[jadergater753]

i know like everyone on immediate reading will say 5 but read through please.

i have a betta in a five gallon tank, but i have trouble cleaning it well, i may try having the 5 gal without substrate because thats my biggest problem but as of right now i just have issues, it gets algea easy, my betta has previously gotten fin rot and theres just never clear water for long, i take the substrate out and clean it throughly in the sink but it just never goes right. theres also other problems with the 5 gal, theres a crack near the top that though it hasn't caused any problems or leaked or anything i just worry about it, plus its a large tank for a small dorm room.

alternatively when my fish had fin rot, i put him in my older 2.5 gallon tank, it was his first time in it and he seemed to like it immediatly, he could easier see where/when i put his food in and it almost never sank to the bottom, the silk plant reaches near the surface and he always built large bubble nests around that, and in general he seemed happier in that tank so i'm wondering if he should go back, (ive cleaned it well since the fin rot and hes been back in his large for about a month again)

 

[cakes488]

You know yourself and your fish best. If it's easier for you and he seems to like the smaller tank than yes I would move him back.

 

[AmazingBettas]

My betta is in a 2.5 gallon tank. I love it, she loves it. It's easy to keep clean and she rarely is ill. I would go with the 2.4 gallon tank if that's what you're comfortable with

 

[moodynarwhal]

Some bettas do like smaller tanks better. I prefer five gallons, but I do have a 2.5 gallon and I have no issues. If I were in your situation, then yes, I would keep him in the 2.5.

 

[ghostechino]

I personally had a disastrous experience with my 2.5 that ultimately killed my girl, while I've never had problems with my 5 gallon, so I'm biased, but I think it's very important to have a tank you can manage, you'll be able to care the best for the fish in a tank you know you can handle better. So, while I prefer the 5 gallon, I see no reason why you shouldn't move your fish back into the smaller tank.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

 

[betterbettas6646]

I have a 2.5 and a 5.5 gallon for my betta fish and honestly I like the 5.5 more since there's more room and less fluctuation. But am also having trouble knowing that I'm also going to be going to college next fall and will have to transport both tanks too and from. I'd go with the 2.5 if your betta fish is comfortable with it

 

[SidFicious]

if you regularly clean the tank and you rearrange it occasionally so he doesn't get bored or depressed, than a 2.5 gallon might work fine. if cleaning substrate is your issue, try a gravel vacuum, i use one to take water out of my tank and it cleans up waste and algae from the substrate, you can easily buy a decent one off amazon for around $10.

Does your tank have a filter? If you have a filtered tank with an established nitrogen cycle then ammonia shouldn't be too much of an issue unless you really have tons of waste.

How much do you feed him? Does he eat it all or does some puff up and sink? From my experience, even the good betta pellets recommend feeding WAY TOO MUCH. I have found that depending on size and age of a betta they are healthiest being fed 2-5 pellets a day. Feed any more and they either don't eat and it sinks to the bottom, or they eat it all and get swim bladder disease or constipation. Watch him eat, pellets shouldn't sink for awhile, scoop out and dispose of uneaten food once he loses interest, if he doesn't see it, drag your finger over it to show it to him.

Biggest concern in a small tank is ammonia and the fish being bored. If you ensure ammonia levels stay at or near zero, and you either rearrange the tank or interact with your betta regularly, then a 2.5 gallon should be ok. It's at least better than a 1 gallon bowl that so many people put bettas in.

If you are going to continue with the 2.5 gallon, just rearrange or redecorate occasionally, bettas get bored and won't be as active if they are. Also, as cheesy as it sounds, talk to him, he'll start to recognize you, when i walk around the room or talk, my betta reacts much more to me than my roommate. They may not be super smart, but as far as fish go, they're pretty intelligent. As long as he's happy and healthy, then the 2.5 gallon should be sufficient.

 

[jadergater753]

if you regularly clean the tank and you rearrange it occasionally so he doesn't get bored or depressed, than a 2.5 gallon might work fine. if cleaning substrate is your issue, try a gravel vacuum, i use one to take water out of my tank and it cleans up waste and algae from the substrate, you can easily buy a decent one off amazon for around $10.

Does your tank have a filter? If you have a filtered tank with an established nitrogen cycle then ammonia shouldn't be too much of an issue unless you really have tons of waste.

How much do you feed him? Does he eat it all or does some puff up and sink? From my experience, even the good betta pellets recommend feeding WAY TOO MUCH. I have found that depending on size and age of a betta they are healthiest being fed 2-5 pellets a day. Feed any more and they either don't eat and it sinks to the bottom, or they eat it all and get swim bladder disease or constipation. Watch him eat, pellets shouldn't sink for awhile, scoop out and dispose of uneaten food once he loses interest, if he doesn't see it, drag your finger over it to show it to him.

Biggest concern in a small tank is ammonia and the fish being bored. If you ensure ammonia levels stay at or near zero, and you either rearrange the tank or interact with your betta regularly, then a 2.5 gallon should be ok. It's at least better than a 1 gallon bowl that so many people put bettas in.

If you are going to continue with the 2.5 gallon, just rearrange or redecorate occasionally, bettas get bored and won't be as active if they are. Also, as cheesy as it sounds, talk to him, he'll start to recognize you, when i walk around the room or talk, my betta reacts much more to me than my roommate. They may not be super smart, but as far as fish go, they're pretty intelligent. As long as he's happy and healthy, then the 2.5 gallon should be sufficient.

i do have a small low flow filter, i feed him about 3-4 pellets in the morning that he eats all of and a small/or half a freezedried bloodworm. i do play with him by moving a finger around the outside of the tank and he follows it, as well as i have one of those mirror toys i put in occasionally, he does recognise me and knoiws when im near the tank and sort of acts like a dog, ive decided not to have substrate in there anymore but i do have a gravel vacuum, its made for a much larger tank than my five gal despite it being the smallest size available and doesnt even clean it well. i have a silk plant that branches out giving him shade and a fist sized marimo moss ball (smallish fist but not childs size anyway)

 

[SidFicious]

From the sound of it, your fish should be very happy in his tank. Is you're doing regular water changes then a 2.5 gallon should be fine