Regional differences...

[Tamyu]

Today I was flipping through a betta care guide made by Kyorin (better known as Hikari) and found their suggested betta set up section fascinating. Along with the normal small tank with a single betta and med/large tank with multiple females, they had another "standard" set up listed.
One male with more than three females is the recommended style for larger tanks (60l+). The directions are to put the male in the tank first, then shortly after add all the females. (Never add a second male! Don't add a female after the others have been in the tank for any length of time! Remove the females if eggs are laid! Etc.)

I found this sort of interesting, seeing how much there is against having females and males in the same tank... But such a respected place is listing it as a normal set up. (They don't sell equipment, so it isn't a sales pitch.)

They definitely win points for making it clear that you need a heater, a filter if possible, and at least 3 liters at the very minimum per fish. (They push the 1cm needs 1l, with 3cm being the minimum size of bettas regularly sold.)

The information for breeding available in Japan is also a LOT different from what I see on here and in English. Making comparisons is really entertaining me at the moment. It is painfully easy to find information on the tiny set ups available in the US, but I am very curious what sort of things are "normal" for betta in other countries.

[Bombalurina]

I can tell you that here in Australia, its pretty much the same as the US. Don't have males and females in the same tank, as it will lead to badness, unless you are someone like OFL.

[Tamyu]

Don't worry - I have no plans to try the male and female set up. I just thought the differences were quite interesting.
The suggestions for breeding are also a lot different, making use of four 12l tanks. Breeding in one, splitting the fry into two once they are free swimming, then splitting them again once they are larger. They advise against a single large grow out tank, saying it promotes hostility and stunting.

In terms of tanks, Tetra still sells their tiny fish prisons here... But almost every shop bundles them with a heater. The most popular sets sold are 1.5 gallon with a filter and heater.

I guess people take their fish more seriously here or something. You will see smaller tanks in general, but the care put into them seems much higher than what I see of the standard things in the US.

[Bombalurina]

Wierd, I've always heard that 40 litres should be the breeding tank, with 2-3 80 litre grow-out tanks.

I do think Japan takes it's fish more seriously in general, but you are a nation of high-acheivers (sorry if I'm stereotyping, but all the Japanese people I've had the good fortune to meet have been insanely hard-working). Also, you have people like Takashi Amano (my hero!)

[Sheldon31]

I love Japan. I would love to spend some time there in the near future, the idea of eating sushi without everyone around me saying "eeewww raw fish" sound pretty awesome to me :) there is very different advice here, depending on where you go the advice ranges from bettas MUST be kept on their own not with their own kind or anything else, females can live together in harmony in larger tanks. Breeding is said to be impossible here as without fail a male will kill a female. I even got told by one woman bettas can only live in 1 gal tanks because large tanks stress them out too much...*rolls eyes*

[Bombalurina]

I hear that one all the time.

Sushi is massively popular here! There's a really good sushi place in the uni (get the mixed box!) and another one in the city about 5 minutes walk away.

[Sheldon31]

It's a shame that lfs say things like that because it puts people off having bettas because they don't just want 1 fish on its own so they avoid them. I looked at a 1 gal for perspective and it just looks a bit inhumane to keep anything alive in there. One place recommended a bowl for my 6 tetras grr.

[Tamyu]

Originally Posted by Bombalurina

Wierd, I've always heard that 40 litres should be the breeding tank, with 2-3 80 litre grow-out tanks.

The reasoning given in the book is less stress for the male - a smaller tank means less space to "lose" eggs and fry, and is a smaller space for him to patrol to protect the nest. Looking around online also shows that breeders here discourage anything over 20l for the breeding tank, saying it encourages the males to stress out and eat eggs and fry.
I guess that the multiple smaller tanks for grow out is to make it easier to monitor them? There is talk about reducing the numbers in a tank and keeping the more aggressive ones apart from each other being better for growth.

I do think Japan takes it's fish more seriously in general

I live near the largest goldfish breeding locations (pretty much half the town is goldfish breeding pools). People take them very seriously...
But I think they also keep them in smaller tanks than what is accepted in the west. It is considered fine to keep fancy goldfish in a relatively small tank as long as they are well filtered and fed... And people do have beautifully healthy goldfish in smallish tanks and ponds.

They do sell bettas in cups here, but I have never seen any dead or even sick. They are always in crystal clear water, usually sitting on a large heating pad - even the cheapest veil tails. You see them more in small plastic cases (like the kritter keepers talked about on here), with the fancier in their own aquariums.

I guess that the standard for fish shops is just higher or something... I have yet to run into someone who gave completely wrong info. Even in the chain places they always know what they are doing, and if they don't they will look it up for you. Like when I was finishing up treating my goldfish for ich, I wanted to know if snails they had on sale would tolerate the slowly decreasing salt in the tank - and they didn't know and actually contacted the snail supplier to be certain. :D

[Sheldon31]

Wow that is good. One of my lps will get the laptop out and pull up a bit of info especially with diagnosis of illness but most just go off what they've heard or read in basic care leaflets or books. Hopefully Wales where I live will take a leaf out of Japan's book.