# Curious to see what you think the smallest betta bowl should be



## Platy_lover21 (May 16, 2013)

I am curious to see what you guys think are the smallest tanks you think are appropriate for betta's. I say nothing smaller than a gallon. I have two in heated gallon aquariums since they get stressed with large spaces. My others are in heated 2.5 gallons, one is in a 29 gallon community tank and one is in a 6.6 gallon


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Three gallon minimum unless you are a breeder and can house a barraks system with drip going. When I had boys who would flip out from larger areas, I planted those tanks to the brim. They would get used to it in no time flat.


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## Platy_lover21 (May 16, 2013)

Thanks for not flipping out and saying "OMG you are a horriblz betta owner." I get that way too often when I tell them about my tanks


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

LOL. When I first started I kept a boy in a large bowl, no heat or filter. I did not know any better because I spoke to the fish store personnel. We all have to be educated, either by learning ourselves or from others. Depending on who you get your info from, is dependant on how you do things. 

I saw my boy was not thriving so I popped onto the internet to browse, and ran across a few betta specific sites. There I joined and learned I was wrong. Also learned there are so many species of fish than those we see in the petstores, and even more bettas. I was amazed to say the least! 

Really many people will agree a gallon is perfect, and it is actually more ideal than the little things they have specifically for betta fish. If you read however about the filters and heaters, its so hard to have anything under three gallons actually stable with heat and bacteria. I feel heat, lids and filtration are just as important for them as it is any other type of tropical fish. The heat and lids even more so, because they come from such warm, humid environments that they need the moisture for their labrynth organ, as well as a way to stop jumping.


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## Platy_lover21 (May 16, 2013)

One of the one gallon betta's would rather flare at you than worry about how small his tank is. I have a Top fin 5 watt heater in it and he stays there until you move then he's like "You wanna fight me?" Betta's have the funniest personalities. I am treating a cellophane DT who had fin rot when I got him from petco, and it's chronic fin rot but it's stable and he acts like he doesn't have it with him flaring at everything and ripping the new growth when he flares. -_- Then I have a HM who gets stressed by the smallest things and likes to stay by the heater until he sees me then he swims away hiding in his little cave


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## DarkestCloud (Mar 21, 2013)

Mine's fine in a 10 gallon, he has his corner, the black neons have everywhere else. He swims around a bit, the neons avoid him, the snail doesn't even care, and then he returns to his corner.


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## ironklad (Apr 14, 2013)

My guy is in about 1.5 gallons, and with plants he's just too crowded to swim around freely. I'm getting ready to move him into an Aqueon 8 cube, which has about 6 gallons in the actual display area, I think that should give him a good balance of planted cover + free space to swim and chase food, without being too huge.


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## chipmunk1210 (Jul 3, 2012)

I believe bettas need at least 2.5 gallons. That gives them a good amount of room to really stretch their fins and allows for a good heating and even filtering of the tank. I personally like to keep mine in bigger tanks but I have kept them in 1 gallon tanks before. In a pinch, I would feel fine to move one of mine into a 1 gallon if needed although I would not keep them in one long term if I could help it. I don't think you are doing anything bad though since 1 gallon is better than most get. I started out with a male in a gallon bowl and one in a gallon vase (without the plant though) and then learned more about the fish in question which made me get bigger accommodations for them. The most important things are clean(filtered or unfiltered), heated water(with a heater to regulate steady temps), and a lid of some sort to keep the "I think I can fly" dreams at bay in a container of AT LEAST 1 gallon. I like to do divided tanks which worked out great for my boys. They stay in about the same amount of water but get the benefit of a very steady temperature and a more reliable cycle. Plus water change on one tank weekly.


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## Platy_lover21 (May 16, 2013)

When I get more room, I plan on getting another 29 gallon.


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## newbie13 (May 18, 2013)

Betta in this country are living it "large". 

Back home, most betta I saw were kept in small jars. And most kids (without money) would just cut glass litre bottle in halves and used the bottom halve to house their betta. Filter? Nah, just change water every 2 to 3 days. Heaters.....what are those????*old dude

Anyways, I'm no expert but one gallon sounds fine for a betta. :fish-in-bowl:

Vic


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## chipmunk1210 (Jul 3, 2012)

Where are you from? If in a tropical country then heaters are not needed and filters are great for bigger tanks so you don't have to change the water that often. In a smaller tank it is a choice whether to cycle with a filter or to just change the water often but in this country with the untropical temps, a heater is a must to keep a stable temperature. A lot of countries(US included) still see bettas(and some other fish) as decorations not as living, feeling creatures like say a dog or cat but they do deserve decent living arrangements and room to swim. I do not condone someone keeping a betta in a 1 gallon container but I strive to help them learn that the fish do better in a bigger tank.


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## newbie13 (May 18, 2013)

chipmunk1210 said:


> Where are you from? If in a tropical country then heaters are not needed and filters are great for bigger tanks so you don't have to change the water that often. In a smaller tank it is a choice whether to cycle with a filter or to just change the water often but in this country with the untropical temps, a heater is a must to keep a stable temperature. A lot of countries(US included) still see bettas(and some other fish) as decorations not as living, feeling creatures like say a dog or cat but they do deserve decent living arrangements and room to swim. I do not condone someone keeping a betta in a 1 gallon container but I strive to help them learn that the fish do better in a bigger tank.



Don't get all worked up now. I apologize for getting on your wrong side. 

My previous post was never meant to be used as a guideline. It was just a mere "fun" facts. Wild betta are caught and released regularly in Southeast Asia for decorations, entertainments and/or sports. Their captivity can be a big glorified tank or a plain pickle jar, but neither is used with the intentions to harm them. It's the same way betta are displayed and kept in many LFS here in the U.S. 

We already doing betta a tremendous disservice by keeping them as pets. Therefore, I'm very happy to see that many people here try very hard to keep their environment as natural and accommodating as possible.

Vic


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## chipmunk1210 (Jul 3, 2012)

newbie13 said:


> Don't get all worked up now. I apologize for getting on your wrong side.
> 
> My previous post was never meant to be used as a guideline. It was just a mere "fun" facts. Wild betta are caught and released regularly in Southeast Asia for decorations, entertainments and/or sports. Their captivity can be a big glorified tank or a plain pickle jar, but neither is used with the intentions to harm them. It's the same way betta are displayed and kept in many LFS here in the U.S.
> 
> ...



I didn't realize that my post sounded like that. LOL I was really just curious on where you were from. I figured it was from part of the world where it was tropical. 

I certainly didn't mean to sound all "ranting like" so sorry if it came off that way.


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## Platy_lover21 (May 16, 2013)

Both my one gallons have a 5W heater that heats the water to 78 degrees


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

Platy_lover21 said:


> I am curious to see what you guys think are the smallest tanks you think are appropriate for betta's. I say nothing smaller than a gallon. I have two in heated gallon aquariums since they get stressed with large spaces. My others are in heated 2.5 gallons, one is in a 29 gallon community tank and one is in a 6.6 gallon


I'm far from an expert but my limited experience in trying to cycle a 2.5 gallon points me toward something bigger. So I chose the 5 gal. I'm a safety nut so I have two heaters in each tank in case one goes out. Each heater is rated for the size tank it is in. From my industrial experience thermostatically controlled heaters are more likely to fail on the open condition.


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## Platy_lover21 (May 16, 2013)

I don't have enough room for 5 gallons for each of my betta's.


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

After having had bettas in as small as 1.5 gallons...that's about the absolute minimum I'd feel comfortable with them being in. Mine was filtered, heated, and always well planted, but it was still cramped quarters. Now I'd never keep them in anything under 2.5, filtered, heated, and planted


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## donduck (Mar 28, 2013)

Mine is presently in a one gallon spherical bowl. Later, today, I'll put him back in the 1.5 gallon hexagonal acrylic bowl, after I do a full water change. Beverly suggested a 5 gallon tank. When I get around to getting maybe an Eclipse 5, I hope the agitation from the filter is minimal. This is his 5th week with me, and it's been all sans filter, thus far. He's been going back and forth between the 1 and the 1.5. 
Yeah, I agree that 1 gallon should be as low as you go. Anything less seems like cruelty.


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