New To Bettas

[guppielover99]

Mine lives in a two gallon pickle jar with no heater or filter. He is very active and does not have a heater or filter. I do water changes twice a week and feed him live foods (which they love) I've had him for over a year now and he seems to be doing great. This is just my opinion. I think the tank he is in is fine, again my opinion.

 

[Arbee]

I have plans to do a small planted tank for him, letting my daughter help.....I think she would enjoy that

 

[SamB]

how would you like to live in a pickle jar? 
 
 
And that sounds like an awesome project! Might even try some co2..

 

[ncguppy830]

Mine lives in a two gallon pickle jar with no heater or filter. He is very active and does not have a heater or filter. I do water changes twice a week and feed him live foods (which they love) I've had him for over a year now and he seems to be doing great. This is just my opinion. I think the tank he is in is fine, again my opinion.

i respect your opinion but your kind of being biased surviving is not thriving do whats best for your fish.

 

[Arbee]

It depends...does the pickle jar have WiFi???  heehehe

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Mine lives in a two gallon pickle jar with no heater or filter. He is very active and does not have a heater or filter. I do water changes twice a week and feed him live foods (which they love) I've had him for over a year now and he seems to be doing great. This is just my opinion. I think the tank he is in is fine, again my opinion.

 
I recommend that you get a 3-5+ gallon tank, (bigger is better). If you did this your Betta would be a lot happier and even mroe active. The fact that he's active now means he should really get a bigger tank to "spread his fins".

 

[ncguppy830]

you should read this if you want to care for a betta properly,http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421795-required-recommended-and-optional-list-of-equipment-to-keep-bettas/

 

[Arbee]

Thanks for the link!

I am amazed with how interactive bettas are.  He follows me around the tank like a puppy.  Probably hoping for his pellets, but its still very endearing!

 

[Ninjouzata]

They're great! Mine stopped following me as much because I havn't been sitting down and interacting with him Working on that now though!
Some people teach them tricks

 

[Mamashack]

It really does rely on the individual betta temperament whether you try them in a community tank. I have mine in with a male platy (who was removed from the platy tank for aggressive behaviour as an adolescent) 3 amano shrimp and an assassin snail. My betta has never been overtly aggressive to the others but he has taught the platy his place

. I keep the tank at 28-29°C.
Most fish prefer to swim side to side rather than up and down or round in circles unless they are distressed so the bigger the tank the better. It's a myth that they only live in tiny mud puddles in their natural environment. They may be able to survive like that for a short while during the dry season, but otherwise they have acres of paddy fields to roam about in.

 

[Wildbetta]

Adding a betta to a community tank is always a risk.  The betta could be highly aggressive or highly stressed with the situation.  Bettas prefer to be alone and do not get lonely.  Although I know of it working most of the time, I do not recommend putting a betta with any other fish except cory cats (in the proper sized tank of course).  
Now for the vase---I have kept some bettas in these accommodations before when I had to move them around.  I don't recommend them though as bettas need the larger surface area that a longer size tank provides.  They really need the room to swim as well.  The fact that you do have a container of around 4 gallons (minus any stuff you have added in there of course) with a filter and a heater is great to hear at this point.  The temperature needs to be at least 78F for him to be his healthiest so a heater that is adjustable is best.  You do need something to cover the top of the vase though as bettas are big jumpers and can clear amazing heights.  A piece of craft mesh will work easily and is pretty cheap.
 
 
 guppielover99, on 15 Jul 2013 - 9:53 PM, said:

Mine lives in a two gallon pickle jar with no heater or filter. He is very active and does not have a heater or filter. I do water changes twice a week and feed him live foods (which they love) I've had him for over a year now and he seems to be doing great. This is just my opinion. I think the tank he is in is fine, again my opinion.

This is not a good way to advocate for a betta.  Unless the jar is in a temperature controlled fish room, then the temperature of the jar is not a steady temperature which is what is important.   Keeping a betta in a pickle jar is not a good idea unless you are keeping breeders or jarring fry in which case the fish don't normally stay in those quarters for extended periods of time.  The lack of a filter is not a big deal and that fact that you are doing water changes twice a week is a great thing though.  I do recommend something bigger for him and a heater to keep the temperature at a steady warm (78F +) temperature and you will be amazed at the difference in your betta.

 

[Ny82]

Mine lives in a two gallon pickle jar with no heater or filter. He is very active and does not have a heater or filter. I do water changes twice a week and feed him live foods (which they love) I've had him for over a year now and he seems to be doing great. This is just my opinion. I think the tank he is in is fine, again my opinion.

 
That reminds me of the LFS I go to, to get my live food. They have fighters in tiny vases. They hardly have room to turn around, they are so lethargic and just so poorly looking. I have said in another post it's hard to walk away but someone reminded me that me taking it, is just creating another space to be filled. It's absolutely appalling how they can be kept like that, and people say they are happy.  

 

[Arbee]

I was lamenting that same point yesterday in the pet store 8(  They are also cold!!

 

[Ny82]

Yeah they definitely need heat. Once you break this mind set that they live in filthy puddles with no heat, we will see a breakthrough. At the moment, they think they doing nothing wrong.