Betta Questions.

[Gurglar]

I'm thinking of getting a male betta some day and would like some questions answered.

Do bettas swim around actively in a tank unlike at pet stores where they are kept in something they can barely move in?

What is the minimum tank size a betta should be kept in? would a 3 gallon be alright for them? or should they be kept in something bigger?

If theres any other information you would like to give me about them would be great thanks alot.

[SftWrmRain]

I'm thinking of getting a male betta some day and would like some questions answered.

Do bettas swim around actively in a tank unlike at pet stores where they are kept in something they can barely move in?

What is the minimum tank size a betta should be kept in? would a 3 gallon be alright for them? or should they be kept in something bigger?

If theres any other information you would like to give me about them would be great thanks alot.

Hi. My bettas are fairly active. They do swim far more than the ones you see at the pet store, yes, but that is for many reasons. One reason is they have more space to actually DO it. In fact, my petstore betta is very active in his 10 gallon set up. I rarely see him resting, but I do turn off the light at night, obviously.

Minimum tank size is really up to you, but the way I see it, anything is better than what they're destined for at the store, really. Most people recommend no less than a gallon for a betta, but it's hard to heat and filter a tank that size, and bettas really like warmer temps and filtered water. I keep my bettas at 78 degrees.

Bettas will eat until they explode, so be careful not to overfeed. I read that overfeeding will cause swim disorder and could kill them. Bettas are carnivores, and love live or frozen foods in addition to a high quality pellet. Bettas also like a little salt in their water.

Treat them just like you would any other fish - research, water change and love! :) Good luck - can't wait to see pictures of your lil guy and set up!

[lazyNode]

Also if you are lucky to find a female betta, you can keep multiple female betta's in a community tank.

Otherwise you can have 1 male betta in a community tank, but you may risk getting an agressive male who will nip at the otherfish - especially fish with elaborate tails, such as guppies.

I have heard that male bettas with long tails, such as the one pictured in SftWtrRain's Avatar are less agressive than short tail bettas. The theory/reason being that the short ones are good for fighting because they can swim and move around faster.
Another is that the short tail bettas might get jealous at other fishes lovely patterns and tails.

My betta lives in a 5 gallon tank and "follows me" when I walk around the room.

[kellymarie1081]

i think 3 gallons would be good for a betta. anything is better than what they are confined to in a petstore! the more room the happier the betta. good luck!

[CaitxSith]

I have heard that male bettas with long tails, such as the one pictured in SftWtrRain's Avatar are less agressive than short tail bettas. The theory/reason being that the short ones are good for fighting because they can swim and move around faster.

i think it's true... from the fact that when i added my betta to my main tank, he started to attack my neons but the neons and other fish were too fast for him. he's a royal blue veil tail betta (see sig).

:D

[webcricket]

I think 3 gallons is plenty for a single betta (I keep one happy guy in 2 gallons). Be sure to get an adjustable heater and filter - they do make them small enough and bettas like warmer water (78-80 degrees). Get silk plants or real plants for the decor. Anything plastic with sharp edges can tear their tail. My bettas are very active, I rarely see them at rest for more than a few minutes.

I also do not see any benefit in adding salt to the water unless you are treating for some sort of disease.

[DaisyTattoo]

I personally say 2.5G is minimum for a betta only because it is really the smallest tank that can be heated and filtered. Betta's can and will use all the space avaliable to them. I have one in my 55G community and he cruises the entire tank. Same with my other betta's in my 29G, 10G, and 5G tanks. Yes, betta's are piggish fish and can get bloated easily so watch how much you feed them. They do need warmer temps 75-78* range and I agree with webcricket that they don't need and would be better off without the salt unless treating for a disease.

[Yoemen]

Bettas are very interesting fellows. A friend of mine's boyfriend has a betta in a 90 gallon with 2 JDs and a bunch of Catfish. The Betta is the old man of the bunch-6.5 years old and has been in the tank longer then anything else in there. He literally chases the 2 10 inch JDs around the tank when he gets a mind to. It is really funny to watch especially considering my 6 inch JD would obliterate a betta.

My betta confines himself to hassling corys, until the shwartz cory has enough of watching him chase his friends and runs him off.

[NinjaPirate]

i think it's true... from the fact that when i added my betta to my main tank, he started to attack my neons but the neons and other fish were too fast for him. he's a royal blue veil tail betta (see sig).

:D

The long-finned mutations significantly reduce a betta's ability to move at speed over a decent distance. So any particularily zippy fish has no problems getting away from a betta generally. Conversely, small zippy fish that have a tendancy to fin-nip will give bettas hell and there's nothing he can do to stop them. It doesn't really make them any less agressive per se, as I've had some seriously aggressive long-finned bettas, but it does reduce their ability to do a whole lot to other fish provided said fish aren't extremely lethargic.

In a good tank with the right community, bettas will move quite actively, mostly in the mid and top zones. If you have plants, they love to play in them, so if you have a heavily-planted section they may dissapear into them for extended periods of time.

Male bettas work best in tanks with small peaceful shoaling fish like most tetras (I don't recommend neons for general nippy-ness) and bottom dwellers like cories or ottos. Shrimp and snails are iffy, just because the betta may decide they're lunch.

[Gurglar]

looks like i'm convinced on buying a betta soon.

[wataugachicken]

a lot of people will say nothing less than 10g, i personally am okay with 2.5 g's or more for a male. they will absolutely use all the space they are given, and in a larger tank the personality really comes out. i think females have more personality than males too. they are better swimmers from having smaller fins, and mine always took the time to examine every little thing they saw. loved to eat zucchini with the plecos too, would wait until it got gnawed on a little and then tear off bits and chunks.

[NinjaPirate]

Females often have as much or more "attitude" as their male counterparts.

As far as minimum tank volume, the smallest you can reliably heat and filter. 2.5G tanks work just fine.