minmum tank size for a betta fish?
30 April 2010
10 Comments
And does the tank need to be cycled? will it be ok without a filter?
i have 2 goldfish in a 30 gallon tank there tank is fully cycled and is filtered. I dont know much about betta fish tho, i want to get one for my nephew
i do have a spare 2.5 gallon tank and a 3 gal hob filter i was planning to put it in
UK gallons – 3 would be the minimum and yes filter and cycled. They produce ammonia it has to be removed.
2.5 and if your nephew is going to do the husbandry on a regular basis???
Your call, you could do it and if he takes to the hobby, things could change rapidly, but on the other hand?
You can keep bettas in a really small container because they will go to the top and breathe air. If you put two males in the same tank, they will fight to the death.
Have you seen the itty bitty things they keep those fish in the store? Please get your fish an okay size tank. They dont need a filter but you do have to change the water about once a week or when the tank is dirty. Never put two betta fish in one tank. They fight like pitt bulls.
Should have at least 1 gallon tank with a filter and an air link etc. It is not good for them to be kept in a bowl or vase. While it is possible for them to survive in one the quality of life is not good and they don’t last as long that way.
Ideally, a betta does indeed need a cycled, and heated tank. Actually, that’s almost the only thing that can live healthy in a 5 gallon tank (the long kind preferably, not the high kind).
A 5 gallon tank is great for a betta, it’s big enough to allow the fish to swim around and show it’s true beauty, and big enough to even do a nice bit of aquascaping with live plants, rocks and wood.
Keeping a betta in a bowl is much more demanding. You will need to do 30% water changes every 2-3 days to keep the nitrite levels down (not being filtered and cycled, not a lot of nitrites is degraded to nitrates), and the betta will be at room temperature, which means harder time on digestion, especially if you don’t tend to keep the place much warm.
i have several bettas…i will not keep them in anything smaller than 5 gallons, though some will go down to 2.5, imo that is just too small.
people are confusing filters with air…yes, the fish can go to the surface to breath, BUT, they still produce ammonia and other waste, and NEED a filter to remove that.
yes, ALL tanks need to be cycled.
the tank will need a heater as well, set it to 82.
A single male betta requires at least a 2.5 gallon aquarium (preferably larger), a gentle filter such as a sponge filter, and an aquarium heater.
~All you would need is the Hydor mini heater.
Minimum 3 gallons.
Many say it’s okay not to have it filtered because their labyrinth organ allows them to breathe air. This is true, but kind of abusive. They don’t like to use thee labyrinth organ. Like everyone else says, two males will indeed fight to the death. If you want to go without a filter, get at least a 5 gallon and do weekly water changes. If you want to see their true colors and behavior, definitely go with at least a 5 gallon. If you get a 6 gallon or more, you can put a male and female together. That would be kind of cool :)
By the way congrats on your goldfish tank. WAY too many people put them in tiny tanks and don’t care for them. Just like your goldfish, treat your betta just like a real fish. Give it a filter, light, heater, plants, etc. and you, your nephew, and your fish will be happy.
Good luck!
I keep my bettas in 1 gal tanks. I’ve had both of them for a year and they’re both very healthy. No filter or air pump. Bettas prefer the water to be calm. They also like to have plants and stuff to ‘hide’ in. Don’t put more than one betta in a tank, and make sure you keep the tank clean. I do 1/2 water changes every few weeks. I use regular tap water but use a ‘tap water conditioner’.
I’ve kept several males in 2.5 gallon hexagonal tanks with small 3 gallon filters. We’ve had the "boys" for 3 years now with no problems and as long as the light gets turned on regularly, no need for a heater. Both have been successful breeders.
We have thrown un-cycled tanks together for the boys during various moves by using bottled spring water (which has been ph checked prior to use) with no ill effects.
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