# How small is too small?



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

When I was little, I had one of those tiny hex tanks to house my betta in. As I got older I felt it was wrong, according to what many said, saying they are cruel. 

You can still find many debates about what is a proper size for betta fish. I would like to share this article with you all here. This shows how many of the males of the splendens complex are in the wild. 

I would love to hear opinions from you all, what do you think? 

I house my splendens in about a gallon, on a heat mat with moss in the containers. 

AMAZONAS Videos: Bettas in the Wild - What They Tell Us About Tank Size

Please note: I still suggest those who house a single betta to house them in three gallons, so you can properly heat and filter the tank, UNLESS you have a heat mat, temp controlled and willing to do the necessary water changes.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I think for ANY fish, regardless of type, bigger is better. For a single betta at LEAST a gallon if you do frequent water changes, a 5 gal would be better with some plants for a fish. Obviously for breeders you wouldnt be able to have a bunch of 5 gals around but typically a good breeder knows what they are doing and how to handle a smaller tank (or 100) for their stock.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

that being said I think there's a definate learning curve


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello maj...

You know the drill. Larger is always better no matter what's going to live there. The old boy that got me into the water keeping hobby said the water in small tanks was unstable, so don't waste the money. Save until you could get at least a 30. Then, just change out the tank water every few days and get some hardy fish. 

B


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## LizStreithorst (Jul 16, 2015)

I'm a breeder. If I were to breed bettas I would go with gallon jugs and change a ton of water. If I had a betta in a display tank I would go 10 gallons with a few plants and some compatible tank mates.


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## clumsycarp (Jul 28, 2015)

there are always a variety of factors that we must take into consideration.for those that keep only 1 or even 10 bettas a 5 gallon or so tank is just fine and certainly recommended.and i have even seen where folks insist that they be kept in nothing less than a 10 gallon tank. BUT..................
what about those that breed them ? think of those breeders in places like Thailand.many of them have 10s of thousands of males that they have bred.females can be kept together in large numbers in ponds or vats and then sorted when mature enough.males have to be separated at a certain point.the single males are kept in containers no larger than 1 litre.and they are kept there for quite some time.
in the past i have bred some bettas.it took lots and lots of 1 qt. mason jars ; hundreds of them.in a special little area i created for them that was wrapped in clear visqueen and a small electric heater to keep them warm.i no longer keep them.although i have thought about breeding them again.but thinking of all of the work and space needed i decided against doing it.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I have to agree with Liz on this one. If it's for display then go with at least a 5 gallon, preferably planted so it'll look better. If it's for breeding then you can go to a litire.


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## LizStreithorst (Jul 16, 2015)

clumsycarp said:


> BUT..................
> what about those that breed them ? think of those breeders in places like Thailand.many of them have 10s of thousands of males that they have bred.females can be kept together in large numbers in ponds or vats and then sorted when mature enough.males have to be separated at a certain point.the single males are kept in containers no larger than 1 litre.and they are kept there for quite some time.
> in the past i have bred some bettas.it took lots and lots of 1 qt. mason jars ; hundreds of them.in a special little area i created for them that was wrapped in clear visqueen and a small electric heater to keep them warm.i no longer keep them.although i have thought about breeding them again.but thinking of all of the work and space needed i decided against doing it.


I never knew that they went as small as a liter per fish. I can't imagine the labor involved in WC. I would never have the patience for all that. All I have to do as far as WC involves vacuuming bare bottoms with the help of a pump and turning valves. People who breed Bettas are very dedicated.


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## FancyFish (Jul 22, 2015)

I've always kept Betta splendens in 1 gallon tanks with single anubias w/driftwood & floating plants.
Daily water changes for 20 tanks  

Sorority tanks were 5 females in 20 gallon tank.

( no breeding )


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

LizStreithorst said:


> I never knew that they went as small as a liter per fish. I can't imagine the labor involved in WC. I would never have the patience for all that. All I have to do as far as WC involves vacuuming bare bottoms with the help of a pump and turning valves. People who breed Bettas are very dedicated.


A lot of serious breeders keep them in small containers, BUT have them hooked up to a mass water changing system that can empty/fill all of them at once. Im betting bev can provide more info and/or photos of such operations.


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## LizStreithorst (Jul 16, 2015)

I'd really, really, really love to see that. I know how it's done at the Discus farms in Asia but I can't imagine how betta people do it.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Not sure if you can see but they are all hooked up to pipes to drain and fill


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## LizStreithorst (Jul 16, 2015)

Summer said:


> Not sure if you can see but they are all hooked up to pipes to drain and fill


Good pic. I understand the incoming water. I see the pipes for the outgoing water but I can't tell how they drain old water from that rack of tanks. The tanks are not drilled.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

unsure myself too


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

In the back of the beanies, they have a slit cut. This allows the water to drain, spilling down the side of the beanies into the gutters, which are at an angle enough to drain down, into the tub ( giant heavy duty garbage bin or sterlite container, where it is filtered and heated and pumped back up to the drip tubes.


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