A 5 gallon tank with a filter is much easier to keep than a small jar, and much better for the Betta too. Lots of people don't give their Betta a chance to settle into a bigger tank before they decide "oops, see it's not working" and force it back into the jar. A Betta needs time to explore and establish its territory, and then it will be much less stressed in its' bigger tank.
Some of the reasons bigger is better:
1) The water quality is more stable. A suitable tank doesn't get dirty as quickly as a small jar. Ammonia and nitrite build up in aquariums and they build up much faster in a small bowl or jar (these chemicals will harm your fish). The water in a bowl needs to be completely changed every few days. The water in a tank only needs to be partially changed once a week. It's actually much less work!
2) Bettas are tropical fish and the temperature in the larger tank is more stable than a bowl. Most of the heating supplies you will find for aquariums are intended for at least 3-5 gallons. You won't find suitable heating equipment for a jar, and the temperature cannot fluctuate, or the fish will weaken.
3) The fish needs exercise! A Bettas' life span increases along with the size of its' tank. A fish in a bowl might live for a year or two (maybe), but in a tank they can live out their full life span, up to 3 or 4 years. Here's a article that explains how Bettas in laboratories with lots of space and regular exercise have even made it up to 9 years:
[URL="http
/www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=3&did=24653&lang=kr"]http/www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view....653&lang=kr[/URL] They are fish just like any other and need room to swim around.
4) A tank is more beautiful! Really, why get an exotic fish like a Betta and then keep it in a stupid jar? Get a tank, add some nice gravel, lots of nice plants, and some gentle lighting. When your tank looks good, you will enjoy your pet more. Having a fully decorated tank will keep your Betta moving and those gorgeous fins flowing.
As for that article, it's a bit ridiculous. Sure the fish get shipped in small bags, but they certainly aren't meant to live like that forever, not in the wild and certainly not in the home. This statement, "Since they came in these tiny bags, you know you can keep them in bowls," is laughable. It is not fact, it is just opinion, and it's the opinion of someone who hopes to sell a lot of cheap fish bowls.
Anyway, people who really get the full enjoyment of owning a Betta enjoy giving them the best of care. When you do it right, you get much more out of the hobby.
