can a betta come out?
- Thread starter T-man02
- Start date
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HUKIT
Aquarium Advice Addict
While the majority of the non-aquarist population does this I still think they require a minimum of a 5g tank.
rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would not keep one in anything but a heated, filtered minimum 5 gallon tank.
-Mac-
Aquarium Advice Activist
Need? No, as many bettas are living in bowls. The question is, are they living well? If the betta isn't hurting the other fish I'd try to convince sister one that it's all good. Otherwise, sister two will need to obtain a small aquarium (3-5g), complete with heater and filtration for the betta. After all, he deserves a decent home, just like any pet. 
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jetajockey
come get me tang police!
Nice. I've kept my betta in as small as a 6g. Would probably keep him in a 2.5g if I had one. Definitely filtered, but I think the heater is optional if the ambient room temperature is decent.
i dont think a heater is optional,they like 80 degree water.
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
Did you take a poll amongst bettas to come to that conclusion?
Many fish have a fairly wide range of temp variance in the wild, and considering that most are kept at room temperature and do just fine, I think they do fine at room temperature. If we were honestly trying to simulate water temps then the fish that come from shallow pools should get the big temp swings that happen in certain climates.
It's no different than the pH thing, do you adjust your pH to match that of the betta's natural (yet long removed) homeland waters?
One other thing to think about with cold blooded animals is that higher temps = higher metabolism. Everything speeds up, including aging.
Either way, I've kept my betta in room temp which varies around the mid 70s and he is currently in the low 80s in a 125g tank, he seems happy either way, but it could just be me.
Many fish have a fairly wide range of temp variance in the wild, and considering that most are kept at room temperature and do just fine, I think they do fine at room temperature. If we were honestly trying to simulate water temps then the fish that come from shallow pools should get the big temp swings that happen in certain climates.
It's no different than the pH thing, do you adjust your pH to match that of the betta's natural (yet long removed) homeland waters?
One other thing to think about with cold blooded animals is that higher temps = higher metabolism. Everything speeds up, including aging.
Either way, I've kept my betta in room temp which varies around the mid 70s and he is currently in the low 80s in a 125g tank, he seems happy either way, but it could just be me.
-Mac-
Aquarium Advice Activist
Betta's thrive in a range between 74 - 82*F iirc (even more important for the wild caught I'd think). So room temp in warm climates is ideal, while places with colder weather would be better suited to having a heater on board.
That said, we kept our class betta in a 1 liter box with no heat and at best, lax cleaning habits (I forgot some weeks). After 5 pm and on weekends, the ambient temp went down to 55 and during business days the room was never more than 68. He survived 2 years with these living conditions. However, when we discovered he could live in the 20g tank with the other fishes, that's where he went. He lived his 3rd and final year, in the community tank.
That said, we kept our class betta in a 1 liter box with no heat and at best, lax cleaning habits (I forgot some weeks). After 5 pm and on weekends, the ambient temp went down to 55 and during business days the room was never more than 68. He survived 2 years with these living conditions. However, when we discovered he could live in the 20g tank with the other fishes, that's where he went. He lived his 3rd and final year, in the community tank.
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