# Honestly do you hate bowls?



## Bettacrab (Jun 30, 2013)

Disclaimer: Please no hate 

So I can't be the only who doesn't hate bowls.
Is there anyone else who feels bowls aren't bad to your betta? 
I mean they are better then cups at the petstore. And they can still be heated.
Also some people say a 1 gallon tank is better then a 2 gallon bowl? But some bowls like biorb are big, seriously who doesn't hate bowls.

I DON'T KEEP MY BETTAS IN BOWLS (sorry caps) I have 1 in a 10 gallon, 1 in a 3 gallon, and 1 in a 2.5 gallon. But what's wrong with bowls.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

*"Honestly do you hate bowls?"

*I'm not really sure whether you want an honest answer or not... (yes, I hate them)


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## shannonpwns (Jul 15, 2013)

I don't think there's anything wrong with bowls.... Whether people want to admit it or not, I'm sure more people than you think have bettas in 1+ gallon bowls when they have a ton of bettas. Unless they're in a sorority of course. Some people may just be ashamed to admit it, because of all the harsh words and negative reactions from some people. 

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have my 5 bettas in 1.5-2.5 gal tanks at the moment. I have a 5 gal also set up for a new fish I'm getting next week. And I do have plans of having a 15 gallon sorority soon to house 5 females. But I always plan to have my males (except the one on display in my living room) in 2.5 gallon tanks. All have heaters and lids and plants and hidey holes and lights, btw. And get a 100% WC every 3 days. I'm a stay at home mom, so it doesn't bother me to do the WCs. My 1 gals get a 100% WC every other day though.


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## Riverotter (May 15, 2013)

I think bowls are beautiful, when big enough and done properly. 
I have a 5G bowl (which holds 4G of water when you leave good airspace) with a betta on my desk. It is planted and has a light, and he is very happy in it.

I also have a 2G (really 1.5) bowl of snails. There are a couple of common (much smaller then fancy) guppies in it as well, because otherwise, any mosquito that gets in the house lays eggs in it, and I don't need a skeeter hatchery. That one is also planted and gets a partial water change every day.

My 2G bowl is as small a bowl as I'd use, but I see no difference at all between a gallon of water in a bowl as opposed to a different shape of container.


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## Polkadot (Feb 10, 2013)

I definitely don't like those horrible teeny tiny 'barely bowls' that they have for bettas,but I don't hate nice big bowls,but I do much prefer tanks.My first little betta boy Link lived in a big bowl (about 4 gallons) and he was the loveliest little happy boy.But as I have learned more about looking after bettas I do much prefer the tanks & wouldn't have another bowl.And even though dear little Link was very happy and with me for ages,it makes me sad that I didn't know then what I do now,as I would have loved him in one of the tanks my boys are in now.


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## kjnewcome (Jul 25, 2013)

We had a 1g bowl for our female betta she is did just fine in it on the kitchen counter. She lived for nearly 5 yrs. I have 2 of my bettas in bowls now but I am upgrading them to at least 5g tanks. I think with proper care a bowl can be just fine.


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## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

I don't hate bowls if they're the proper size & maintained properly, same with a tank. Some are absolutely beautiful.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

I quite like bowls, they look nice when done properly. They are horrible when overstocked, or unsuitable water conditions are used...but the same can be said for tanks too.


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## Happyhobbit (May 6, 2013)

I kind of prefer tanks, just because bowls dissort my fishies. But like most of the other users said, I don't think there is anything wrong with them as long as whatever in there has enough room, and is cared for properly.


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## Bettacrab (Jun 30, 2013)

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who doesn't hate bowls. BTW feel free to post pics of your bowl.
When I first got my betta sunny he lived in a 2 gallon bowl but now he's in a 2.5 gallon tank. 
Bit I mean as long as a bowl has good water and good heat then it's fine. 
I'd love to hear from more people. 
Ad you can comment if you don't like bowls but you have to say why you hate them.


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## CritterNut (Jul 15, 2013)

I don't hate bowls, but I've found that when I do routine water tests, my two bowls tend to need more frequent water changes than my equal sized tanks. Maybe it's a coincidence because those two fish are messier or something. but last time I tested every tank, including the 1.5 (which is the same size as my bowls) had absolutely no traces of Nitrate, and both bowls had just a tiny little tinge of it. So those bowls get an extra water change every week. Seems to do the trick!


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Bettacrab, I think you might be interested in this thread: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=117828

It's a picture thread of 1 to 2 gallon tanks and bowls people own.

The question is worded rather strongly, no? Like most people said, no, I don't "hate" bowls. If done right, a 1 or 2 gallon (or even bigger because I've even seen 5 gallon bowls before) can be a perfectly suitable for a fish like a betta. 

With that being said, I _prefer_ not to keep a betta or any fish in bowl permanently. For me, it's aethestics, not a size issue (we own two 1 gallon and one 1.5 gallon tank that we house bettas in and a few more of ours live in 2 gallon and 2.5 gallon homes). Wires and equipment dangling out of a glass bowl would drive me nuts. And I don't like the way rounded or curved glass distorts the view and gives off a claustrophobia feeling. A nicely planted 5 gallon shrimp bowl would be lovely though.


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## kvw1988 (May 13, 2013)

Personally I don't like bowls. I prefer my tanks because they don't distort my view but also because they have lids. I'm sure if I had a bowl I could make a lid but I think if you have other pets (cats) or small kids the tank with a hood is probably safer. I also agree that the cords for the equipment hanging out of them would annoy me.

I have looked at the thread Feng posted before and I have to admit it's pretty cool.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

There are two reasons I don't like bowls... They distort your viewing, and they have no lids. Otherwise, as long as they are at least a gallon, heated, and maintained properly, there is nothing wrong with them.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

I don't "hate" them, but I would prefer a tank. 

They don't really have good surface area for any BB to grow, but that's only when you _try _to cycle the bowl. They're also harder to decorate, IMO.


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## Kittiesdragons (May 1, 2013)

I personally kind of like them... it depends on the size though. I wouldn't go any smaller than a gallon or so. But in a perfect world I would always prefer a tank. However I feel like a bowl is a nice inexpensive way to get into the hobby. True it takes more work but many people start with bowls. I was just lucky and had an old tank laying around.


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## Namialus (Jul 9, 2013)

I like them, but I think they're too stressful for the fish what with all the 100% WCs. Also, heating them is harder.


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

I worry about bowls because Bettas are notorious jumpers, so unless you can cover the bowl well without suffocating the fish, then they aren't very good. 
That being said, my female jumped out of her covered 5 gallon tank through a half inch hole by the filter - so I covered every little hole with cardboard.


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## SnowySurface (Apr 25, 2011)

I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate bowls. But I do dislike them. I prefer the shape of a rectangular or bow front long tank to a bowl because of looks and function. A rectangular or bow front long tank also works better for what I want to do with my tanks in terms of set up and stocking. Heck, "dislike" may be too strong of a word since bowl tanks simply don't work for me. ^_^;

Bettas prefer to swim left-right but bowls are better designed for swimming in a circle or up-down. Bowls are a bit harder to decorate because you only have the smaller hole at the top to stick your hand through unlike a rectangular tank that has the entire top open once you remove the hood. I have a lot of live plants in my 3 tanks, and sometimes I really need to get my hands in the tank to make sure I've buried the non-floating plants properly. I'm not sure if live plants are pure decore since they help with water parameters, but I do know I would have more trouble planting them unless a bowl can let me have both hands in the tank at the same time. 

I like to have my heater horizontal so I can remove half the water from my cycled tanks for the weekly 25-50% water changes without the heater sticking out of the water and potentially being damage (2 of my heaters are glass). A bowl doesn't let you do this unless it is very big or it's one of those "bowls" that isn't a true ball shape because it has two flat sides. Grant it, once the sides of the bowl are flat you can add a heater and filter much more easily, but I don't see many bowls with a flat side long enough for the heater and filter to be on the back flat wall together unless the heater is vertical. 

I also like cycled tanks over uncycled tanks and it seems like a lot of people with bowls have uncycled bowls. I know bowls aren't impossible to cycle if you have a bowl that big enough, but bowls seem to be better for uncycled set ups or NPT set ups. I like my live plant/filter combo tanks. 

I think that covers my major reasons for disliking bowls. If I forgot something I'll just post again. XD

P.S. I lost Sparkle when he jumped out of his tank while I was in class. Ever since I've disliked tanks that don't have covers. He was in a rectangular tall tank and not a bowl. I didn't think of it at first since he jumped out of the type of tank I do like.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

I don't "hate" bowls. But, I do think they can be dangerous. Just yesterday my manager was telling me that her Betta jumped from his bowl. Even when you try to prevent jumping, and keep the water level low enough... they can surprise you with their jumping skills. 

Other reasons bowls usually are advised against are: they are hard to heat, they are hard to keep clean, they distort the view of the fish, and I have heard that they can stress fish because they encourage swimming in an unbroken circle (but I have no idea on that, so don't hold it as a quote I said). 

I also don't like it because it makes me think of "easy" or "starter" fish. It reminds me of all the misinfomration out there on Betta.


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## sarah13 (Aug 6, 2013)

I don't put my betta's in bowls because the make me think back to the horrible containers they are sold in. I would never want mine to feel imprisoned like that again.


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## Bettacrab (Jun 30, 2013)

Good points


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## sniggex325 (Aug 4, 2013)

Well, I have a bowl. If I remember correctly it is 1.5 gallons. I do not see the problem with having a bowl. It's much better than the very small containers that our fish came in. He seems to be very happy in his new home and isn't short of swimming space.


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## darkangel (Jun 11, 2013)

little bowls? yes, I absolutely hate them.
big spacious bowls? no different than a square tank, just round.

tbh, its not really whether its a bowl or tank, a 1/2 'tank' is just as bad as a 1/2 'bowl'. its how you care for your fish. heated and clean bowls are just as good as heated clean tanks.


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## Lights106 (May 16, 2013)

I have a 1gal emergency bowl and I hate it. Water changes suck. I hate taking the fish out and stressing him. It distorts my view. I finally went and got a critter keeper and thankfully I haven't had to worry about using it yet! Although I loooove the look of a planted bowl. Super pretty.


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