I've learned quite a bit in the short amount of time I've been here but while I've been focusing on learning about my new fish and the aquarium I got I haven't learned enough about my 2 Bettas. I received two Bettas a couple years ago from a neighbor housed in two seperate bowls put together looks like one. She told me change the water every couple weeks with distilled water and they would be fine. So far they have been fine but it seems like I'm going about it wrong. They need to be in an actual aquarium? Do I have to get two seperate aquariums or can I try putting them together in one? Do I put them in my 70g or are the tank mates not good for them? I'm away from home for a few days so I'll have to wait to see if they're both males or not. Why is it most stores sell bowls for Bettas if everyone seems to agree they shouldnt be in a bowl? Some input on what I should do with them would be greatly appreciated.
Question for the Betta experts....
- Thread starter FaFaFooey
- Start date
Oh goodness
Ok, in my opinion bettas sound never be in bowls- of any kind. My rule is no less than a gallon "tank" of which you can find a plastic one at any petstore. And yes house them separate
Ok you have had them two years? And you want to know the sex? If they are large with very colorful full flowing fins- they are males. If they are small with small fins they are females. Males can never be in the same tank together-because they fight to the death. Actually males try to kill the females too, so it's best to separate them unless you are breeding.
As far as your 70g, I don't have enough experience to give advice. I can tell you that you can't put both in there even though it's a big tank. There are also other fish that will kill the betta, or vice versa! :thud: You have to be careful.
Great job on the cleaning
pet stores sell bowls to make money, the larger chains don't know ****, excuse my french
~K :dive2:
Ok, in my opinion bettas sound never be in bowls- of any kind. My rule is no less than a gallon "tank" of which you can find a plastic one at any petstore. And yes house them separate
Ok you have had them two years? And you want to know the sex? If they are large with very colorful full flowing fins- they are males. If they are small with small fins they are females. Males can never be in the same tank together-because they fight to the death. Actually males try to kill the females too, so it's best to separate them unless you are breeding.
As far as your 70g, I don't have enough experience to give advice. I can tell you that you can't put both in there even though it's a big tank. There are also other fish that will kill the betta, or vice versa! :thud: You have to be careful.
Great job on the cleaning
pet stores sell bowls to make money, the larger chains don't know ****, excuse my french
~K :dive2:
im afraid i have to disagree with the above post 1g is about the minimum although with lost of care and cleaning 1/2g can work . at first i believed that they shouldnt be kept in bowls then i was told/discovered that in the wild they live in puddles! although im no betta "expert" i have researched about bettas for about 2-3months now and ill direct you towards this site. www.bettysplendens.com (more specifically http://www.bettysplendens.com/articles/page.imp?articleid=717) i hope this helps. i also have a friend on another forum who is really good with bettas so i can find her email address for you if you want.
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salty0pepper said:
Actually, somebody made a typo before the info got to you. They live in rice paddies!, not puddles.
In my opinion and expiereince, these fish should never be kpet in anything less than a 2.5g container and a 5g or 10g is highly preffered over the 2.5g.
As far as your 70g goes, I would not be comfortable introducing a betta in there, as the paradise fish + betta combo is not likely to go well, becuase of the similaritys in the two fish.
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I agree with dorkfish on this one.
Also, just to clear things up - rice paddies are only shallow for a few months of the year until the rainy season and then they fill like no ones business. Now bettas in the wild aren't confined to a small area....quite the opposite...rice paddies may be shallow, but they stretch for miles! So these fish can survive in shallow waters, but have more than a "puddle" to roam in.
Also, just to clear things up - rice paddies are only shallow for a few months of the year until the rainy season and then they fill like no ones business. Now bettas in the wild aren't confined to a small area....quite the opposite...rice paddies may be shallow, but they stretch for miles! So these fish can survive in shallow waters, but have more than a "puddle" to roam in.
I'm amazed at the controversy over bettas. Then WHY are they sold in tiny cups? Even reputable fish stores sell them that way. Not saying it's right but you figure the good fish stores would be keeping them in tanks where they belong.
karna68 said:
Some actually do. I've seen them have one betta in "breeder net" per tank. Still not a great solution (those nets maybe hold a quart of water) but it beats the tiny cup on the shelf.
What makes me mad most is the fact that they sometimes have them sit there in the middle of winter - right by the door. The water in the cups might be 60F - unbelievable.
OK, well I've got no problem getting a couple 5 or 10 gallon tanks to house my Bettas but I do have a couple questions regarding their future homes. Do I cycle my new tanks and wait like I did my 70g before I put them in? Do I need to even cycle my tanks at all for them? Do I get them a heater and filter although they have lived years without either? Do I pretty much do everything for their tanks that I did on my 70g?
they are sold in the little cups bacuse two males in one tank will kill each other, and a male and female pair will beat the heck out of each other, and then theres the factor where some bettas kill other fish in the tank...karna68 said:
i do know that some stores keep them in regular tanks with the breeder nets like mentioned above, but there are fewer fish and there are still only one per tank in case one jumps the net breeder and starts going at the other through the net breeder.
as for tank requirements, a 2 gallon with a good filter is better than a bowl, but id say the best tank ive had for a betta (by itself) was a Eclipse Hex 5. the filter is really good, and the tank is tall and he'll have enough room to swim
Okay, that makes sense, you would think they might at least keep them in a little bigger container though. Sheesh the poor things can't even move in those cups.jm1212 said: