Why are beta fish sold in these tiny little bowls?

Question

I know they fight but they are always in these tiny little bowls. They always look sick and unhealthy. If you put one in a larger tank with a filter would it thrive, and be healthy?

Answer 1

YES. Bettas do not thrive in those terrible little bowls of death. They deserve a spacious tank with a heater and filter as much as any other fish. You can tell how much happier they are, darting around their territory and spreading their fins. A 10 gallon tank is perfect for a betta (and then you can add a few friends if he doesn't mind).
In responce to the very mis-informed posts below:
BETTAS DO NOT LIVE IN "PUDDLES" IN THE WILD. That is a LIE to make you feel comfortable about cruelly confining a fish to half a quart of water. Do some research and you will discover that they live in very large rice patties that are thousands of gallons in volume. Here are some pics if you don't believe me: http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html . And they will die if housed in more than a few gallons? That's funny the bettas I'm housing in 10 gallon tanks are thriving and looking better than ever!

Answer 2

Beta fish are sold in tiny little bowls because in their natural habitat, they live in small, shallow areas. They would thrive in a large tank, but in all honesty they like smaller areas better with no filter system. Buy your beta a clear, glass vase. Also, get a plant and rinse all of the dirt off of the roots, then dangle the roots into the water of the vase or bowl you choose to purchase, they like this. They also live longer this way

Answer 3

They are labyrinth fishes - they can breathe air thus survive in little bowls or mud puddles in rice fields. They should not look sickly. Also the bowl works as a magnifying glass and the fish is easier evaluated - color, conformity.
In a tank they are not compatible with many fish - a Betta and a Jack Dempsy for example would probably result in death for the Betta as it wont back down from a conflict.
Bigger tanks are easier to keep healthy than small ones.

Answer 4

Bettas may, in their purest forms, be used to small bodies of water, but the ones we see in the pet stores today are bred from captivity. Your betta will be much happier in a filtered larger tank where he actually has room to swim around. Even a nice 2.5 gallon tank is better than those little bowls the pet stores keep them in.

There are at least two reasons why pet stores keep them in the small bowls. The first is for spacial reasons. They cannot be housed in tanks with their own species (even putting them in with female bettas is risky), and they can also be aggressive towards other fish already in the tanks. The second reason is to pull the pity-strings of people's hearts, like mine. I can't stand the way those poor fish look in those little bowls, knowing that they can't swim around and that they're festering in their own feces and body waste. The reason why you think they look so sick and unhealthy is because they usually are. Do you have any idea how often the fish stores change the water in those bowls? Neither do I. But I can guarantee it's not changed daily like it should be.

If you choose to keep him in a small bowl, remember that you will have to do water changes almost every other day to keep the ammonia levels down and to reduce the risk of any fish disease (fin rot is especially common in poor water conditions).

If you want to cut your water changes down to once a week, I highly recommed you get a tank with a filter and heater, and cycle it. Your betta will live longer, and he will thank you for it.

EDIT for RCP: Not true about them killing smaller fish and damaging larger fish. I have one of my bettas in a 55-gallon tank with 2 silver dollar tetras (much larger than the betta), 3 African dwarf frogs, 2 female fancy-tailed guppies and 3 guppy fry, 3 zebra danios, 7 neon tetras, and one ghost shrimp. The only thing my betta has ever gone after is the ghost shrimp. And he tries to bully the silver dollars, but they just whack him with their tails and he goes back to his castle.

Answer 5

I think they just sell them that way in the store because like you said, they'll fight. They look sad in such small bowls but do you really expect the pet store to have all their aquariums occupied by only one fish each. Since the pet store should only have their 'livestock' for a short, transitional time, I guess it makes it kind of okay to keep them in little bowls temporarily. But if you buy one and have a big tank sure - I bet the beta fish would love it, or at least like it better than that tiny bowl.

Answer 6

They sell them in tiny bowls because pet stores are cheap. They don't want to pay for all the separate tanks. If the fish is not actually sick, it should thrive once you bring it home to better conditions. Unfortunately, it's really tough to tell if a fish is just stressed or if it actually has a parasite or disease.

Answer 7

as long as the water was slightly warmer than a typical tropical fish tank and the current was not to much. With those huge tails they can't swim well and fight the current.

Yes, they would appreciate a big tank. In the wild some bettas have been found thriving in the water filled hoof print of an oxen. they don't really need as much water as other fish. But they like extra room to be truly happy.

Answer 8

Sure will.
I was amazed when I bought my betta a larger bowl. I thought they were these quiet, still fish like they are in the little bowls. I got a Betta Max like the lady at the store said, and he sort of sat there. I didn't like it though and bought one of the corner bookend tanks, and was shocked at how much more he moved around and was so much more active.
I guess if someone stuck me into a little room with nothing to do, I would sit pretty still too.

Answer 9

Because they evolved in very rainy Siam where there was lots of water in monsoon but as it dried out, they adjusted to tiny little pools. They can actually live in very dirty very small amounts of water. But NEVER put two males together, they will fight until one kills the other.

Also, you can keep one in a much larger aquarium but it is not a good idea to keep any other type of fish in with Goldfish (very dirty with offensive to other fish oils on their scales) or Oscars (very aggressive fish)

Answer 10

yes i too feel sorry for those fishes in tiny bowls!!!
but these stores cannot have a big tanks for a single fish.

But anyway these betas can survive in small tanks

If u put them in big tanks with filter along with the other fishes, the other fishes die(betas kill small fishes and damage the innocent big ones!!!!!!!!!!!)