Are some bettas just... happier in smaller tanks? o_o

[elijahfeathers]

So before I found my new little white HM friend, Calder was all alone in my nice 10 gallon tank, with some pretty landscape, fake plants, fake floating plants, a hiding place ect.

Though my new fish, Anael, is being floated in a QT tank, I put up a divider so that they wouldn't see eachother so much and so that Calder wouldn't harass his new neighbor.

Calder used to just pace the whole length of the tank nonstop. Now that he's in 5 gallons of space, he just... explores his objects, plays with the floating plants, and builds humongous bubblenests. He honestly seems much happier in the five gallons than he did when he had ten to himself. What gives?

[Luimeril]

i think he's exploring his "new" place. it's the same tank, but it LOOKS new.

[MrVampire181]

My bettas don't care...whether it's a 10 gallon tank or a 16oz cup (most of my fish live in these...100% water changes everyday) I always have nests in my bettas housing. Also bettas bred by me don't care about temperature...sometimes when I don't heat my room it drops to the mid 60s and they swim around as happy as can be.

[Luimeril]

i think Cup's the only of my bettas who hates smaller tanks. then again, he's so big, and his fins are so massive, he feels cramped in them. everyone else could care less. yeah, their happier with more room, but i see nests in my male's tanks, and my females are so happy and perky.

[dragonfair]

My orange dalmation, Bravo, hated a 10 gallon from the start. He was stressing ME out with his pacing and acting odd and never sitting still for even one second! I put him in a 3 gal kritter keeper and he is much more mellow. He swims with a purpose and is building massive manly bubble nests now. Hmm... actually, come to think of it, all of my boys except Maximus have hated the bigger tank and I had to move them.

[BeCkS]

I agree that bettas sometimes do like smaller tanks, ive had better luck with smaller tanks than larger ones :)

[Aluyasha]

I had a Betta (named Finger) that, when I first got him, was in a 2.5 gallon tank. He would just sit in the corner under a plant and not move, he would also be very fearful of anything going on outside of the tank. Well I moved him into a 1 gallon and he suddenly had a personality! He would swim around everywhere, pick up rocks, flare at people passing by the tank and even swim into the filter just to play in it. :)
He is still in the 1 gallon, he just lives with my mom now.
I think it depends on the Betta's personality, I would NOT use my story as proof that Bettas should live in small tanks, it is just that Finger likes small tanks more.
Just as one of my other Bettas, Melvin, likes larger tanks more. He was at first in a 1 gallon and he was dull and slow moving, then I put him in a 5 gallon and now he is one of my most lively Bettas.
So yeah, it depends on the Betta. But yes, I do think some Bettas like smaller tanks. :)

[elijahfeathers]

Yeah I guess so. It's nice to see Calder perked up some. I was worried about dividing and taking space from him-- but now that i see how active he is in 5 gallons vs 10, I'm glad I did.

Ever water change before I rearranged everything for him-- re-scaped the gravel, moved his cave-cup and plants, relaid the glass beads in different places, ect. He never cared before-- but now he's really just interested in everything.

[Aluyasha]

Originally Posted by elijahfeathers

Yeah I guess so. It's nice to see Calder perked up some. I was worried about dividing and taking space from him-- but now that i see how active he is in 5 gallons vs 10, I'm glad I did.

Ever water change before I rearranged everything for him-- re-scaped the gravel, moved his cave-cup and plants, relaid the glass beads in different places, ect. He never cared before-- but now he's really just interested in everything.

Stahl is like that now too. He used to run away terrified when he was in the 15 gallon. I put him into a divided 10 gallon a few days ago and today siphoned, now he was following the siphoner and rubbing against my hand. :)

[Bettaluver4evr]

Haha, wow! Well, I have never had a 10 gallon tank for my bettas, so I can't really compare, but I have a crowntail named Liberty in a filtered 1 gallon and he is loving it! He swims, flares at me when I walk by, and is just a happy fish! I upgraded my veiltail Dumbo from a half gallon tank into a 1.2 gallon tank, and he has never been happier, he is building his first bubble nests, and I wouldn't keep him in anything else. My Halfmoon Butterfly is building bubblenests too and is in a 1.5 gallon tank. :) My bettas are all very happy in their small tanks, so... make what you can outta that. :P