Betta's in Bowls vs. Free Willy

[JesusFreak44131992]

I think it depends I can see why people would say no and I see why people would say yes, This is just an expirement so go at it. Remeber its someones opinion so be curteous ok?

 

[Durbkat]

I chose in a bowl well heated because I've had bettas that hated the bowl life and preferred a 2.5 gallon tank then I've had bettas that preferred the bowl life. It just depends on the temperment of the betta.

 

[JesusFreak44131992]

I agree with you on warm bowl life my Bettas when I put them in my aquarium seemed lost and confused but in the bowls they love it so mine live in 2.5 gallon vases with no tops obviously.

 

[MegTheFish]

mine live in 2.5 gallon vases with no tops obviously.

I would get some tops for those vases if you don't want betta jerky! Bettas are well known for their jumping.

 

[RandomWiktor]

This poll seems a little biased
You say "huge aquariums," yet not "little bowls." Very interesting.
Surely there are many aquariums that are hardly "huge." As we all know, not all bettas are comfortable with large aquariums, due to thier territoriality and heavy finnage, but most are quite perfectly happy in 2.5-10 gallons. I keep all of my bettas in 5-10 gallons, and they are happy, healthy, active, agressive, mentally simulated, and fine bubblenesters. I have kept them in bowls before, and while they were also healthy and good bubblenesters, they just sat around at the top or bottom of the bowl doing nothing because they had nothing to explore or do; the aquascaping in a bowl will never compare to what you can do in an aquarium.

 

[mstinawu]

spazzy seems perfectly happy even though he's sitting in an unheated bowl on my desk in my office.. the temperature is always a constant 75 degrees in here though..

 

[Durbkat]

Yeah bettas are perfectly fine in bowls as long as you have a neighbor in a near by tank so they can flare or put a mirror behind the tank for alittle while so they can get some action.

 

[RandomWiktor]

Mine flare at ME!

I used to have my bettas set so they could see one another, but I found that my fin-biter tended to shred himself up more often when other bettas were around, so he is now isolated. He seems pretty content just flaring at me anyways. Must be all those brightly colored tye dye shirts I wear.

 

[Elise]

I didn't vote because I have both and I think as long as it's a good temp, clean, has a plant or two, and the betta has interaction whether with you or another betta, they are happy. I have bettas in a 10 gal, 2.5, split 2.5, split 5, and a bunch of 1 gals. Mine all bubblenest and eat and dance just as happily as anyone else!

 

[bettaBetta]

Bowls are ok, but I'll forever prefer aquariums. Poseidon loves his tank. If I had the time and money all my current and future betta would have an aquarium, but obviously I don't. Lol.

 

[JBN]

My opinion (so don't hunt me down and kill me). I dislike bowls because it's hard to clean but I prefer jars that is at least 1/2 a gallon heated. Imagine this...you have over 100 bettas, so would you buy an invidual aquariums for each one? Heck no unless you're pretty rich. What I'm saying is that if you're going for bowls heated, get at least a 1/2 gallon and heat each jars together in a 10 gallon tank or something. Aquariums is not good for a betta IMO. I remember my 5th grade teacher had 1 betta in a strong current over 50+ gallons aquarium. He was the only fish in the tank at that time. So...in conclusion: UP with 1/2 gallon + jars, DOWN with aquariums

 

[RandomWiktor]

Actually, 1 gallon is supposedly the absolute minimum acceptable betta habitat size, so far as promoting good health, cleanliness, temperature control, and behavioral enrichment goes.

Your teacher was a dingbat if she kept a betta in a 50 gallon with a strong current. While bettas like to have space, I've found that anything over 10-20gallons is just too overwhelming for them; it is way too deep, and they have trouble figuring out how to defend such a large territory.

 

[Elise]

I'd have to agree. When Carp was alone in the 10 gal, he was constantly racing from one end to another staking out his territory and was constantly stress-striped. But in a split 2.5 or split 5 or just a simple 1 gal, he had not even one stress stripe!

 

[lljdma06]

I couldn't vote. I've kept bettas both ways. Mind the largest tank that any of my bettas has been in is Fasolt in the 15g, but I would consider keeping a betta in something larger if the tank wasn't too deep (18 inches, the height of the 15), and the current was weak. I would rather keep a plakat in a larger tank, perhaps even a giant in a larger tank. I think that would be something for me to explore in the future. They may like a larger tank that still wasn't quite as deep. But I'm just thinking aloud.

 

[Ethos]

I prefer bowls.
Both cheaper, and in my opinion, better looking with bettas.
Unless you have 2 bettas together in one tank without a divider, thats pretty cool.