Bettas...
- Thread starter hcgirl80
- Start date
Vaheelsfan, you made some very good points but I would be careful about saying most people keep bettas in bowls. I think many beginners think other people keep their bettas in little bowls, but thats just because if you look at people who post about their bettas in forums, its usually because they have a problem with their betta. Why do they have problems with their fish? Well, its probably related to the small container the fish is in.
I wouldn't keep a betta (or any fish) in an aquarium smaller than 5 gallons.
Well, I don't think that most people here keep bettas in little bowls, but I would say that most bettas are kept that way. When you look at how they're kept in large stores (WalMart, Petco, Petsmart, etc.) and add the fact that these stores often openly display "Species Profiles" that state keeping bettas this way is perfectly acceptable, then I would say that most are kept like that. Most lfs (at least around where I live) also don't seem to have a problem with selling people bettas and tiny bowls to keep them in...If I came across as implying that I think it's ok to keep these fish in tiny bowls, that wasn't my intention at all.
I took vaheel's post to mean that "Yeah most people do it, but most people don't know how to use a computer correctly either" type of thing. Most people do it, that doesn't make it right and It hink that's what he was saying.
I was just trying to clear up what he said so that everyone would understand what it was he was getting at. I understood you.
What most aquarists dont realize is that most of the setups (including the betta containers) in LFS are there as "holding cells", they are not homes. The fish are sold 1-2 days after a shipment comes in, and usually NEVER longer than 5-6 days. Therefore, it is more acceptable to keep fish in these conditions for a short period. However, what people dont realize is when they come home, the fish is their responsibility and they need proper living conditions.
What most aquarists dont realize is that most of the setups (including the betta containers) in LFS are there as "holding cells", they are not homes. The fish are sold 1-2 days after a shipment comes in, and usually NEVER longer than 5-6 days. Therefore, it is more acceptable to keep fish in these conditions for a short period. However, what people dont realize is when they come home, the fish is their responsibility and they need proper living conditions.
kikuchio s information is basically correct and i would go with what he says.
although i think a one gallon container is sufficient for a betta-it must have the most possible surface area. check out my bootleg betta homes
also-please do not give bettas as gifts unless you are absolutely sure the person knows how to properly care for it. i did this once in my beginning betta days and of course the fish died because my cousin didnt know the first thing about caring for bettas (neither did i really)
for all the betta info you could ever need-check out bettatalk
the one thing i disagree with that site about is the fact that she says its ok to put bettas in 1/4 gal containers. i would say if you are pressed for space 1/2 is the absolute minimum but personally i would go with 1 gal or more. just go for the surface area!
although i think a one gallon container is sufficient for a betta-it must have the most possible surface area. check out my bootleg betta homes
also-please do not give bettas as gifts unless you are absolutely sure the person knows how to properly care for it. i did this once in my beginning betta days and of course the fish died because my cousin didnt know the first thing about caring for bettas (neither did i really)
for all the betta info you could ever need-check out bettatalk
the one thing i disagree with that site about is the fact that she says its ok to put bettas in 1/4 gal containers. i would say if you are pressed for space 1/2 is the absolute minimum but personally i would go with 1 gal or more. just go for the surface area!
I respectfully disagree. I would no more keep a betta in a gallon bowl than I would a dog in a closet. It might live, but it won't be happy.
well i base that on the fact that all of my bettas are in 1 gal containers (actually there more like 1.5 or so but i only measure out 1 gal of water to go in there). when i started out, i kept bettas in those ting betta hexes and teeny bowls-i could tell they were not happy. my fish now thrive. i did once put a betta in a 10 gal and he swam from end to end for a while but after he got over it, he only used a minimum amount of tank space. oddly enough after i have moved him back to a 1 gal he seems more active. maybe it has nothing to do with that. i think my 1 gal containers are sufficient because they are really long and provide more surface area than most 1 gal containers. just be sure to change the water at least once a week!
Since I cannot judge how happy my fish truely are, I usually stick to a minimum of 5 gallons or more. This is mainly because with 5 gallons you can get a decent filter and possibly heater too. It makes a world of difference.
Also, if you went away on just a mini-vacation you would need to have someone clean out the 1 gallon container. That just wouldn't fit into my lifestyle, i dont know about the rest of you.
Also, if you went away on just a mini-vacation you would need to have someone clean out the 1 gallon container. That just wouldn't fit into my lifestyle, i dont know about the rest of you.
bettas Are Cool. I need info so I dont like kill the poor fish or anything
I might get this person a betta book and have her read it first LOL
I might get this person a betta book and have her read it first LOL
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