Another Betta fish question

I see bettas in very small tanks fairly often. In fact, when I was in college I had a betta named Frankie, and he was in a small aquarium. Is this okay for them or do they need a lot more space? Looking back I feel bad about Frankies small quarters, but it seemed like most everyone had a betta in a small little tank. I know that they have to live alone so maybe that is why their tanks are often small so that people can have another fish live near them and still have a bit of space.

Many people are mistaken about betta. Other than the fact they have labyrinth organ which allow them to directly breath from the atmosphere, they are no different compare to any other tropical fish when it comes to the basic need.

The labyrinth organ only allow you to skip the air pump when it comes to equip your betta tank. You still need everything else which include ...
1. A proper sized fish tank (minimal 5 gallon is recommended for stable water temperature and chemistry)
2. An aquarium filter system
3. A heater
You must have all of the above or it is recommended not to get a fish.

Undersized tank really kill the fish. Since there is only so little water, any small change will result in the fluctuation in water temperature and water chemistry. Like all tropical fish, betta is fragile when it comes to unstable water conditions. It can stress or even kill them.

You will also have trouble to install proper equipments in undersized tanks. Betta is tropical fish, and they require 78~80F to stay healthy. Lower water temperature will lower their immune system and thus make it easy for them to get sick and die. Like all fish in aquariums, betta is not immune to ammonia poisoning which is produced by themselves as a waste. A filter system is mandatory or the fish will die pretty soon.

The commonly sold 'betta bowls' have allowed people to believe that betta fish can be kept in to small of tank. When you say everyone else was keeping a betta in too small of a tank, they probably were.

In order to properly keep a betta fish, you need a minimum of a 5 gallon tank (though more never does hurt), with a heater, and also a filter.

I would guess that Frankie probably was kept in too small of a tank, however, there is nothing that you can do about that now. If you are interested in getting another betta fish one day, just make sure to keep the betta in the proper environment.

Best of luck!

It's a misconception that Betta fish have to be kept alone they don't, although what they are kept with is of prime importance.
You must not keep two male siamese fighters together as they will fight to the death. They will live quite happily in a tank with mixed small tetras and various corydoras cats. A few females can be kept with them and if the conditions are right they will start to build bubblenests.
It's not a good idea to try to keep them with members of the barb or large danio species who will enjoy nipping their flowing tails until they are shredded.

(08-29-2013 03:01 PM)TheBrit Wrote:  It's a misconception that Betta fish have to be kept alone they don't, although what they are kept with is of prime importance.
You must not keep two male siamese fighters together as they will fight to the death. They will live quite happily in a tank with mixed small tetras and various corydoras cats. A few females can be kept with them and if the conditions are right they will start to build bubblenests.
It's not a good idea to try to keep them with members of the barb or large danio species who will enjoy nipping their flowing tails until they are shredded.

I wouldn't recommend to host betta fish with other fish in the same tank with the exception of bottom feeders like corydoras catfish. It is not just because betta might be territorial and aggressive toward other fish... It is often the other way around.

Tetra for example, it is a big no because many of them are nippy. Betta has such long fin which makes them the perfect target for fast moving Tetra fish.

While some betta fish might be "peaceful" enough to be in a community tank, it is no guarantee they will stay "peaceful" forever. All it takes is to have one incident for it become "not ok" from "ok". There are cases where female betta fish killed the male after spawning. So don't count on the female to be "peaceful" either.

Better be safe than sorry. I would never recommend anyone to put a betta in a community tank. They are like time bombs in there except you do not have a clue about the timer.

Sorry @Ram but totally disagree with you. Bettas can and are kept successfully in community tanks, provided my initial advice is followed.
Shoals of the like of neon, cardinal and rummy nose tetras will leave the betta alone.
I'm not saying one won't try and have a quick nip it probably will, but if the tank is well planted allowing the betta to hide if it wishes there shouldn't be any major problems.

Many say Malawi cichlids can't be kept in a community situation which is again untrue. It is just a matter of setting the tank up, and following the rules required, for the species involved.

@ TheBrit,
I respectfully disagree with you.
Natural nippy and aggression problem can't really be solved by having plants. I have been there. My aquarium is very heavily planted. The aggression problem wasn't gone just because there were hiding places. Some fish got injured over it and I had to transfer some of them to different fish tanks to avoid more serious problems.

Just because someone was able to keep a few betta fish in community tanks, it doesn't mean a thing. There were zoos kept dogs in lions' pit. Can it be done? Yes. Is it recommended? Hell NO!

Betta in a community tank is a time bomb. There isn't any problem until there is a problem. To avoid unnecessary injury or even death for your fish, it is not recommended at all to keep a betta in a tank full of other fish... especially not with the nippy ones like Tetra.