sad news :-(

A betta can survive in a small amount of water but it will thrive in optimum conditions. IMO, It is like being held captive in a prison cell for the rest of your life without doing anything wrong.
 
I believe the OP feels terrible about the loss of their fish and fully understands how a larger tank would provide a better environment for future fish.

:)
 
A betta can survive in a small amount of water but it will thrive in optimum conditions. IMO, It is like being held captive in a prison cell for the rest of your life without doing anything wrong.

Like I said, mine did thrive. They were vibrant, healthy animals. I fed them all kinds of goodies and most hated when I had them held over in my 20 gallon community aquarium while I cleaned their tanks. They didn't like all the noise and commotion!

In the wild, bettas live in still, often stagnated water in hot tropical environments with dirty murky water. That's why wild bettas are generally mostly mud brown... camouflage!! They developed their labrynth organs over thousands of years of living in these murky, dirty, oxygen-deprived waters to cope and thrive in an otherwise harsh environ where larger predatorial fish would otherwise perish. It is this adaptation that made them popular as a fish that doesn't need filtration or aeration. Why? Because they literally DON'T NEED IT.

And as far as space is concerned... again, if you go back to their environment, depending on the season, sometimes they had waters 1-2 feet deep but for most of the year they subsist in low water levels... sometimes in little more than mud. And they are territorial, staking out a small claim of land in their environ and staying there until they are bullied away from it or die. So their life involves them fighting other bettas and swimming around a space that is usually roughly a square foot, but they are indeed happy with less because when kept in bowls, they don't need as much room to hunt for food as it is provided to them.

Goldfish kept in bowls is, most agreeably!, a slow and suffering death by suffocation and poisoning. Bettas are not goldfish, however. They have been kept in small unfiltered containers and bred for battle and beauty for thousands of years without mishap. Instead of being abused, they flourished outside of a natural environment full of run-ins with aggressive neighbors and predators. Some of our newer betta varieties are even becoming more docile and less territorial as they continue to morph into more colorful varieties and shapes (fin-wise). You can't tell me that how I kept my fish was incorrect. I stand firm in that my fish were active, healthy, vibrant, and VERY well cared for.
 
did it tip it over? I'm sorry for the loss of your pets. :sad:
 
thanks:)
no, it didnt tip... maybe my cat clawed at it?!!?...
 
umm, your cat drank that much water...umm..no way.

Cats drink very minimal amounts of water mate.
 
1/8 of a gallon is a 3*3" cube. if i lived in one of those, id be happy to die.
the ammonia must've been at 2ppm+, which aided to the demise of your betta.

you should be ashamed of yourself and blame the death of the betta on yourself.
 
Do Some Research before Buying Fish!

1/8 of a gallon is a 3*3" cube. if i lived in one of those, id be happy to die.
the ammonia must've been at 2ppm+, which aided to the demise of your betta.

you should be ashamed of yourself and blame the death of the betta on yourself.

I wont go that far, but please, if you are going to keep a living creature in your house do a bit of research and use common sense. Would you like to live in your car's trunk for a couple of months? *Any* fish needs at least the ability to swim around and stretch it's muscles for proper health and exercise. Bettas need at bear min. 1/2 gallon of water for a single fish to be comfortable and happy. Anything less and you are not providing proper care for your fish. Weekly water changes of at least 50% of the total volume of the tank are needed to ensure water doesnt become toxic and you will always need to use a quality water conditioner. (Prime is a good example). The water also needs to maintain a stable temperature, usually between 72F-85F - this is especially important in the winter months. Please do some research before purchasing any more fish. Pay special attention to setting up and cycling a new aquarium and size/space requirements for the species of fish you are wanting to care for. I mean no offense, everyone was a newbie at some point and the only way to learn is through research. Take care and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
 
I think it is time for us to close this thread. Thanks everybody for the thoughts on the loss of the fish, and for the advice on how to better care for fish in the future.
 
AquariaCentral.com