Do betta's like small tanks and if so, why?

[dramaqueen]

My largest is 4 gallons. lol

[sweetwhimsy]

We acquired a male betta from a friend who tried having him in with a goldfish. The goldfish was getting eaten up, so she called me & we wound up with the betta.

At first I bought a .5 gallon tank. It was small, but bigger than many of the tanks they tried to get me to buy at the pet store. I got online & found this forum where I read about them needing a bigger tank. My betta was barely swimming around & just kind of "hung out" in the .5 gallon tank.

After moving him to a 2.5 gallon tank, I can say that my betta is now happy! He swims all over the tank, loves to play around the filter, swims through his rock bridge & swims right to us whenever we peer into the tank. There's no doubt that to have a happy betta, it needs a larger tank!

Thanks to all the posters in the forum that helped educate me about just what my betta needed.

[dramaqueen]

Welcome to FishForum. Glad to hear your betta is doing well in his 2.5 gallon tank. :)

[1077]

Bigger tanks for bettas =fewer sick bettas.Heated tanks,=fewer sick bettas, regular water changes, =fewer sick bettas,variety of foods =fewer sick bettas.

[dramaqueen]

Agreed.

[Chicklet]

Bigger tanks for bettas =fewer sick bettas.Heated tanks,=fewer sick bettas, regular water changes, =fewer sick bettas,variety of foods =fewer sick bettas.

A BIG DITTO on that one!

Granted I don't have a problem with small 1 gallon tanks,
Just the people who refuse to maintain them properly.
Thus for most I think Bigger tanks are Better in the long run of things

[dramaqueen]

I agree. Its mostly a problem for people who don't maintain a smaller tank or bowl properly. I have taken your advice, Chicklet, on the water changes and I think my fish will be so much better off. :)

[LaniBaby]

I sat here fretting for weeks over whether i want to keep 2 bettas in reasonably nice homes or just 1 betta in a 10 gallon. I decided on the good of the masses and went with 2 bettas, each in 3 gallon, well planted and well-maintained tank. When I was floating Crumb's bag on his first day home, he looked around, and I saw his face light up! He tried to dart off and swim around, but was obviously impeded by the plastic of his bag. It was a little funny and sad at the same time. But when I let him out... he wouldn't stop swimming! It was like he discovered that he could fly. I watched him for hours and I'm happy to say that almost a month later, he's still swimming almost non-stop. When I brought Bluey home, he swam around tentatively, but then spent 3 days sitting in a tiny corner watching me. After awhile, though, I think he figured out it was safe because now he rarely stops swimming, either, and has the biggest bubble nest I've ever seen! (He keeps redoing it after water changes). So I think bettas are happiest and most beautiful where they can swim, stretch out their fins, and fly like the little aquatic butterflies that they are. :)

[Nataku]

Originally Posted by 1077

Bigger tanks for bettas =fewer sick bettas.Heated tanks,=fewer sick bettas, regular water changes, =fewer sick bettas,variety of foods =fewer sick bettas.

You sir, win a cookie!

[Kim]

^ I agree. For my bettas I have a 5 gallon minimum, and I haven't seen one betta that doesn't perk right up when they go into a larger space. I'm not convinced about the bettas in large community tanks though, but that's a compatibility issue, not a space issue.