Minumum tank size for betta?

[Obsessedfishlover]

Hello everyone! I was thinking about getting a beautiful male betta in which I don't have another tank for. what is a tank size minimum so I can get one! All advice appreciated!

 

[Fishlover13]

Hello everyone! I was thinking about getting a beautiful male betta in which I don't have another tank for. what is a tank size minimum so I can get one! All advice appreciated!

You can keep him in a bowl, but if you want a happy and healthy betta you could get him a 5 or 10 gallon and maybe a few Neon tetras! Since Bettas are top dwellers and Neon Tetras are bottom dwellers he shouldn't attack them. Hope this helps!

 

[Obsessedfishlover]

You can keep him in a bowl, but if you want a happy and healthy betta you could get him a 5 or 10 gallon and maybe a few Neon tetras! Since Bettas are top dwellers and Neon Tetras are bottom dwellers he shouldn't attack them. Hope this helps!

Thank you so much! I'm going to get probably a five gal with just himself but I will probably spoil him with all those betta toys like a betta log and a betta mirror and stuff! (P.s I love your profile pic!)

 

[Fishlover13]

Thank you so much! I'm going to get probably a five gal with just himself but I will probably spoil him with all those betta toys like a betta log and a betta mirror and stuff! (P.s I love your profile pic!)

Thank you his name is Ruger and he is a Red Merle Border Collie and very smart!! I like you profile pic to those are one of my fav fish.

 

[Obsessedfishlover]

Thank you his name is Ruger and he is a Red Merle Border Collie and very smart!! I like you profile pic to those are one of my fav fish.

Awe they r one of my fav fish too! (Except for my rasbora hems they r my babies lol)

 

[Obsessedfishlover]

Awe they r one of my fav fish too! (Except for my rasbora hems they r my babies lol)

They recently just got most of there tails bitten off by my bully fish but they're. Recovering cuz I got my bully fish in a nursery tank that floats on the top of my regular tank and I'm getting rid of those lossy bully's....

 

[Wolfsblood]

At least a 5 gallon. If space is a problem the Aqueon Mini Bow kits have a pretty small footprint and come with a good filter for bettas as it doesnt move much water.

 

[Fishlover13]

They recently just got most of there tails bitten off by my bully fish but they're. Recovering cuz I got my bully fish in a nursery tank that floats on the top of my regular tank and I'm getting rid of those lossy bully's....

I have a guppy that bullies every one so he is going to a new home soon. This fish has killed some fish before so the sooner I get rid of him the better.

 

[marsh]

Bettas are so fun. My Marshall has a 29 gallon that I upgraded from a 10 gallon, upgraded from a bowl. The reason I kept getting larger tanks was that he really stressed out with the current of his tetra whiper10i filter, which was baffled. The moment I would turn it off(I would run it for 12 hours after checking his water parameters, so he could rest) he would work on a bubble nest and take a nap. The more plants I added the more active he became patrolling his tank.

Eventually the ten gallon leaked and I wanted to keep "gardening" and ran out of real estate to work with. He is more fun to watch in the 29 where he has a veritable jungle to rule over-- he really does make use of every nook and cranny! Lots of caves and tunnels under driftwood. I have a "carpet" of low crypt like plants and he will burrow between those leaves and he gravel and coast along the glass "undercover".

Awesome fish, best $6.00 I ever spent!

 

[Obsessedfishlover]

Bettas are so fun. My Marshall has a 29 gallon that I upgraded from a 10 gallon, upgraded from a bowl. The reason I kept getting larger tanks was that he really stressed out with the current of his tetra whiper10i filter, which was baffled. The moment I would turn it off(I would run it for 12 hours after checking his water parameters, so he could rest) he would work on a bubble nest and take a nap. The more plants I added the more active he became patrolling his tank.

Eventually the ten gallon leaked and I wanted to keep "gardening" and ran out of real estate to work with. He is more fun to watch in the 29 where he has a veritable jungle to rule over-- he really does make use of every nook and cranny! Lots of caves and tunnels under driftwood. I have a "carpet" of low crypt like plants and he will burrow between those leaves and he gravel and coast along the glass "undercover".

Awesome fish, best $6.00 I ever spent!

Thank you I have a 29 gal too but currently occupied I thought that was a bit big for just one betta fish but I guess not when my fish are gone I will definitely get a betta!!!!

 

[Russelmartin55]

In my opinion, the minimum a betta will be happy in is a
2.5 gal heated/filtered

 

[Wolfsblood]

About 15 gallon and up you start having some options for tankmates. Before I converted my 16g Bow I had a Betta, 5 Julii Cories, and 3 otocinclus cats. It was a pretty nice looking setup.

 

[marsh]

In my opinion, the minimum a betta will be happy in is a
2.5 gal heated/filtered

True, but in my opinion they really don't have as dynamic of a lifestyle. A ten gallon provides enough space for swimming and doing "stuff" that 2.5 gallons can't offer. No offense! My opinion but again I only have the one fish so he gets all my resources

 

[Lt.]

They'll survive, but only that, survive, in a tank under 5 gallons. But a 5 is the minimum they'll thrive in, though the bigger, the better.

 

[Wolfsblood]

True, but in my opinion they really don't have as dynamic of a lifestyle. A ten gallon provides enough space for swimming and doing "stuff" that 2.5 gallons can't offer. No offense! My opinion but again I only have the one fish so he gets all my resources

That's very true. The difference in behavior is actually pretty amazing. People always tell me they don't want a betta because "they don't do anything." That's usually because they have never seen one in an actual tank.

 

[Lt.]

Will they do the same "stuff" in a 5 as a ten? And would they get along with other fish in a 45 long, all schoolers or bottom dwellers? Plus shrimp & snails. And

 

[Wolfsblood]

Yeah they will be pretty active in a 5g. Its all kinda trial and error having bettas with other fish. Their long flowing fins are pretty tempting to nip at. I haven't been able to keep shrimp with my bettas. That's not to say it cant be done though as I have a 3 spot gourami in with ghost shrimp and he could care less about them. Bettas also seem to have fun knocking snails off the glass.

 

[marsh]

Sure a 5 gallon is fine, I'm only trying to say the bigger the better for his or her mental state of being.

 

[GulfShrimplet]

Late to the party. I kept a betta in an 8g and I'm planning on an 18g next. I prefer over 5g tanks because they can be cycled, reducing stress for the betta with no need for total water changes, and because they can be heated with a normal heater instead of a preset one (which raises the temperature only a few degrees).

Be sure to get a slow filter or try a nano filter with adjustable flow. I used a Duetto internal filter set on 10 gallons per hour - very slow but it kept the tank cycled and well filtered for the one betta - a king sized one at that.

Bettas do indeed seem happier and more active in longer tanks with room to swim around and fun things to do. Mine even play with me and showed off their personalities.

 

[brennae]

I have a Betta in a 29 and he loves it. I also have one in a 10 and she is definitely the ruler of her domain. I just put a Betta I rescued from someone who wasn't caring for him in a 20 and its amazing how much more active he is since the move. You should get the biggest tank you have room for and can afford, your fish will appreciate the space!