Betta tank set-up?

Question

Hey I have a betta and he has little pebbles in his tank. Do they like big pebbles instead of little pebbles? What i mean to ask is is it OK to put big pebbles in instead of little pebbles?

Also he lives in a 2 1/2 L tank. i was told if bettas are given too much room to swim they get fin probl;ems. Is this true? Would he be better off in a big tank?

Answer 1

The problem with larger pebbles is that if the food falls down between the pieces, the betta can't get to them to eat. And since you're keeping yours in a tank not a bowl (good for you!), his poop will also fall between the rocks.

This can also mean the tank will be harder for you to clean. The smaller aquarium gravel is small enough that you can get a gravel vacuum down into it to clean all the crud out, but if the rocks are too big (like the polished river pebbles from craft stores) you may not be able to get down into the gravel to clean it well. A compromise might be to use mostly small stones, but put a few larger ones in to make a contrast - then you could move these to the side with the bottom of your gravel vac when you clean.

As far as fin problems, I think it's the opposite. Fin rot is usually caused by bacteria and poor water quality, and this would be more likely to happen in a smaller amount of water (like a bowl). A 2.5 or 5 gallon is fine for them, but they can be kept in larger tanks. But if you have that much space, you may also want to give the betta some tankmates. That's where fin problems in larger tanks can happen. Bettas are slower swimmers, and their long fins can be nipped by larger, more aggressive fish. You can keep bettas with other fish, but they should be smaller, peaceful species.

Answer 2

Small pebbles are fine, but with bettas, the thing that they prefer is a lot of plants. But, smaller pebbles are better because they fit tighter together and make a solid substrate that the food won't fall through and will make eating easier for them as well as cleaning for you. Also, large pebbles/river rocks do not allow for the beneficial bacteria to grow. The rumor you heard about keeping bettas in a small space is not true. They are much happier and healthier with some room to swim about in and you will see a big improvement in their behavior when they are given room to swim and flare. Your tank is equivalent to a .66 gallon tank, which is really quite small and pretty much the same as a bowl. You would really be better off giving your betta a 9-18 litre tank with a fine gravel substrate and lots and lots of plants. Good luck!

Answer 3

I agree with the first poster regarding the pebbles, and here's the truth about tank size:

Betta's like tighter spaces for security (the come from very heavily planted waters), and because of their long show fins aren't into swimming great lengths at a time. They can actually be kept in as large a tank as you wish, as long as it's decorated properly. This means having large, heavily planted areas in the tank, or the entire tank planted this way (real or fake). If you are capable of planting a 75 gallon tank, including plants that go to the top of the water, then you can feasably keep a betta in there. Forget about myths that they drown in large tanks (they do have gills).

Unfortunately too many people see bettas living in tight spaces as a good excuse for stuffing them into a bowl, and others found bettas highly stressed in large tanks, but because of a lack of decoration.

My own betta is in a short 15 gallon tank (same footprint as a standard 20) and it's got lots of plants. He is very active and uses the whole tank, and gets along well with his peaceful tankmates. And in it for more then 3 years, I'd say he has no problem with the size.

Answer 4

You should have little pebbles. Why? These kind of pebbles are easier to clean. And, your tank has .55060 gal !!!! Heck no! he will have no fin problems in a larger tank. He could have a 5 gallon tank.

Answer 5

bettas thrive in anywhere from 2 to 10 gallons
less than one gallon would be cruel and inhumane
more than 10 gallons and he's likely to tear his fins from swimming too much
but anywhere from a 2 gallon to a 10 gallon is ideal
http://ezinearticles.com/?Give-Your-Betta-Fish-A-Better-Life!&id=807215

as far as pebble size...
if you go with river rock size (rocks that are near flat and about an inch long) then you'll have some problems with bacteria growth at the bottom of the tank
besides this, bettas are a versatile fish that can thrive with various substrates including fine gravel, pea gravel, small pebbles, and even sand; so you should be fine with whatever substrate you chose.
http://aquatic-hobbyist.com/fishbertspage/homes.html

hope this helps!

Answer 6

I've had many Betta fish they are the smartest and most wonderful fish for anyone!
My tank is just a Mini-Bow 2.5 Aquarium
it has all the stuff with it filter/light top/etc...
but i only use the tank [with] the divider as the top.
At first I put all the pebbles and fancy stuff in it...but my fish just didn't go for it.So it is just an empty tank which i fill with filtered water which i let sit till it comes to room temp.
I keep "Mick" named after Mick Jagger all my Bettas are called Mick...the lips of Mick ha ha..
anyway...I just saw this cute Betta feeder
it is a fish shaped one called Shakerz
anyway i got one...websearch to see it I do not want to get into trouble for posting links