Is there any particular reason people keep them in small tanks? To me it seems mean. I have one in a 14ltr tank and he loves swimming but when he was in the store he was kept in a tiny container and just sat there.
2007-02-12 13:37:19 · 8 answers · asked by ? 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
mainly because somehow it got spread around that they live in puddle in the wild, which is not true. they live in rice paddies which are shallow, but very large. and each betta claims his own rather large territory.
pet stores gladly go along with this myth because it sells fish. people think they're perfect to sit on a desk in a tiny little vase or bowl. who doesn't want a gorgeous maintenance free fish?
keeping them in vases doens't even make sense because their natural habitat is shallow, but very very wide. vases flip those dimensions and barely give the betta room to swim. not to mention their natural habitat is around 80°F while room temp water is about 65°F, so a heater is needed. heaters can't be kept in vases. also all fish should be kept with a filter (now mind you bettas need low power filters that keep water movement to a minimum). in the wild their water may appear dirty to us, but it's a large ecosystem that keeps everything balanced, a dirty little vase can hardly mock a whole ecosystem and will soon just become a death trap. not to mention that bettas are far from their wild cousins which have short fins and aren't so susceptible to fin rot and other such diseases.
hope that answers your question. thanks for giving your betta room to swim.
2007-02-12 14:12:48 · answer #1 · answered by Kylie Anne 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes bettas can be alone in a small container. But, any fish is happier in a tank he can swim around in. If there isn't room to swim, they won't. One rule of thumb is to make sure you have at least one gallon per inch of fish. So if you have 2 fish that are 1/2 long each a one gallon tank will do. No you don't have to measure exactly, a good guess will work.
2007-02-12 21:43:06 · answer #2 · answered by sportzcarchick 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The reason is in there natural environment since they are a fish that will fight to the death they only claim small territories and really don't wonder about . In bigger tank settings they will be more adventurous as the grown accustomed to there surroundings. The main reason there in the small containers is because they don't need much room to make them happy, but will accept the added space with pleasure.
2007-02-12 21:47:02 · answer #3 · answered by Joshua J 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Most people don't keep them contained but at the store they put them in small containers to save space.
2007-02-12 22:39:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but never put two males together because then it would be a fight to the death. And that is wherethe name fighting fish came from. Thier very territorial and will fight to the death over thier small area or space. And if a female or two is around the fighting is more intense.
2007-02-12 23:52:37 · answer #5 · answered by aftertherain24 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I put one in a goldfish bowl & he swam all around that thing. I think that they keep them in small tanks for the space factor. He seemed like a normal fish when he was in the bowl by himself of course.
Similar subject: next time you are at wal-mart. Find a dead fish & throw him into another tank. The fish go into a frenzy it's soooooo cool. If not all they do is throw them away.
2007-02-12 21:49:46 · answer #6 · answered by Angel 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
you are right, given the space they will swim all around a fair sized tank. Most people (myself included) keep them in smaller containers for various reasons. Personally, I do to protect their finnage for show.
MM
2007-02-12 21:45:43 · answer #7 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i'm not sure, i don't think a fish would enjoy sitting in a little container either. good for you for giving him room to swim around!
2007-02-12 21:42:55 · answer #8 · answered by jennnn009 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋