & bag" station in the containers. But all the females were free swimming in the larger tanks with other fish such as tetras, barbs, corydoras. They also sell packages which include a small box tank that's probably no more than a few cups of water. Anyhow, the females looked happy and healthy i will say and i may purchase a female along with maybe a 5 gallon tank.