Betta tanks...

[eudielynn]

I know everyone here wants the best for their fish, but would any of you out there with 3gals or less tanks consider getting a larger tank for your fish after reading this thread?

No. Mine are happy as they are, and I am a firm beliver in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I know of others that tried to move bettas to larger tanks and the bettas stopped eating and swimming. They also became stressed and this led to other problems.

I am not taking any offense to your questions because I had many of the same ones myself 25 years ago when I got my first betta. I have researched, observed and listened to the advice of others who are far more knowledgeable than myself, but I have also gotten to "know" my fish. The more you interact with them the more you will understand their wants and needs, and you can tell when they are happy, sulking, or sick. I really can't explain it any better than that.

Just saw abstract's post. Using a gang valve on an UGF will control the current just fine. My tempermental Batista who hates current does fine with his.

 

[Raechal]

Most of my male bettas have a 10 gallon to themselves. One has like a 7 gallon. And my smallest female has a 2.5 gallon.

I used to keep them in 2-3 gallons, but I figured I had the extra money and thought they deserved to be kept in a larger tank. Then again...I tend to spoil my bettas.

 

[BettaMomma]

I have bettas in tanks of the following size:
1 gallon (2)
1.7 gallon (hospital tank right now)
2.5 gallon (4 and 1 hospital tank)
10 gallon, (2) one divided, one not

I would LOVE to give each and every one of my fish his/her own 5 or 10 gallon tank, as has been mentioned already - I just don't have the room (I have a 2 bedroom apartment - eek!). I also figure that the 14 bettas I have (and the 1 that's already left me) would much rather be in a home like mine where I adore them, feed them a variety of foods, keep them warm and healthy, and I pay lots of attention to them, but yet live in a tank that is 1 gallon, or 2 gallons or even 2.5 gallons over a much larger tank if the conditions weren't so.

One other thing to think about is the path of the life of your betta. Think about where he or she probably lived before he/she got to you. If I remember correctly, someone said that bettas can live with their breeders for months upon months before being shipped out to be sold. So, this means they probably live in little boxes or cups for all of those months. Then once they get purchased and taken home, just imagine the freedom and space you've given them just by putting them into a tank of any kind - say a 1 gallon tank. Since I started keeping them, I haven't taken a betta home with me that's been kept in more than 3 cups of water at the store. I'm pretty sure they were very happy the day I moved them into their 1G tank. It's all relative - it's all they have ever known for living conditions. If you keep their tanks clean, not too cold and give them the proper nutrition I would have to believe they're happy.

I would personally rather see a person with 1000 bettas kept in 1 gallon tanks than 100 bettas kept in 10 gallon tanks. That is the same amount of water, yet 900 less bettas out there that are living a life that isn't in a cup on a shelf somewhere. That might be a really dumb analogy, but I still believe it.

 

[leafs]

as for the ammonia buildup, it is amazing how much a small amount of hornwort or (in my case) water wisteria and java moss can eat up those extra toxins/nutrients!

I was thinking of adding some Hornwort to my tank. Can it get by with just natural light?

 

[FalconStorm]

Wouldn't the size of tank needed really depend on the betta? Also, wouldn't it depend on what you can do with the tank? It seems like a betta, being very intelligent for a fish, would need exercise and something to stimulate the mind more than vast areas. Swimming about in large areas may serve to provide that stimulation, but something interesting in a smaller environment may be just as stimulating.

I know a lot of people on here don't think betta's should be put with other fish, but I am a firm believer in bettas in community tanks. It's not perfect for all of them, or even most of them, but a great source of stimulation is other living things. Even if it is just a snail in a 1 gal with a betta, it is something to interact with. Betta's are not born alone. Every betta, for a time, is with others of its kind. In the wild, I find it highly doubtful that they are the only living things in those rice patties, or even the only fish. Every living thing needs some type of interaction with other living things. For some betta's, their owners are all the interation they need. Others would benefits from a companion that is not another betta.

To be honest, I think size-wise, if the betta can *comfortably* swim a figure 8 in the container, it is plenty of room. They can move freely and enough to get some exercise. If the tank is kept clean, food regularly provided, access to oxygen is available and something is available for them to rest on, all the physical needs have been met. After that, what they need is mental stimulation to stave off boredom. Anything from being near to other bettas, to having a companion in the tank could take care of this need. For the most part, anything that is one gallon or higher meets those requirements, depending on the level of care given by the owner.

I know I'm new to betta keeping, but this all makes sense to me, and the main thing that is true is that each betta is different. Like any other pet, they have different preferences, and like any other responsible pet owner, it is the the betta's owner duty to be willing to reasonably accomodate their pet's whims and personality.

 

[BettaMomma]

Unfortunately any plants you put in will need tank lights, but the plant i've had the best luck with in terms of least amount of light on it is cabomba. Have it in my betta Jack's tank and his light is only on for maybe 30 minutes total each day. The plant is doing fine. Moneywort is really great too - hornwort has been okay for me, but without a lot of lighting it seemed to die off and shed pretty quickly.

 

[eudielynn]

I have bettas in tanks of the following size:
1 gallon (2)
1.7 gallon (hospital tank right now)
2.5 gallon (4 and 1 hospital tank)
10 gallon, (2) one divided, one not

I would LOVE to give each and every one of my fish his/her own 5 or 10 gallon tank, as has been mentioned already - I just don't have the room (I have a 2 bedroom apartment - eek!). I also figure that the 14 bettas I have (and the 1 that's already left me) would much rather be in a home like mine where I adore them, feed them a variety of foods, keep them warm and healthy, and I pay lots of attention to them, but yet live in a tank that is 1 gallon, or 2 gallons or even 2.5 gallons over a much larger tank if the conditions weren't so.

One other thing to think about is the path of the life of your betta. Think about where he or she probably lived before he/she got to you. If I remember correctly, someone said that bettas can live with their breeders for months upon months before being shipped out to be sold. So, this means they probably live in little boxes or cups for all of those months. Then once they get purchased and taken home, just imagine the freedom and space you've given them just by putting them into a tank of any kind - say a 1 gallon tank. Since I started keeping them, I haven't taken a betta home with me that's been kept in more than 3 cups of water at the store. I'm pretty sure they were very happy the day I moved them into their 1G tank. It's all relative - it's all they have ever known for living conditions. If you keep their tanks clean, not too cold and give them the proper nutrition I would have to believe they're happy.

I would personally rather see a person with 1000 bettas kept in 1 gallon tanks than 100 bettas kept in 10 gallon tanks. That is the same amount of water, yet 900 less bettas out there that are living a life that isn't in a cup on a shelf somewhere. That might be a really dumb analogy, but I still believe it.

Well said....as usual.

 

[leafs]

Unfortunately any plants you put in will need tank lights, but the plant i've had the best luck with in terms of least amount of light on it is cabomba. Have it in my betta Jack's tank and his light is only on for maybe 30 minutes total each day. The plant is doing fine. Moneywort is really great too - hornwort has been okay for me, but without a lot of lighting it seemed to die off and shed pretty quickly.

Anubias nana would probably be my best bet. They're very hardy and don't need much light. There a little pricey.

 

[BettaMomma]

Anubias nana - OOoh.
I can't pronounce that.
Nor have I heard of it. lol

I will have to look for that though.
I just got some anacharis too - really like that stuff.

 

[leafs]

Anubias nana - OOoh.
I can't pronounce that.
Nor have I heard of it. lol

I will have to look for that though.
I just got some anacharis too - really like that stuff.

I was told that Anubias is one of the easiest plants to grow. It's pretty hard to kill. It has strong leaves and doesn't grow very quickly. It also stays fairly small. I have some in my 29 gal and there doing really well. I've heard of Anacharis but my lfs doesn't carry any.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

So are small tanks actually better for bettas...?

 

[BettaMomma]

Naah - I wouldn't say that.
It depends on the betta, the owner, what the owner can afford for tank and space, etc. and what the betta seems to prefer, etc.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I just feel if somone can't afford a decent size tank for a fish, should they be getting the fish at all...?

 

[BettaMomma]

Maybe, maybe not...
But, I consider a 1 gallon tank a perfectly suitable size for a fish, especially if they are in need of a good home where they require extra TLC. I'm probably the wrong person to be posting on it, though, because if I had to keep a betta in a drinking glass if it meant making him healthy - I would do it - until I could do more for him, which I ineveitably eventually would.

 

[WILDER]

Well lfs can't keep them right, as long as they are loved and well cared for, what much more could a fish ask for, and they seem happy that's fine with me.