Is a 3 gallon bookshelf aquarium suitable for a betta?

[Ram419]

I just got this 5gal Tetra crescent aquarium. I'm so excited! Going to put a male betta in it. Plants coming next week!

 

[Mint]

Looks great! I know Petco sometimes sells these awesome Halfmoon Koi betta, so you can look into that. Or maybe a wild-type Betta Imbellis? That would look nice too, especially a spadetail. The butterfly betta look nice, too, along with black betta. If you want a lot of movement, the plakat work well.

Anyways, for my tank, I’m trying to keep the cost under 100 bucks, as I have other fishtanks I want to set up, (currently looking into stocking a 55 gallon), so if the 3 is alright, I’ll just use that: he’s not very active anyways. Most of his motivation to move comes from food and jumping to bite my finger. I was also considering making this a “red” tank, using all red plants, since he’s a blue/black betta. Would look gorgeous…only problem might be Co2. I do think red carpet plants exist, so that would work. Still wary of floating plants, though. He does have a betta log, so if it’s just a cover thing, I’ll put that in. I may end up with cherry shrimp in there, as he’s not very aggressive. Then again…not sure how it would work. Might toss a ghost shrimp in there first to test it.

Edit: just found this.

Alternanthera Reineckii Mini Tissue Culture | Aquarium Plants Factory®

Alternanthera Reineckii 'Mini' aka ARM has vibrant pink, red leaves. The plant has a compact form of growth and they are often seen in Dutch-style planted aquarium designs. The high light intensity and the addition of CO2 improve the plant's growth and overall appearance. Sold as a Tissue...

aquariumplantsfactory.com

It doesn’t need Co2. My current thinking is that I trim it and keep it short as a carpet plant. Good idea or not?
I also found a red moss. Have a really good idea now. Only problem is that it doesn’t come in tissue culture.

 

[Ram419]

I have a female plakat betta in a 5gal with 5 red cherry shrimp and a nerite snail. They are fine with each other.

 

[Mint]

Hmm. I’ll try it then. I really want a shrimp tank, it’s just that they’re conveniently placed snacks for all the fish I keep. Is your betta really passive? Or a former sorority girl?

 

[Ram419]

She's pretty passive.

 

[sharkweek178]

One thing about a tank that small is that you have no room for error. Then things go bad, they go bad fast.

 

[Mint]

True. I have kept small tanks before, however, so I think I can handle it. He’s currently in a regular five gallon. Unfortunately that has to move fairly soon, as the dresser it’s on is going to be moved for a larger tank, so I’m finding tanks I can put him in on my bookshelf. Also, I made the awful choice of putting his tank right next to the window, so I really have to work at not turning it pea-soup green.
Then I’m good with the shrimp, my male is really passive too.

 

[Ram419]

She's pretty passive.

Here she is today communing with the shrimps.

 

[Fishies4Ever]

Here she is today communing with the shrimps.

View attachment 318637

I love that purple spot on her back. She’s so unique.

 

[Mint]

Awww, she’s so pretty. The female bettas are always so cute when you see them.
I’ve ordered the tank. Actually, ordered two: I just found a site selling my dream bettas, Halfmoon koi. Have decided to add a Tiger Lily to the tank, since they don’t seem to grow enough to trap him. The other tank, I’m planning as a typical planted tank, with a large cave as a focus.

 

[GaryE]

Gallons, to a point, are meaningless. I have seen 20 gallon tall cubes that are functionally 5 gallon tanks when it comes to swimming space. Your 3 gallon option is really interesting, because it is long (room to move) and shallow (Bettas could not care less about depth). You would really need to be on top of the water changes, as 3 gallons is not a forgiving water volume. The tank would be a little more unstable than a standard 5, but 20 more minutes a week would solve that.
One offbeat observation - I have kept killies in shallow tanks, and they seem more likely to jump out than in taller tanks. Betta splendens are jumpers, like all surface fish, and the only thing saving a lot of them is the handicap of breeder chosen fins slowing them. Consider a good top.

 

[Mint]

The tank does come with a lid with what seems like about a quarter of a inch of room, so it should be alright with the jumping. Lid will have to be cut to fit the filter, though, so that’s a problem. If worst comes to worst, I can stretch aquarium netting over the top.
I’m fine with extra water changes. Thankfully, he’s just a betta, so not much waste, and I’ll have a good filter system. Cascade 20, probably. There will be MTS in the tank, along with red cherry shrimp if that works. Also possibly a Nerite snail or two, but I’m not sure if they eat plants or not.

 

[Jamie D.]

The tank does come with a lid with what seems like about a quarter of a inch of room, so it should be alright with the jumping. Lid will have to be cut to fit the filter, though, so that’s a problem. If worst comes to worst, I can stretch aquarium netting over the top.

I have a very small HOB filter for my 6 gal, and the intake/spillover is only as wide as the clips I hang the glass top on. It fits just fine in the small gap between the lid and the side of the tank. So depending on what kind of filter you have, you might be okay with that quarter inch allowance without having to cut the lid.