need help figuring out what to do with my sisters betta

[OliveFish05]

In short, I would keep the Betta in the bowl, period. There is no question but that it will be better off, as will the other fish already in the tank.

Adding a male betta to any tank with other small fish is a serious risk, and frankly inhumane. You've no idea as to how the betta may react, nor how the other fish may react. What we do know as scientific fact is that the betta is genetically programmed to live alone and it will always be better alone. There is no argument, this is fact. If the individual betta behaves differently from the norm, that is the exception, and should never be used as the excuse for improper housing.

As for the 2g bowl, thinking only from the aspect of biological science, that is more than sufficient space for a healthy betta. Yes, a 5g tank may make the owner feel better, but none of us can say this about the betta. A fish that is capable of living in wet mud when its habitat water dries up for part of the year is obviously going to think the bowl is paradise--if it can even "think" this way which I seriously doubt.

Risking the health of the fish in the existing tank should not be even considered.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and advice. The only reason I even considered it (and made sure to ask first) was that this was, in my mind, a bit of out of the ordinary situation and I wanted to double check.

 

[Juliepox]

Not all kids are the same. Some 7 or 8 year olds can care just fine for their pets, and some are not ready for the responsibility. It sounds like this kid in particular isn’t ready for the responsibility. Take the fish out of the tank and throw out the sand or gravel and start fresh. This kid needed to have this experience to realize how important it is to understand commitments and responsibilities. It’s part of life. I had a betta for YEARS at that age plus FULL responsibility over my cats for as long as I can remember. Not all kids are the same.

 

[OliveFish05]

Not all kids are the same. Some 7 or 8 year olds can care just fine for their pets, and some are not ready for the responsibility. It sounds like this kid in particular isn’t ready for the responsibility. Take the fish out of the tank and throw out the sand or gravel and start fresh. This kid needed to have this experience to realize how important it is to understand commitments and responsibilities. It’s part of life. I had a betta for YEARS at that age plus FULL responsibility over my cats for as long as I can remember. Not all kids are the same.

Once I was able to guide her and help her understand the responsibility, she really improved her care of him. It is hard to want to do something well and do your best when you don't have the ability to get the things that you need to do it well. She was making the best of the situation she was in, being unable to do her best for the fish because she didn't have access to a larger space or a heater or know what kinds of plants would do well. There is no way for a child to learn about the needs of a betta without someone coming alongside and guiding her.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Not all kids are the same. Some 7 or 8 year olds can care just fine for their pets, and some are not ready for the responsibility. It sounds like this kid in particular isn’t ready for the responsibility. Take the fish out of the tank and throw out the sand or gravel and start fresh. This kid needed to have this experience to realize how important it is to understand commitments and responsibilities. It’s part of life. I had a betta for YEARS at that age plus FULL responsibility over my cats for as long as I can remember. Not all kids are the same.

The day I see a 7 year old taking good care of his/her pet, is the day my faith in humanity will be restored.

 

[OliveFish05]

He built a bubble nest

 

[kcaskew]

My mom let my sister get a betta. Nothing wrong with that. But she was going to make her keep it in a 2 gallon bowl, no filter no heater. Fake colorful pokey plants that are just waiting to tear his fins. Because “it’s a fish”. My sister was only 8. Over the course of two years my sister has lost two bettas and is on her third. In my opinion, this has nothing to do with my sister. She does daily 25% water changes with a cup. We had my aunt take care of the pets while we were on vacation last month, and my aunt let my 6, 8, and 12 year old cousins feed the betta. They were being very careful and giving him a small amount out of a bottle of food you have to shake into the bowl. Well the lid popped off and a ton of food dumped into the bowl. They went and got their mom and let her know what happened, so my aunt did a 100% water change two days in a row but she said she couldn’t get all the food out of the sand and didn’t know what to do. My mom told her it was fine. It’s been a month and with several 100% water changes and daily 25% water changes the water is horribly cloudy and it won’t go away. I have been helping my sister and reminding her to get him fresh water each day, but she says she doesn’t want the fish anymore. She doesn’t like doing daily water changes and my mom won’t let her get a real setup. My sister feels bad for the fish and thinks I can take better care of it. I told my sister I would take the betta, but now I am in a situation where I don’t know what to do with it either. I don’t have a tank for it, but I know it isn’t happy in a bowl. I have a 20 gallon long tank with a BN Pleco and 13 Pygmy and dwarf cories. My plan was to get marbled hatchets fish and green neons. Would it be better to ditch this plan and let the betta live in the tank? I know it isn’t a good idea to have a betta with other fish because of their potentially aggressive behavior, but in this situation which is the better plan moving forward? A betta in a 2 gallon bowl or a betta with some cories, shrimp, and a pleco with a backup plan just in case?

@Byron I want you to know I am not disregarding anything we have talked about as far as stocking for this tank. I am just seeing if there is a better wrong in this situation. I have taken what you have said to heart (about not having the bettas with other fish and not even risking it going wrong) but was not sure if you thought this was an exception. I am torn between knowingly potentially risking harm to the cories and pleco vs knowingly subjecting the betta to inadequate and downright inappropriate living conditions.

@PheonixKingZ


In my opinion this is exactly why parents should be a part of the care of an animal. Even if they just make sure the kid is doing their best and taking care of the pet. In my opinion my sister is not to blame for this so I don’t need anyone telling me she shouldn’t have a pet. I also want to be clear that my cousins have betta of their own who they take decent care of. It was a complete accident on their part and they did the right thing in the situation by letting their mom know what happened.

My advice would be to get that Betta out of that bowl before it dies!

 

[KatNor21]

In my experience, bettas get along fine with peaceful fish like corys, endlers, and tetras. They like to chase dwarf shrimp though. If it were me, I'd introduce the betta into your 20gal and closely monitor for a while to see how it goes and have a backup plan and net in hand. If it works out, the betta would be loads happier there. I wouldn't be too shy about a betta with other fish. It can and has worked just fine for many many fishkeepers. It just depends on the kind of fish and the bettas personality.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

My advice would be to get that Betta out of that bowl before it dies!

Your advice is well out of date.

 

[TreudenVB]

it depends. responsible kids can keep fish. when i was 12 i had a reef tank with 2 clownfish neither one died and they lived like 8 years

 

[OliveFish05]

it depends. responsible kids can keep fish. when i was 12 i had a reef tank with 2 clownfish neither one died and they lived like 8 years

I feel like responsibility is a huge factor, but so is the access to learning materials. If a kid doesn’t have access to the internet or books or a way to lear, how can they be expected to know anything? Many kids, like my sister, simply don’t have access to these things.

 

[TreudenVB]

I feel like responsibility is a huge factor, but so is the access to learning materials. If a kid doesn’t have access to the internet or books or a way to lear, how can they be expected to know anything?

agree compltely

 

[Tacocat]

Do we have an update?

 

[OliveFish05]

Do we have an update?

Got the bowl all cleaned out and set up for him, he even built a bubble nest. Gave him a black worm last night and he got so excited. My sister says she’s happy I took him. She says “I am glad you took him. He is happier, and now I have room for a bonsai tree on my dresser” oh well haha. I guess she likes bonsai trees.

I am trying to think of a way I can get him enough space without really having a “tank”. I am thinking about potentially maybe looking into one of those terrariums with the water tight bases that can be a paludarium type thing. Maybe have the betta on the bottom and something like a White’s Tree Frog for the top/dry part?

 

[Chrenobeno]

Got the bowl all cleaned out and set up for him, he even built a bubble nest. Gave him a black worm last night and he got so excited. My sister says she’s happy I took him. She says “I am glad you took him. He is happier, and now I have room for a bonsai tree on my dresser” oh well haha. I guess she likes bonsai trees.

I am trying to think of a way I can get him enough space without really having a “tank”. I am thinking about potentially maybe looking into one of those terrariums with the water tight bases that can be a paludarium type thing. Maybe have the betta on the bottom and something like a White’s Tree Frog for the top/dry part?

Surely a ‘tank’ is watertight ()I’m struggling to tell the difference? To be honest I have had a biorb tank-bowl before and they are superb for just one fish. You may need gravel as mine had an under gravel filter and an air stone in a tube in the middle for the filtration. I also had a heater but fake plants. It was really effective and looks like a bowl (to satisfy mother) and looks good and would be a good home for betta that’s not a tank. You might have to look up biorb (sizes and any heater mounts etc) my info might be a bit dated but some other guys have suggested it also so maybe worth a search. Good luck!

 

[OliveFish05]

Surely a ‘tank’ is watertight ()I’m struggling to tell the difference? To be honest I have had a biorb tank-bowl before and they are superb for just one fish. You may need gravel as mine had an under gravel filter and an air stone in a tube in the middle for the filtration. I also had a heater but fake plants. It was really effective and looks like a bowl (to satisfy mother) and looks good and would be a good home for betta that’s not a tank. You might have to look up biorb (sizes and any heater mounts etc) my info might be a bit dated but some other guys have suggested it also so maybe worth a search. Good luck!

Biorbs are sooooo expensive for just one fish though! I a, considering my options, and no matter what he needs to stay in the bowl until spring unfortunately due to lack of space. My desk couldn’t hold 5 gallons I don’t think