Does a fish need a friend?

[amisafish]

I have one female betta fish that is very calm like but sometimes active, should I get her a friend? I got suggested a Molly or a platy. Any advice?

 

[Scottyhorse]

I wouldn't put a molly or platy in with her. Bettas do just fine solitary. What size tank is she in? Is it heated, filtered, cycled, ect?

 

[amisafish]

I wouldn't put a molly or platy in with her. Bettas do just fine solitary. What size tank is she in? Is it heated, filtered, cycled, ect?

She is in a 3 gallon tank.
I am new fish owner.
She has a filter but no heater

 

[Jmunroe]

She doesn't want a friend... she wants a tank with a heater. Do the right thing and get at least a 5 gallon tank 10 gallon would be better for her and a small heater. Should not be allowed to put a fish in a glass of water. Sorry to be blunt but I always have and always will disagree with how people keep betas.

 

[Luananeko]

3 gallons is the minimum for a single betta, so that's ok, but absolutely no more tankmates can be added. Fish don't appreciate friends when it cramps their already tight space and fouls up the water.

What temperature is your house consistently set at? If it's not high enough to keep the water temperature around 77-80, I'd agree that you need a heater. Also, please make sure you're doing regular weekly water changes. 3 gallon tanks have their water parameters get out of whack so quickly (especially with no live plants) that you want to make sure things are staying clean.

I recommend getting a water test kit (drops kit, not a strip test kit since those are extremely inaccurate) and getting in the habit of testing regularly (daily would be ideal until you get a sense for how quickly the water fouls up). Any time the nitrates go over 25 or so, it's a good idea to do a water change. If you haven't cycled your tank, you'll want to check ammonia and nitrites as well until those read as zero consistently. If either of those creep up at all, you'll need a water change to keep from poisoning the betta.

 

[thebritishbloke]

She doesn't want a friend... she wants a tank with a heater. Do the right thing and get at least a 5 gallon tank 10 gallon would be better for her and a small heater. Should not be allowed to put a fish in a glass of water. Sorry to be blunt but I always have and always will disagree with how people keep betas.

I'm always shocked that my LFS (which has a very good reputation) keeps their bettas in small glass jars, whilst all their other stock gets large, heated, filtered, aerated aquariums.