I'd like to get one for my office desk but I worry about weekend feedings and if it's better to put him in a small tank w/filter? Any suggestions? thanks!
2007-02-14 13:23:28 · 18 answers · asked by Skip 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Bettas being tropical need a heated tank. WIth a stable temp of 78-80 degrees. Now most offices turn off the heat when the building is closed so a heater will be a must. They dont make heaters for tanks smaller then 3 gallons so if i were you i would invest in a 3-5 gallon tank with a filter and a heater. It is still small enough to fit on your desk. The only maitenance would be taking a mini gravel vacuum and changing 25 percent of the water once a week, making sure that the new water is dechlorinated with a water conditioner and its the same temp as the tank water so you dont shock the betta. Bettas are territorial in anything less then 5 gallons but if you got a 5 gallon tank you could have a couple of dwarf frogs or snail or 4 neon tetras for friends for the betta. Bettas would do perfectly fine without eating for weekend. Dont bother with those weekend feeder things, the foul the water and could kill the fish. Waste of money. Bettas can go weeks without eating, takes about a month for a fish to starve to death so dont even worry about feeding him for the weekend.
2007-02-14 15:49:32 · answer #1 · answered by lady_crotalus 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, a betta can live in a fairly small container without harm in any way. I would suggest at least a gallon for your situation. A lack of feedings over the weekend will not harm him at all either, in fact, many will tell you it's better for him. Others will also tell you the small bowls are nothing but a death trap. Nothing is further from the truth. I have raised and kept literally thousands of bettas in 1/2 gallon bowls as have serious breeders all over the country. I will agree that anything under a 1/2 gallon is a bad idea.
Now the smaller the container, the more effort it is to keep the fish healthy. A gallon bowl will require that you take care not to over feed and that you change out the water at least once a week, a 1/2 gallon every 3-4 days, a 2.5 gallon tank with a filter would mean about 1/4 of the water once a week.
Hope this helps.
MM
2007-02-14 21:33:28 · answer #2 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's really a myth that betta fish live best in small bowls. Yes, they can survive...but they cannot thrive that way. Betta are tropical fish, which means they need a water temperature of about 78 degrees. You would need a tank with a heater in order to provide this. A filter is also a necessity to help maintain the water quality. You could get a 5 gallon tank with a heater and a filter that would fit onto your desk, this would be a much more suitable home for your betta than a small bowl. You could even get some african dwarf frogs or a snail to keep him company!
2007-02-14 22:24:51 · answer #3 · answered by Liz 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes, they are supposed to be able to breathe air also. When you change the water have two bowls, fill the spare and let it sit so that the water temperature is the same as the bowl with the beta, pour the fish into a net and put it into the new water. NEVER put two males together. About the small tank. A 2 to 5 gal with an under gravel filter. A strong filter will produce too much water current for the fish and damage its fins.
2007-02-14 21:35:13 · answer #4 · answered by tantatos 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
betas are really clean fish and dont need a filter like goldfish because they go to the surface to breathe..the little bowls from the pet store are ok fo rthem,but are very cruel; to the fish..you should get maybe a medium sized flower vase..or anything better then those small bowls..also beta fish need atleast 2 inches of pebles at the bottom of theier bowl and a few plants for protection...also since they come up for air..dont make the water level higher then 8 inches or they will get stresses out..enjoy!!
2007-02-15 01:19:26 · answer #5 · answered by Hi 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It's better to put him in a small tank with a filter. But be careful of currents...Bettas are used to living in small bodies of still water.
2007-02-15 02:17:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Beta fish can live in small bowls but not for long. The bigger the bowl is the longer they live. Now i'm not sure what you can do about weekend feedings. Its not like a dog or cat where you can just leave some food out, because they will eat all of it and die. (I know from bitter experience)
2007-02-14 21:27:29 · answer #7 · answered by shelbylou0404 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
You are far better to give him a nice tank with plenty of room. You can even give him friends (as long as they're not other bettas.)
The reason some petstores keep them in tiny little containers is because the males would fight if kept together, but they shouldn't be kept in a small bowl for long periods!
2007-02-14 22:19:30 · answer #8 · answered by HotGurrlz 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A betta is a labyrinth fish (like gouramis). They have a second method of storing air (taken from the surface) called a "labyrinth". This allows them to live in dirty puddles and other bad conditions.
However, it also allows some species to travel overland "walking" on modified front fins to find better water.
So yeah, they can live in little containers, but they prefer bigger. Just like you can "live" in a jail cell, but it is much nicer in the palace.
2007-02-15 09:32:07 · answer #9 · answered by Stealthy Ninja 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the tank would be best cause you don't want to kkep a poor little betta fish in a small bowl! Plus those grow alot!! Buy the tank, that would be best!!
2007-02-14 22:29:14 · answer #10 · answered by Beachlova12 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋