Betta Fish Flower Vase?

Question

I've seen the betta fish flower vases where there's a peace lily in water and the fish lives at the bottom. Just out of curiosity, does the plant have to be a peace lily and the fish have to be a chinese fighting fish? can the plant be any other plant and the fish be goldfish?

i actually have a goldfish pond that is flooding with algae and i was told that plants would help reduce the algae. since no one in my area sells water lilies I had the idea of surrounding the pond with potted plants and letting the roots come out of the bottom and soak up the water. I'd only have to refill the water every few days instead of change it. I got the idea from the betta fish vases.

I live in California, Southern california to be exact. Even the coldest weather is considered "warm" in most places

Answer 1

Those vases aren't good homes for any fish. The peace lily is mostly for looks. Betta's do not eat plant roots unless they are starving. The plants in those vases take up room that is needed for swimming and leave less room for the fish to get air. And a goldfish wouldn't work in a vase. They produce alot of waste and ammonia will build up very quickly in any vase/tank that isn't filtered. I would suggest to get at least a 15 gallon tank with a filter for a single goldfish. Or at least a 2.5 filtered, heated tank for a Betta.

Answer 2

I think your mind is made up and you're set in your ways regardless of what I say. Oh well. Here goes my attempt at logic as to why this is a bad idea... 1. Water temperature- Bettas are tropical fish. They need a steady, constant temperature of 78-82F or 25-26C. Too cold and the betta will become lethargic and weak. Weak fish have weakened immune systems. A weaker immune system means a fish is more prone to diseases such as dropsy, fin rot, popeye, ich, and flukes. The temperature also needs to be stable. Having the temperature fluctuate through out the day will stress the fish. Stressed fish have weakened immune systems and are more prone to becoming sick. To fix the issue of temperature, you would normally get a heater. But small volumes of water are difficult to heat efficiently. I suggest nothing less then 5 gallons. 2. Water quality- All fish poop. Fish poop releases ammonia. Ammonia is toxic stuff. It burns gills and mess up a fish's respiratory system. It also stresses fish. And what do we know about stressed fish? That's right, they get sick. That's why we use filters. A filter houses good bacteria that convert the toxic ammonia into nitrite (still bad) and nitrite into nitrate which is harmless in small amounts. You keep nitrate in check with weekly partial water changes. 100% water changes means moving the fish somewhere else while you scrub the vase clean. And you'll be needing to do these 100% changes often. The water quality gets bad fast in a small volume of water. 3. Air- Bettas are labyrinth fish. They have what is called a labyrinth organ which allows them to breath air from the surface. A vase's funny shape makes it difficult for the betta to get a breathe. Also, have fun netting your fish every 3-4 says when making your 100% water changes. The neck of the vase will make sure you have a jolly good time. So there you go. If you think a sickly betta is your idea of a "nice decoration" then by all means. I personally think that healthy and active fish are far more appealing to look at. Did any of that seem rude? If it did, it's because I have little patience for people who know what their doing is bad but they do it anyways. There is a difference between beginner mistakes and arrogance. I'm also disgusted when people think of fish as little more then room decor. They do look nice and nothing brightens up a room like a well maintained aquarium, but they are also your pet. Your responsibility. When you take in a pet, you are making a commitment to give it to the animal the best life you can. You have to put the animals well being and needs before your wants. Otherwise your pet suffers.

Answer 3

Please don't use this set up to keep any fish. Stores sell them for use with Bettas (Siamese Fighting Fish), claiming that you never have to feed them or change the water because the peace lily will provide filtration and food.

This is so opposite of the truth. Bettas are carnivorous, they eat meat, not plants. That's not to say they don't enjoy a little frozen pea or spinach for variety, but they cannot be sustained by nibbling on the roots of the lily.

Bettas are tropical fish. They need water temperatures around 74-82 ish. This means that unless your room temperature is very warm, you should put a heater in the tank with them.

Next is the size issue. While Bettas CAN live in small containers, they will not thrive. They need some space to swim around - I like to give mine a minium of 2-1/2 gallons.
Some breeders will keep them in 1 gallon jars, but they are meticulous with their water changes and conditioning.

Speaking of water condition, partial water changes should be done on a weekly basis. The smaller the container, the more frequent the water changes. Good clean, conditioned water is a great start to insure good health for your fish.

Next, you ask about Goldfish. Goldfish can live at cooler temperatures than Bettas, but, each goldfish has the potential to grow to sizes over 10" long. This can't happen in a vase. It's too small. And goldfish should have a mechanical filter because they are messy creatures and produce lots of waste.

The only creature you could humanely keep in a peace lily vase is a couple of snails - Apple Snails or Mystery Snails

Answer 4

It's really not a good idea to house the plant or the fish this way. The betta needs a tropical set up with easy access to the water's surface and meaty foods. The plant won't get sufficient nutrients in a vase set up this way for long and when its roots begin to die, it will pollute the water.

If you want a betta, research the needs of the fish and set up a habitat accordingly. Alternatively research goldfish if that is what you'd like to keep and care for.

The "betta/lily vase" was a trendy fad that started several years ago and has, unfortunately, not died off yet. It's a terrible set up for a fish. If you wanted to keep a betta in a bowl with some java moss, that would work, but it still requires tropical temperatures (75-85). Dropping below 75 causes the betta to become lethargic and listless.

Answer 5

No fish in vases, not bettas and most especially not goldfish. These containers are simply much, much too small for any living creature. Bettas need a minimum of 1 gallon of water, but preferably 2.5-5 gallons of water. Goldfish need a minimum of 10 gallons of water. All fish also need filtration, for which there is no place to put that on a vase or bowl and tropical fish, of which the betta is a member, need heaters. With regard to the algae in your pond and the suggestion of plants to aid in the reduction of the algae. You need underwater plants to effectively convert the carbon dioxide into oxygen. The expulsion of the oxygen comes almost exclusively from the leaves of the plant and so the oxygen will be emitted from wherever the leaves are located. So, plants planted alongside the pond, or bog plants, would not do the trick. You need a plant that has leaves that are underneath the water or, at least, touch the water. However, a more effective approach would be to ensure that the pond is shaded with a canopy or pergola structure. Sun is what creates algae. So, the less sun, the less algae.

Answer 6

Honestly I do not support putting any fish in a vase....fish are living creatures that need certain things to live a happy and content life....they don't get that when you put them in a vase, that is so far removed from their natural habitat. Fish need fliters to remove their waste and the left over food, they need air flitration to run Oxygen through the water, to ease breathing, because the water is still, they need a heater to maintain proper water temp, and alot of other things. When you put a betta in a vase, you have none of that....you severely shortern their life to just a few months and they literally die by suffocation on their own feces. It's cruel...very cruel and unnecessary....please I strongly, strongly urge you not to buy a fish as a decoration and let it suffocate on it's own fecal matter.....

Answer 7

Please DO NOT put a goldfish in a flower vase!!!
I wouldn't even suggest putting a beta in there. Just because they are being sold for fish does not mean they are a healthy environment. In my opinion, a betta should not be in anything smaller than a 5 gallon and a goldfish should not be in anything smaller than a 20gal. Please research the requirements of any fish before you buy it. The fish will be much happier and live much longer.


Oh, sorry. In that case, I think the plants would be okay but depending on your climate, what will you do in the winter?

Answer 8

Those things are bad for fish and bad for the plant. I'd stay away from them. Bettas however do ok in those setups b/c of their diet and ability to breathe air and their hardiness.