# Traveling with my Betta



## kakashikage (Jul 14, 2010)

I have a betta in a one-gallon tank, but I am house-sitting for some friends for a week, and I want to know if it would be safe to bring him with me. He has traveled before, I brought him home from a wedding I attended (they wanted to flush him!) and it was a three-hour drive. This trip will be three and a half hours and I intend to take his tank with me so when we get there he will have his normal home environment. I have the betta cup that he came in, my plan is to fill that with water from his tank and put him in there for the journey (because that will fit in my cupholder and it keeps him from getting sloshed around too much), then when we arrive I can move him back into the tank. Will this be too stressful for him? I love Amadeus (the betta) and I really don't want to do anything that will hurt him!


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I traveled with my betta for 45 minutes but he was in his 2.5 gallon tank. If I were to re-live that day I would have stuck him in his cup. I don't see anything wrong with taking him with you, but you would have to keep close eye on the temperature so he doesn't go into shock. IMO, anything below 76 degrees and higher than 82 degrees is too extreme for a betta.


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## kakashikage (Jul 14, 2010)

Thank you so much for your advice! I have a little thermometer that I use in his tank that I think I can use to keep an eye on the temp while he's in the cup.


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## RandomFish (Jun 16, 2010)

If you really want your betta to travel in comfort, you might want to check out the method used for shipping them:

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=26589&page=2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6i3-SbZwMc

Your betta won't have to go through temperature fluctuations and won't be bumped against the side of a cup.

Have a safe trip!


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## frogipoi (Jul 3, 2010)

I heard bettas can only take 1-4 hour drives. Bumps and turns will be a huge hazard. There are betta vacation feeders. It will stress him a bit, being back in that cup and all but he should be fine.


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## kakashikage (Jul 14, 2010)

I was worried about things like bumps and turns; luckily, this is a drive I have made hundreds of times, and I'm very familiar with all the places where there are hazards like that, so I'm hoping that slowing down at those areas will help. There are also little detours I can make onto less bumpy roads, so the drive might be slightly longer, but I think Amadeus will be more comfortable.


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## frogipoi (Jul 3, 2010)

I hope he isn't to stressed after the drive!;-) Amadeus will dislike the hazards you can't avoid but I am pretty sure he will live. My betta survived an one hour trip and was happy to be home. Good luck!


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

I honestly wouldn't put the fish through that if you are only going to be gone a week. If you do a 100% water change before you leave it should be fine. Bettas can easily go a week with out food, but you could put a small piece of wafer or something if you're not comfortable with that.


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## frogipoi (Jul 3, 2010)

Or the vacation feeders to feel safer.;-)


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

frogipoi said:


> Or the vacation feeders to feel safer.;-)


Yeah. The wafers tend to cloud up the water, but I've had bad luck with the automatic feeders dispensing way to much food. IMO, I know my fish are well feed and healthy, and bettas can actually go around 3 weeks with out food. For these reasons I wouldn't even bother, and I would just look at it as a long fast. But it's up to the owner.


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## frogipoi (Jul 3, 2010)

Me either! My betta can't have a fasting day because my mom sees him and goes Aww xd and gives him a pellet.


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## kakashikage (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm still thinking about it. I really hate to stress him out, but I also hate to leave him here, because his tank is so small, it needs daily water changes and I don't have anyone here who could do that...


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

If you decide to take him on the road with you do not leave him in the car for nothing!
Whenever my bettas have to go on a car ride, mostly from petstore to home, and I have to stop somewhere I carry that little cup around with me. 
So if you're getting gas or just stopping to buy snacks, please bring him with you! Otherwise the water will heat up in a flash!


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## kakashikage (Jul 14, 2010)

My plan (if I take him) is to load up, without Amadeus, and go get gas, so the car cools off a bit, then I'll come back and get him and drive straight home after that.


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## kakashikage (Jul 14, 2010)

Amadeus and I arrived safe and sound, and I think he even actually enjoyed the trip! I found a clear top for his betta cup so I could keep an eye on him while in the car, and I noticed that the places I thought would be bumpy and jostle him around didn't actually move the water much. The cup-in-cupholder idea was good, that seemed to keep him very safe and secure. I stopped every hour to check on him (mostly to check water temp), the water stayed around 78 degrees and he seemed to really enjoy looking around at everything in the car (well, what he could see from the cupholder, at least). He is currently quite happy in his one-gallon tank, very active and seemingly loving having new things to look at, and tomorrow I get to go pick up the 5-gallon to take home with me!! 
The only negative part is that I broke the air stone for his UGF, however, I'm going to look at other mini-filter options at Petsmart tomorrow. I'd love for him to have a somewhat better filter than what came with the tank...


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## frogipoi (Jul 3, 2010)

Cute! At least the ride wasn't stressful!


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