New betta and lame advice from betta owner

[gahooie]

Hey guys!

Remember a couple weeks ago when Petco was having that little sale on Bettas? Well, I took a trip to pick up a new Betta and walked out with a very pretty DT betta. I named him Lil' Joe. To be honest, this guy doesn't have nearly as much personality as my later ones. He's on the mellow side and does his own thing, ya know?

My supervisor used to work in a pet store that specialized in fish and we were talking a lot about different breeds and our experiences with them. When I mentioned to her that my betta is in a 15 gallon she was asking me why and I told her that my past bettas had died of ich because I had them in bowls and they needed a heater and filter. She gave me a long explanation why bettas are meant to dwell in small places as they do in nature. I told her I had a couple bowls: one small 2 L and a gallon bowl and both bettas died. She told me they were probably sick to begin with but I told her that ich happens when they get cold, I mean...isn't that right? She told me the trick to keep them warm is to put them in the bathroom since its usually the warmest place in a house/apartment. I'm too scared to try it. I don't want anymore dead bettas. :< If only it were that easy right? I'd have my bathroom a betta haven!!

As for pictures of Joe, I'm gonna have to use my mom's camera because the lens on my digital is really lame. All my pics come out real blurry! Ttyl, guys!

[nochoramet]

Actually, I think she's got her advice all wrong. The bathroom would be a bad place to keep them, because of the temp fluctuations when you go to take a shower, then leave. I've read in so many places, yes a betta can SURVIVE in a tiny tank... but he's not THRIVING. So no, bettas aren't meant to live in tiny tanks. Tiny tanks and tiny ponds where they are from are 2 totally different things. One is a natural environment, the other is a human simulation of a natural environment. A betta would be thrilled to be kept in a 15g tank with a heater and filter, as opposed to a 1g with no heater and you have to change the water 2-3x a week. So you're right!

[vaygirl]

They're clueless. Those rice paddies go on for a LONG way. It's not just a little cube of water or a gallon of water. It may only be so many inches deep but it's hugely long. I have a betta who is living happily in a heated 16 gallon and he's never had ich or any disease for that matter. You're doing right by your betta! :)

[Jazattackk]

Shes an idiot. I have my betta is a 30 gallon tank and he loves it!

[gahooie]

Originally Posted by nochoramet

Actually, I think she's got her advice all wrong. The bathroom would be a bad place to keep them, because of the temp fluctuations when you go to take a shower, then leave.

I brought that to her attention but she did not have much to say in response. That's why I do not want to try it. =\ Plus those tiny bowls :s

[DenWin2567]

I think you're good and she's relying on advice that has been taken as canon for too long. Once the wife and I move we're moving our betta to a 10 gal tank. Just need to get a heater and a slow moving filter for it, but everything I've heard from the people on here and from the book we got at PetCo on bettas says to keep them in larger areas. The most common phrase I've heard is you can keep a dog in a cage just big enough that it doesn't squish him and it'll still be able to breathe and survive, but it still won't thrive and definitely isn't healthy for the pup. Same thing with a betta. It'll survive, but I'm sure you've seen your betta is MUCH happier in the larger tank. ^_^

[finnfinnfriend]

I think it's okay to keep a betta(especially a long-finned one) in one gallon, as long as you do enough water changes.

On the other hand, I don't see a problem with keeping a betta in a larger tank, either.

[xShainax]

I have one of my betta's in a 1 gallon with a heater

[finnfinnfriend]

Originally Posted by xShainax

I have one of my betta's in a 1 gallon with a heater

And he's happy, right?

[xShainax]

He made a little bubble nest, flaring at his reflection and eating like a pig