My 1 gallon

[Codefox]

They don't have emotions like we have emotions. They react to their environment on very basic levels. They eat, sleep, breed & die. A fish's 'emotions' just reflect its state of being. When they're sick or scared, you can see it. They're poorly colored, clamped fins. Mammals are much more emotive than most other forms of life and we tend to read our emotions into other things.

Not to say they don't have personality but a lot of their behavior just isn't based on the same impulses that we live on. If we provide them with clean water and food then they don't need much else because they are a slow moving fish. They don't like current at all. I had a very small amount of water movement in my little tank here and it made the fish miserable...it was too much for it. It just is a fish that comes from bodies of water that don't move.

There's nothing wrong with putting them in a 10g tank...I'm just saying that they can be comfortably maintained in a small tank if you're willing to do the work.

 

[verucaproduce]

Too bad you can't find some male endlers. I think a couple would do well in your tank.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

I think you are all being a little hard too.

I have a 4 gallon (no including substrate, a big rock, and live plants) on my desk at work. I have 2 platties in there. That is all. they couldn't be happier, great color, very active.

If we look at replication of living conditions, none of our aquariums really provide the enviornment that our wild friends would see in the real world. We advise what?.. 55 gallon tank min. for bala sharks, plecos, and clown loaches. When full grown, this is a very similar circumstance as the situations that we talk about here in regard to the betta. Its most important that the QUALITY and maintance of their home is kept in the highest optimal "enviornment" for their prefered conditions.

I have seen 75 gallon tanks, neglected to the point that the fish are more miserable than a fish could possibly be in a small enviornment but extremely optimal in condition.

Though size is important and i don't advocate putting 10 ballas in a 1 gallon container, I do think that 1 betta is completely doable. If in fact we are looking for the optimal condition for our fish, anybody out there with a bala will need to upgrade to a minimum tank size of 125 gallons if they are trying to tell her that 1 gallon is too small for a betta, in all fairness.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I like to think my fish have emotions... They may not really, who knows...but I like to think they do, so don't go busting my bubble.

lovesfishies hasn't responded to her post yet....so we don't know if she likes our suggestions or not.

 

[lovefishies]

i did tell my husband that i do want a male betta for my 1 gallon he said no more fishies since i got my new car and i wanted a male betta to

what do you guys think 1 male betta and 1 ghost shrimp because i am going to get it one way or another just trying to figure out how i can get them

 

[JustOneMore20]

The betta may eat the ghost shrimp....some get along, some don't. I'd do either the betta or the shrimp.

 

[joannde]

Hi - I think just the betta would be the safest. You'll see what I mean when you get him - each one has such a different personality. One may be fine with a ghost shrimp and another might not be. Besides, you'll have so much fun interacting with the betta it won't matter if the shrimp is in there or not. You think your guppies beg ? WAIT until you see the betta !

btw, where are those guppies ? Bettas and guppies don't always get along too well, so if you were going to add the betta to the guppies that would probably be a bad idea. BUT you could add ghost shrimp with the guppies.

 

[Musket]

The male betta and the ghost shrimp should be fine together.. .However, shrimp are sensitive to nitrates. I had some in a tank that did not have a filter and missed a water change and they all died. So, you have to be willing to either get a small hob filter, or a sponge filter, or do frequent water changes, min of once a week 50-75 %, or 40-50 2x a week. Best of luck to you. Oh, also, it depends on the betta, he may try to snack on the shrimp.... Or he may ignore him completely like mine did.

 

[Guest]

No matter everybodys opinions, this thread is to give lovefishies suggestions so it shouldn't turn into a Betta dispute.(Partly started by me, I apoligize)

FACT****A betta in lovefishies 1 gal with FREQUENT PWC, will be a LOT better than that same Betta at Petco, in 5oz of old water***....Agreed?

BTW, to get a lot of people to agree on Betta care, is almost impossible. Do what you think is right and do your best to keep clean water and stable temp.


I have Frank, my Betta, with some baby snails in I believe a 2.5. Every now and then he flares up at them and then swims away. I think that 1 Betta, and a cool snail and you will enjoy it! Just IMO I think it is healthy for my Betta to flare at the snail every now and then anyway.

Have you tried looking around on Craigslist? You may be able to get something free. In fact, I have a nice male Betta that I will be giving away and I would give him to you if you were closer.

 

[joannde]

FACT****A betta in lovefishies 1 gal with FREQUENT PWC, will be a LOT better than that same Betta at Petco, in 5oz of old water***....Agreed?.

Sorry but no - that's an irrelevant argument. The 5oz cup isn't a permanent home.

But I DO agree that lovesfishes could have a beautiful male betta and I'd be willing to bet she'd keep up with the water changes.

 

[Tostada]

I think you guys are being a little hard on her. Bettas in cups look unhappy, but a betta as the only fish in a 1 gal. certainly isn't that bad.

tostada, you know a 1 gal tank would be the equivelant of locking you in a bathroom

i know i couldnt live several years in a room the size of a bathroom, but thats just me

That's ridiculous.

I've been in several bathrooms that are more narrow than I am tall. If you were to attempt a legitimate comparison between the size of a betta and the size of a 1 gal. tank, it would be pretty obvious to you that the equivalent is more like that of a very nice 1 bedroom apartment.

A betta cup is like being stuck in a closet.

A 1 gal. is like being stuck in an apartment.

Most people's 30+ gal. aquariums with other fish would be like living in a dorm with a lot of people you may or may not like, which is why I said there are probably a lot of instances where the betta may actually prefer a 1 gal. if you could ask him.

People like you are taking this way too far. The logical conclusion of your thoughts is that everybody with an aquarium is being horribly cruel to their fish seeing as in nature many of them live in multi-million gallon bodies of water.

FACT****A betta in lovefishies 1 gal with FREQUENT PWC, will be a LOT better than that same Betta at Petco, in 5oz of old water***....Agreed?.

Sorry but no - that's an irrelevant argument. The 5oz cup isn't a permanent home.

But I DO agree that lovesfishes could have a beautiful male betta and I'd be willing to bet she'd keep up with the water changes.

Huh?

Are you claiming that every betta at Petco finds a home?

Say they have 100 bettas in cups. Can we agree that buying a betta and putting him in a 1 gal. tank is a drastic improvement? If we agree that, then it is a good thing.

If you are going to say that putting a betta in a 1 gal. tank is bad, you must first establish that:

1) bettas are unhappy in 1 gal. tanks
2) if you do not put the betta in a 1 gal. tank, he will be sold to someone who will put him in a larger tank.

For the 2nd one to be true, the store would need to sell every single betta to someone who would provide a larger home before any of them died in a cup.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

This is starting to look like a politics discussion.

Lets all try and remember that we all run our hobbies differently. We all have different views of acceptable practices and standards. The mere fact that you are all on this forum shows that you actually care about your fish and the hobby.

When people come here for advice on the decisions of how they wish to run their hobby, lets provide them with the best possible advice with-in those conditions and move on. (a few suggestions on their practices are in order if they seem unknowledgeable, however a "thats cruel" is out of line)

Its important that we aren't preaching about OUR personal preferences on this board and rather providing the best possible advice to their preferences based on our experiences.

This site is full of knowledgeable people who all seem to have different ideas and preferences. Though the more time you spend here, people start to agree on the same things. I just don't want to see this board turning into a my preferences are right and yours are wrong type of deal.

 

[joannde]

jcarlilesiu very well said and point taken.

 

[Codefox]

And as was said earlier...Betta care is especially contentious

 

[lovefishies]

my 1 gallon

i would put the baby guppies in there but the 3 are getting to big for the 1 gallon so i cant put them in there and that is the only thing i have is a 1 gallon i know i shouldnt get any more fish thats it

 

[joannde]

You can add a gourami to the 10 Gallon with the guppies. That would only be one more fish - maybe your husband would indulge you in that.

If you added the gourami to the 10gallon would you be ok not putting any fish in the 1 Gallon ? its kind of small for anything much - but you could keep a betta in the 1 gallon by himself if you do frequent (every other day) water changes.

Let us know what happens and best of luck to you - hope it turns out how you want it to

 

[lovefishies]

my 1 gallon

i was looking on craiglist like i always do when i have some time and i found a 20 gallon for free included 4 frogs 5 fish 2 snails and 2 algae eaters but they were located in florence kentucky and i live in ohio i thought i would be getting a20 gallon guess i never will

 

[physicsdude]

Umm, this might seem a bit serious but space is kind of relative to the observer. For a betta in a 1 gallon tank, that would seem to be plenty of space as they do not know of an aquarium larger than that one they are in, so therefore that is their world. And to them, that small space to us is an ocean to them- THEIR ocean, so I think that alone satisfies whatever desire a fish has. Besides, bettas are kept in bowls all the time. I keep 1 dwarf gourami in a 2.5 gallon tank, plus others set up nano reefs and such. i know this might shock some of you, but fish have no emotions or memor of any kind. There is no animal abuse to putting a betta in a 1 gallon tank, as they dont grow. Just keep the water clear and all should be fine. The bathhroom analogy is correct if we were talking about a person. A person knows theres an outside world. A fish considers that aqaurium to be HIS world. Anyway, my rant is over...I gotta get some water!

 

[physicsdude]

Sorry for the double post, but I mistyped when I said that I have nano-reefs, I dont. I jus know of people who do. Sorry about that typo...