Poll Suitable Tank Size For 1 Betta

[lilfishie]

I do agree that for more experienced owners such as you Liz then smaller than a 15l can/is acceptable as you know your routine and such but to a new betta keeper i usually suggest the bigger the better, saying that i do for all fish not just bettas

As i said i am planning on breeding and my male seperating tanks are 3l at most and they can hold 2 fish if needed but would get daily water changes

 

[Mikaila31]

It seems opinions are split on this. It's very interresting to hear both sides of the story. I suppose in the end it boils down to personal choice. As long as regular maintence is kept up the betta should be fine.

I will stick to no less than 15 litres but for those who have smaller tanks at least they know that experienced people have had no problems keeping them in these tanks and have had healthy happy long lived Bettas.

Out of interest as it's been bugging me as I'm cycling my betta tank. If you don't have a filter obviously you don't have to cycle so can I add my betta now? What happens amonia and nitrite wise in a small unfiltered tank. This is a serious question not a dig or anything lol. I wanna know because I have reserved a betta and amting for the tank to cycle. If I add him would he be ok?

I think one persons "cruel" is another persons good by what's been said so far. I really am not anywhere near knowledgeable enough on betta's to be an expert, maybe not even a novice. I'd always though that bigger the tank, the happier the fish. Maybe this isn't the case with betta's but as I said, I'm not an expert.

Totally agreed I am animal mad so am a bit of a crusader lol. But experienced people have shown another side to the story which is good.

You asked, I shall answer. When I keep bettas in bowls, I utilize sprigs of the Pothos plant (Epipremnum aureum). As long as the leaves are not submerged, stems of the plant can be submerged in water indefinitely. I've had sprigs submerged for years. Ammonia is uitilized by plants very quickly. Because the plant's leaves are above the surface, it can process a great deal of carbon dioxide, you have a plant with a higher metabolism for removing waste from the water. The sprigs grow roots and the environment becomes very clean actually. My male betta just got through a month of me being on holiday with only top-offs because he had pothos sprigs and free-floating moss in his bowl. A huge plant mass to accomodate any ammonia build up. He's doing great.

By the way, saw you edited the poll. I can't win this one, can I? Oh, just make it yes or no... It's so much nicer. See, I even answered your question, despite you thinking me cruel...

Liz

I don't think you're cruel at all Liz. I'm just animal mad and have strong views and I've been proved wrong. Thats something I didn't know about the plants I'm gonnna check that out now.

Yet in your opinion, the way I keep my bettas is... You won't find the plant information readily. That's just something I did along the way as I practiced this hobby. Just applying something my family always did living in a sub tropical climate and then taking it a step further. Knowing a bit about plants helps too.

Liz

EDIT: LOL, saw you edited the poll yet again. This is better. I'm starting to get to you... I always say, more than one way to skin a cat. Not that I'd ever skin one. I like cats, I have two.

Yep thats how its done. You can use any plant really, aquatic or non-aquatic as long as it grows. I prefer aquatics, but a reptile shop I was at not to long ago had pothos in all the amphibian tanks. Its a very common house plant. I never filtered a betta tank and all my tanks are stable and never show poor water quality. Maintaining a common bacterial 'cycle' in a tank is only one method of making a balanced tank. It is the most common, but does not mean it is the only method. I personally see no reason to filter a betta tank. They may not come from tiny pools in the wild, but they certainly come from stagnant waters.

 

[loraxchick]

I do agree that for more experienced owners such as you Liz then smaller than a 15l can/is acceptable as you know your routine and such but to a new betta keeper i usually suggest the bigger the better, saying that i do for all fish not just bettas

As i said i am planning on breeding and my male seperating tanks are 3l at most and they can hold 2 fish if needed but would get daily water changes

100% agreed. I've kept bettas 10+ us gal to 1 gal tanks. Had unfiltered planted tanks and to external filters to sponge filters. Honestly, its about water chemistry and decorating with plants or decor to give the fish something to ' do'. For some reason activity =happy. Bettas are lazy folks lol. When they are comfortable in their surroundings they genrally just hang in a few spots and don't patrol around very much, no matter the size of the tank.
To be honest divided tanks I have more of a ' problem' with because of yhe stress of neighbors and the fish getting to eack other no matter how well the keeper thinks itss sealed up/ jump proof. I say this with experience and I bet anyone ( or vast majority anyway) with divided tanks have all had yheir fair share of scares.
I do appreciate all keepers opinions on the subject, what I don't like is new owners who might not know better or cant afford better being blamed or flamed for small tanks. Just need a bit more coaching yhan say smeone with a larger tank. I'm a teacher among other things and experience and knowledge can teach a lot. That's what the hobby should be in my mind, solving a problem with experience or knowldge. It really comes down to what size the keeper is comfortable with.
Ok, now I'm just rambling. Sorry
Cheers!

For people researching tanks before the find themselves with the fish and a smaller tank, I do recommend at least 3 gal.