Crowntail betta in little bowl thriving?.

[Dwarf Puffers]

There are probably a few hundered betta keeps on this board and Im pretty sure you havent asked all of them, so you cant conclude about what most betta keepers do. Unless you are going to give me a confidence interval or statistic of some sort, that comment is of no use.

And since this will be locked if it continues to go off topic.....DP, I would like your honest opinion on ideal housing for a betta. (tank size, what type of filter, tankmates , etc). Do you think a ghost shrimp can live with a betta (with not filter or aeration)?

From sigs, I see many more bigger betta tanks than 1 gallons or less is what I mean.


IMHO, a single betta should have a 2.5g tank at the absolute minimum, 3-5g is much better. For filtration, any high quality filter that you can get your hands on. Keep in mind you don't want a lot of flow, as most bettas don't enjoy it. Try to get a 5-10g filter for the tank, depending on size. For tankmates, it really depends on the temperament of the betta, but I would avoid other anabantoids, guppies, and other long finned fish. Most small-medium, non-nippy fish are fine as tankmates, as long as the betta is peaceful enough not to attack them (Unlike my 2 boys). I think a ghost shrimp can live with a betta in an unfiltered tank, but I don't think it should be done. All fish deserve filtered, aerated water. The shrimp may also be eaten by the betta, depending on size of shrimp and agressiveness of betta. In a filtered tank, as long as the betta is peaceful with the shrimp and the shrimp doesn't try to eat the bettas tail, go for it .

There you go.

 

[Danyal]

for the person saying that people who object to keeping bettas in small tanks haven't done so themselves. i have, the first was a female betta who jumped out after a month and died the second was a male betta who jumped out after 3 days but i found him alive and put a lid over the tank and he is still alive today after 3mo. both bettas, dispite having a good amount of cover and more actual swimming room than a bowl, spent most of their time when they didn't see me in the room staring at a corner of the tank, once they saw me they always perked up and started looking for food and becoming active again. the only reason why i attempted to put them into the tank was because i had a 50w heater, a good HOB filter and was using only RO water, i had healthy bettas but they were also very bored bettas, the male now lives in a 4g in my sisters room where he spends most of the day patrolling the tank looking for intruders and acting like a normal betta, not just when someone walks into the room.

 

[mailman37]

i have had that same experince before from mine time with bettas i discovered that in tanks less than 3 gal they tend to jump out in tanks 10+ they get bored and just lay around but they act naturaly in 4-5 gal tanks weird u would think that they would prefer bigger tanks

 

[MrSpike]

In my case I prefer the bigger tanks. My parents have a betta in a 1g with a filter and light yet I have NEVER seen that thing move. My mom claims he moves but in the many hours I have been near the tank I have yet to see movement. They have had him in there for almost 2 years so yes, he can survive but I'm not sure thrive is part of it.

On the other hand I have had two betta's, one in a 2.5g tank (heated and filtered) and another in a 3g eclipse tank (heated and filtered) and after the initial week when they are learning how to swim again after being in a bowl they almost NEVER stop swimming. My newest one in the 3g loves to patrol around the top of the tank. He does not spend much time at the bottem yet as he is still recovering from a swim bladder issue he had when I got him a few weeks ago. He loves to flare at me and do circles when I come by with his pellets. Otherwise he goes back and forth making faces at everything.

In my experience I could never keep one in a 1g bowl, it's just not enough room. If others are doing it here then I hope they are keepnig up with water changes, otherwise from the little experience I have that is simply not enough space.

 

[Thehappypet]

The restaurant could have been lying also, to prevent causing trouble

 

[FtwayneFish]

thats possible^ but would they have another enclosure and then move him out to the bowl during biz hours? I dunno prolly not.

I deffinatley agree on the bigger tanks and bettas not liking them as much, again this is all in our own experiences.

I think it all depends on conditions, diet, and stimuli.

 

[Danyal]

ime, bettas do very well in larger tanks. my brothers was kept in a 5g for 2yrs and then upgraded to my 29g community tank, he was all over the place in the 29g and my friend sabrina had hers in a 72g bowfront, but she also has a couple others with the smallest tank being a planted 2g hanging bowl.

 

[Vienna002]

I think we should just all agree to disagree here! Everyone has their own personal beliefs and thoughts in which a betta should be kept. My experience is that i have mine in a 2.5 gallon with a small live plant and a filter there is no heater on there tho however it is on top of my radiater. The betta seems happy and doesn't mind. But i have had past bettas that didn't thrive in such condtions and i housed them in my 20g where he seemed happier. I have worked in a pet store not gonna mention which and found that alot of times they will tell you a small bowl is just fine for them and have also found a few bettas that were not in covered bowls on the floor. So the statement that bettas in fish stores don't jump well they do but get cleaned up before customers see them. Again i believe it depends on the fish and it's keeper and we should just all agree to disagree!

 

[cherule]

My betta, Blue, has gone from a 5 gallon to a 10 gallon to a 35 gallon. I must say he has been happier..ie more active and interested, with each move to a larger tank. He has the choice, now, of being in strong current or no current, interacting or not with the other inhabitants. He made sure he was the boss when he first went into the 35...and since then he seems very happy. If I had to say...I would say that he has a better life now than he did in a smaller tank. It seems to me that if he wanted to just sit around...he certainly has the opportunity to do so...but chooses not to. He wants move around. In fact, he is one of the most active fish I have! I really think they prefer more room than less. Yes, they can survive...but I don't think they would choose a tiny enclosure if they had a choice.

 

[bellazeus]

Well You can all see by my sig that I have a beta in a seriously large tank just for one fish. It is heated and filtered with a small current. Do I think the fish is happy ? no. Granted he was a Walmart save.. and I didnt expect him to last a week... 6 months on I still have him.. but i wouldnt say he is thriving. he never moves unless im feeding him, he just sits in the corner. he has never built a bubble nest and looks bored. Ive tried getting him tank mates and he killed them all. ive owned a fair few betas over the years and have had them in small tanks and big ones. In communities and alone. The most happy looking one was in my community 29 gallon with angels a few bn and some tetras. At the end of the day.. I would never keep a beta in a one gl tank again. You cant make an assumption on one fish. just as that fish in the shop looked happy and mine in a bigger aquarium doesnt.. I personally think that it would be like keeping you locked in a closet. whilst you might get up and move around and you would live if given the right amount of food and water, you would never truly be happy.