Does my betta need more room?

Question

My little Betta, Monet, is in a basic sized fish bowl. When I first got him in March it seemed more than big enough for him and there was room for a small pot for him to hide in and a fake plant. Now he has grown, and he seems to be cramped in his bowl. I took out the pot, and am tempted to take out the plant to give him more space.

Should I get him an actual aquarium? I was thinking one of those 2 gallon tanks for goldfish and such. Is that too much for him?

Also, do you guys know of any small fish or critters that would be safe to put in the aquarium with him if I got him a bigger one? I really want a dwarf african frog, but Im not sure how they would get along since those frogs are so tiny.

Answer 1

Fish bowls generally aren't good for bettas. Bettas need heating and filtration which is difficult to accomplish in a bowl. A 2 gallon tank would be the perfect size for your betta. (By the way, there's no such thing as a 2 gallon tank for goldfish...goldfish need at least 10 gallons each.) Actually, a 2 gallon tank with a sponge filter and a heater is generally considered the minimal set-up you could give your betta.

White cloud mountain minnows are great fish to put in with your bettas. You can also try snails that are bigger than your betta can eat. African dwarf frogs make excellent tankmates for your betta, since they thrive in the same water conditions and eat the same food. For a betta and one frog, you'd need a tank of 5 gallons; for a betta and some other fish, you'd need at least 10 gallons (depending on the number of tankmates.)

Answer 2

A 2 - 2.5 gallon tank is great for a betta and far better for him and you than a bowl. A filtered heated aquarium is the best place for a betta. In such a tank a few ghost shrimp would be good tank mated for your betta or even 2-3 oto catfish. The dwarf frog would also make a good tank mate in a 2 - 2.5 gallon tank.

MM

Answer 3

If you are planning on adding other fish then 5 to 10 gallon. If it is only for the betta 2 gallon is plenty. Unlike what many people say, a betta does not need at least 10 gallons. They originally live in water as shallow as 1inch high. As long as you change the water regularly of course! The smaller the bowl the more water changes!

Good fishes to keep with bettas are cherry barbs, zebra danios, all these hardy tetra fishes do well. But most tetra's need heating in the tank! So reaserch about that. Adding the frog is ok to. They wont bother the betta. They stay at the bottom.

But by doing so it is advised to get at least 5 gallons with a small filter and maybe a small heater to.

Answer 4

I love that you consider getting him a bigger tank
If you are planning on putting other fish with him, I would at least get a 5 gallon heated and filtered tank

Fish that do well with a betta out of my own experience are:
zebra danios
sunburst platies
balloon mollies
pepper cory catfish
These are all fish with no fancy fins, you can't put a guppy with him because there fins are to fancy

I don't know about the frogs though, i had some before and they all died on me, but I found out yesterday that they are suppose to be in a very low temperature range not in a tank with heater where the temperature is between 76-82 and they should be fed with frozen food


Hope that helps
Good luck



EB

Answer 5

As much as a betta fish can survive in a tiny little bowl, they really need housing big enough for them to explore and move just like any other creature. As far as the necessary size, the general rule is 1" of fish = 1 gallon of water. I find bettas can do fine in a 2.5 gallon tank, but not much else can be in it. I would go with a 5 gallon and with a 10 gallon if you want more fish. They can be very territorial if they do not have adequate space. With a 5 or a 10 gallon tank you'll find that you'll enjoy your betta fish much more as well. Good luck!

Answer 6

There is a huge debate in the fish keeping field as to the best way to keep Bettas. I will give you my opinion and what I have found what works best.

Bettas (Betta Splendens) are in a group of fish called labyrinth fish, which means they have a special organ that is like a primative lung which allows them to breath air. This is vital due to them being in rice patties and mud holes in their natural enviroment. This being said, yes, Bettas can live in pretty nasty conditions.

Many people put Bettas in tiny little jars, and odds are, this is what it was or will be in when you buy it. In my opinion this is cruel. For the fish to have a happy existence and to develop proper muscle definition, the fish needs room to swim. I would recommend a tank that is at least 2.5 gallons. I currently have mine in a 10gal.
Good filtration is a must, sponge or undergravel filters would be ideal due to bettas are not very good swimmers. Undergravel and sponge filters are adjustable, so you can minimize to amount of current in your tank. A biowheel is also pretty good.

Real plants are always better than fake. Not only are they the natural choice, but they also help filter you water. Plants feed off the NH3 and the Nitrite in the water which is highly poisonous to your fish.

Ensure that your tank is properly cycled. This is a natural process that takes about 4-6 weeks. During this time there are two choices you can make. You can cycle using a test fish, or you can fishless cycle. The latter being the preferred way. Reference the website I will give you later for help with this. Also ensure that you add dechlorinator to your tap water initially and every time that you change the water. It is recommended that you perform at least 25% water changes at least once a week. This will keep the water clean for your fish.

Bettas are highly carnivorous fish. They require food that is high in protein for their muscles to develop properly. It is recommended that you feed them the Betta food that is available or you can feed them brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, or even tiny shredded pieces of liver. Something that bettas love are guppy fry, but some people see that as cruel. The fact is, these fish eat meat.

Keep the temp of your tank around 75-80 degrees F. It is true that they can live in water down to 65 degrees, but their metabolisms will slow down and they will just sit at the bottom of the tank. Also at this temperature they will lose their colors and will be over-all unhealthy. Also, temps above 80 degrees will speed up their metabolisms and they will not live as long. Plus the warmer the water is the less oxygen there is in the water.

I encourage you to go to this website and become a member. It has people who are experts as well as beginners that can answer pretty much any of your questions.

www.tropicalresources.net

Good luck.

J

Answer 7

well id say a five gallon would give justice but that is if the betta is alone
if you want some buddies for the thing
get a ten gallon a whole set up shouldnt cost you more than
50 bucks
right now i cant recall other tanks mates that are compatible with
bettas
but i do believe the frogs would be fine

Answer 8

id get a five to ten gallon, and keep the plants and stuff, betta's like having a place to hide. the frogs do great, i have two in with my betta. they just chill at the bottom and keep out of the bettas way.

Answer 9

I had my male betta in my tank with 7 non tetras, 3 cory cats, and a pleco until I bought a gourami and they fought. Your betta should do fine it all really depends on him and what he wants