Wow so many different answers about my Betta and the 10 gallon tank!!?

Question

O.K. do I need to move my Betta Male to a smaller container and just use the aquairum for other fish. That is what I am hearing from most of you. Thanks for the answers!!

Answer 1

Wrong, dead wrong. There are so many myths about bettas and people passing around totally incorrect material about them

They DO NOT do better in smaller containers.

They DO NOT live in small puddles in the wild.

They DO NOT only live 1-2 years

They ARE NOT lazy fish that don't swim around and therefore will be ok in a small container.

They ARE NOT aggressive or hostile fish. Except to other bettas.

With other community fish your betta will be very happy and healthy in a 10 gallon tank.

Here's a few links to well informed sites about the care of bettas

http://www.cbsbettas.org/faq.html
http://www.aquariumhobbyist.com/articles/BettaCare.html
http://www.ibcbettas.com/faq.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/betta_splendens.htm

You will notice even these expert sources differ slightly on the minor details, but they all will confirm the basics.

MM

Answer 2

Just to add another opinion to the others and ease your mind

Yes, bettas belong in tanks. They do not live in cups in the wild, and they live in much more water then people realize, though it does get extremely shallow at certain times of the year.

Betta's need the security of a close environment, but this doesn't mean a little bowl - it means lots of plants. They will use the plants as security, and without a line of sight across the tank will spend more time active and exploring. The plants can be fake.

My Betta is in a 15 gallon planted tank with cardinal tetras and corydora catfish and is active and healthy, and now over three years old.

Tankmates should be small and peaceful. Research them first and make sure they are not known for nipping, like most barbs, as bettas are slow and have long fins. The betta will get aggressive toward fish that look too closely like itself. Avoid anything territorial, like cichlids, gouramis, and chinese algae eaters.

Answer 3

sorry i missed your first question. people are remarkably ignorant about bettas -- please stop listening to the morons that think its some special fish that wants to live in a cup. would you want to live in a cup? didn't think so.

Bettas will do fine with other fish -- just make sure your other fish are relatively small. He might pitch fits the first couple of days but it will die down. I have one that was one of my more agressive bettas living happily in a tank with gouramis and guppies -- both fish that the people that don't own bettas tell you to never mix with bettas.

the biggest problem with a 10 gallon tank is not much else will be happy in there -- most fish will want more room.

i suggest you take the time to make the bettas 10 gallons a happy one before you introduce anymore fish. introduce some plants that reach the top of the water -- fake are fine. if you want to go with real plants thats a whole different hobby and you get two tanks in one. get him someplace to hang out like a castle or a cave or something. bettas need to feel like they are king of all they survey.

for a cleaning crew you can get small shrimp -- no catfish or algae eater will be happy in 10 gallons. ghost shrimp are like 2 dollars a dozen. they make tasty betta snacks on occasion but also do a great job with detritus -- most "bottom feeders" aren't that good at eating poop and need special feeding anyway.

if you want to introduce something i suggest a school of fish -- that is about 6 small tetras like neons or cardinals or even better rasporas are really passive little guys. you don't want to introduce any nippers -- nippers wont be a friend of your betta for long. barbs and larger tetras like skirted tetras and sarpaes nip -- that is not a good match.

even though guppies are prone to nipping my betta made it clear he was boss early on and i don't have any problems. a lot of aquarium science is really art and vice versa -- the big plants help block lines of sight -- what they can't see they don't care about. a chunk of driftwood will anchor aquarium ferns (java fern, bolbitis) -- great for small tanks with not much light. it also will reduce your ph which will make most fish happier and healthier.

Answer 4

Don't believe all the myth spreading morons. Bettas are great in larger tanks. I have a betta in a 20g tank and he is one the most active and curious fish I have ever seen. His fins have grown nearly as long as his own body.

Sorry to say when it comes to bettas the majority are ill informed ignorant people.

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article38.html
http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article44.html

Answer 5

yeah, a ten gallon tank could fit several fish, try a 2-4 gallon tank for a betta

Answer 6

I agree with magic man he is totaly right listen to him heres another site www.bettatalk.com

Answer 7

Yes, exactly!