My sister bought a Betta and a vase with rocks and a plant .The roots go into the Bettas' water .?

Question

Is this a good home for it and how often should she change the water?

Answer 1

Betta fish can do really well, or really bad in these setups. It depends on the amount of care you want to put into it. It's not the best home for the fish, but if you want to try it, please keep the following in mind:

The first concern is the plants roots. You have to be 100 percent sure that all soil and fertilizer has been soaked and rinsed off the plant. That is usually mistake #1 that people make.

Mistake 2 is filling the vase too full of water. The intentions are good...to give the fish more room to swim, but the results are bad. Bettas are a labyrinth breather, and can take in oxygen directly from the air. It is necessary to leave air space between the waterline and the where the plant rests and to make sure it can get some fresh air.

The third mistake people make with these are not doing water changes as necessary. Because of the small amount of water, do at least 3 50% water changes a week.

Also, be careful where you put the vase. Don't put it by a window so the plant can get light. It will cause too much temperature fluctuation for the fish. Don't put it in a high traffic area where it's going to get knocked over, either.

Again, I've seen bettas do really well in these setups when they are well cared for. The fish will die, however, if you're not prepared to give it the attention it deserves.

Answer 2

Your sister bought a death trap for the fish. First of all Betta's are tropical fish and need to be kept in water that is between 76-82F at all times. Also Betta's do NOT eat plants or roots. I would throw the plant out and clean out the vase at least every other day. Or better yet, purchase a real tank 2.5 gallons with a filter and a micro heater and the betta will thrive. Alot of stores (even my local Walmart) has removed these from the shelves due to the fact many people has blown up about this setup. (like me)

Answer 3

The horror of a "Betta Vase" is not the plant (though Peace Lilies blocking the air certainly wont' help), but the small volume, lack of filtration, and cold water. In tiny amounts of water, there is almost no buffer against ammonia spikes (from waste), temperature swings, or any other toxins in the water. Without filtration, ammonia (from waste) will build up in days (if not hours), killing or severely damaging the fish (especially gills and fins). Bettas are tropical fish, and when kept in subtropical temperatures, slow considerably. Cold Bettas are EXTREMELY susceptible to infections and rarely recover from them unless given the proper temperatures (around 80*). In short, yes, the Betta should be fine in a vase for a day or two, but you are running HUGE risks with it, not to mention the uncycled tank you're about to give him. You may need to perform water changes once or twice a day to ensure it stays healthy. EDIT: You should expect a Betta to live upwards of 4 years... These people bragging about months or a couple years of age are really quite embarrassing.

Answer 4

That is an awful home for a betta. Bettas need a minimum of 2.5 gallons to live happily. The ammonia and nitrite will end up killing the fish because it is in such a small space. A betta in a vase with a plant is just like a basketball player in a filing cabinet without the drawers. Please tell your sister to get a 2.5 gallon tank and transfer the betta into that.

~ZTM

Answer 5

That is probably the worst possible home for a betta. In that environment, she should change the water every 2-3 days.

I would strongly suggest she get the poor fish out of that Betta death trap and into a small aquarium. A 2.5 gallon set up from a pet department store would be perfect.

MM

Answer 6

Please do your sister's betta a big favor and get at least a 2.5 gallon tank with filtration and heater, it's not that expensive to buy and your fish will be much happier

they don't eat the plants, they actually like them a lot, mine usually rests on them

if you have a TANK not a vase, you're suppose to do a partial waterchange of 25% a week with a gravel siphon


Hope that helps
EB

Answer 7

This is a terrible way for a betta to live - check out this site and it will explain everything to you...

http://www.bettatalk.com/betta_in_a_vase.htm

or this one

http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/fishbertspage/bettavase.html

or this one...

http://www.firsttankguide.net/vase.php

starting to get the idea?

Answer 8

Betta fish are more comfortable in smaller/more confined tanks. Also, they have the ability to breathe and survive in tanks where there is less oxygen, making smaller tanks without filters candidates. This "tank" sounds fine and you often see Bettas in vases. She should change the water once a week (because it is a small tank) or when it looks gross (cloudy or stuff (extra food etc) is floating in it)...

This might help too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betta

Answer 9

when the water gets cloudy or dirty she should change it them. some of my co-workers say that the betta eats the root, but i recently went to sign up for some college classes and the ladies in the office was moving the plant to the side and putting fish food into the bowl. i think that this is an excellent home......

Answer 10

it is fine as long as you feed it and change the watter one a week