# Bettas in Bowls



## SerenaRena (Apr 27, 2013)

Bettas do great in bowls as long as you keep the right temperature and water conditions. 

Experienced Betta owner and breeder.

http://renasfishstore.weebly.com/


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## samiam11894 (Apr 18, 2013)

Was the controversial topic just a way to get people to check out your bettas? You sneaky


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## SerenaRena (Apr 27, 2013)

samiam11894 said:


> Was the controversial topic just a way to get people to check out your bettas? You sneaky



lol yes and no. I want to help but I also want to sell my fish haha. I prefer people to buy from breeders instead of the pet stores because of the way they are treated there.


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## JellOh (Mar 13, 2013)

You'd be hard pressed to find a 5 gallon bowl. This seems like spam more than anything.


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## samiam11894 (Apr 18, 2013)

I normally just buy from pet stores, it's cheaper and everyone needs to have their humble beginnings, but I am a bit worried about some of your merchandise, your Betta Bowls 1 and 2 don't even look to be a gallon


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I'm a breeder as well, and if you have ever seen a betta in a tank you will understand that bowls are not the best. They are notoriously hard to heat and often they do not give enough room. Lots of water changes are also needed, like every second day. And please do not use this as an advertisement opportunity. The "classified" section is made for that  Also, I'm concerned with how you keep them and the bowls you sell.


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## SerenaRena (Apr 27, 2013)

samiam11894 said:


> I normally just buy from pet stores, it's cheaper and everyone needs to have their humble beginnings, but I am a bit worried about some of your merchandise, your Betta Bowls 1 and 2 don't even look to be a gallon


Yeah I know, those ones are small. I'm getting bigger ones soon, but so far the fish in those have been doing great and making bubble nests too so they're happy


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Welcome to TFK, Serena! 

I removed your link. As Matt pointed out, we have an area for classifieds. Be sure to double check the rules before posting there 

I'm backing down from the Betta in Bowls debate, mine is in a tank, it works for me!


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## fish keeper 2013 (Mar 8, 2013)

SerenaRena said:


> Yeah I know, those ones are small. I'm getting bigger ones soon, but so far the fish in those have been doing great and making bubble nests too so they're happy


Fish are not meant to be in bowls. The only actual bowl suitable for fish are the biorbs, and those are not ideal eather. Bowls are an unatural for the fish, their shape is just strange. This will cause undue stress for them. Bowls are also very hard to heat or filter properly or safely. Without proper filtration constant large water changes are nessecary (sometime 100% changes because it is also hard to cycle with not filter), also causing extra stress, especially the 100% changes. All that is not even taking in the factor that most bowls are very small (and we all know about the ammonia problems with that). 

Bettas making bubble nests are not nessecarily a sign they are happy. It is just an instinctive breeding habit.


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## bettacrazygirl86 (Jan 21, 2013)

I have a 4 gallon drum bowl that my betta loved until I upgraded him to a divided 10 gallon. It wasn't hard to heat or anything, and it looked really nice.


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## 10asartin (Mar 28, 2013)

Like many of the other members have posted I also don't feel that bowls are the best environments for bettas. Sure, they can live in one if you perform constant water changes and a heater, but they will not thrive. If I'm going to keep a betta I want it to thrive not merely survive.


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## JellOh (Mar 13, 2013)

bettacrazygirl86 said:


> I have a 4 gallon drum bowl that my betta loved until I upgraded him to a divided 10 gallon. It wasn't hard to heat or anything, and it looked really nice.


That's the exception to the rule. Most bowls are 1 gallon or less, so you can't fit a filter, its too small to cycle, most heaters won't fit, and most heaters will overheat the bowl and kill the betta. They don't abide by the two musts for keeping bettas 1) space 2) heat. You can get by without a filter, live plants, even substrate, but they need adequate space and heating.


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## crowntaillove3 (Dec 26, 2012)

In my opinion, bowls are fine for bettas. UNLESS you have them in a half gallon bowl without a filter or heater. Like JellOh said, if the bowl is big enough and it has the right components needed to make up a good tank, such as cycling, enough room, heat, filtration, ect., I think a betta would be fine. But, if you put a 4 gallon bowl with heat, plants, filtration, cycling, and substrate against a 4 gallon tank with the same attributes, the tank would probably win in the betta's opinion.


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## whiskandbowl (Aug 21, 2012)

I suppose a bowl could be okay IF it was at least 2.5 gallons, and had a heater, and the owner maintained appropriate water changes. 
BUT I've never really seen a bowl that size, and most stores lack on educating their customers about proper water changes.

I like tanks because they are easy to decorate, have lots of swimming space, can by cycled, and it's easy to watch my fish swim (bowls distort the view and that annoys me!)


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Not to fuel the debate, but a bowl or any other container *CAN* be cycled. . . still have my betta in a tank, though. ^.^


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

MattsBettas said:


> I'm a breeder as well, and if you have ever seen a betta in a tank you will understand that bowls are not the best. They are notoriously hard to heat and often they do not give enough room. Lots of water changes are also needed, like every second day. And please do not use this as an advertisement opportunity. The "classified" section is made for that  Also, I'm concerned with how you keep them and the bowls you sell.


++1


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## crowntaillove3 (Dec 26, 2012)

Chesherca said:


> Not to fuel the debate, but a bowl or any other container *CAN* be cycled. . . still have my betta in a tank, though. ^.^


 +1. I have a guppy in a 2 gallon bowl and it is cycled.


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## JellOh (Mar 13, 2013)

crowntaillove3 said:


> +1. I have a guppy in a 2 gallon bowl and it is cycled.


While we are talking about tank size I feel I must point out that guppies need a 10gallon tank because they are so active.


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## sareena79 (Sep 10, 2012)

My 1st betta (Sushi) was in a 2g unfiltered bowl with a heater and live plants. I know he was a little older when I got him b/c he was already grey around the gills. I changed his water 100% every Monday. Had him for 9mo. Without any signs of illness I lost him about a month ago. He was fine when I went to bed and gone in the morning. Still dont know what caused it. He was never a very active fish, he spent most of his time sleeping in his plants. He would flare like crazy when I came near his bowl but then he would settle down and go back to sleep.
Needless to say I decided to get a better set-up for my next betta. My new guy (Chum) is in a 5g filtered tank with no live plants this time. He is CRAZY active, I hardly ever see him sit still. I will admit that he is younger than Sushi so that may be part of it but alot of it is he just has more room and hence more stuff to explore. I can say that I've been converted. You CAN make it work in smaller bowls/tanks but Im happy with my 5g and I think Chum is too. Wish Sushi would have been able to enjoy it. maybe he would have lived longer but who knows....just my 2 cents worth


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

JellOh said:


> While we are talking about tank size I feel I must point out that guppies need a 10gallon tank because they are so active.


 No kidding!! I feel like my guppy's have some constant source of crazy juice! they are some swimming fools all day long! And love to ride the filter flow roller coaster haha

However.. back to bowls. I actually created a bowl from a ginormous candle votive. Was a really pretty QT bowl for all our fish(except the Guppy's) for their first little while before entering their tanks. It took a little over two gallons to fill and has become a backup hospital tank(in case I need more then 1 at a time.)


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## crowntaillove3 (Dec 26, 2012)

I know my guppy isn't in the best conditions, but I just got her a week ago today and when my friend gave her to me she said it was a male. I planned to put her into my 15 gallon, but when I got her home and took a good look at her, I realized that she was a female. I have five or so 2 gallon bowls in my basement, and I needed to put her somewhere. I couldn't give her back to my friend because she took really bad care of her. So, she ended up in the 2 gallon, and I plan to set up a 6 gallon for her this week.


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## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

I personally wouldn't ever keep a Betta in anything under 5 gallons, let alone a bowl, but that's mainly because larger tanks give you a lot more room to get creative with plants and décor. A lot of people keep their Bettas in smaller tanks and bowls and it's fine, but I find larger tanks easier to work with and more value for money. 

The store I bought my Betta from kept them in large tanks with other peaceful fish so I figured it would be a bit mean to take it from that tank and put it in something with a lot less space. However, I hear from a lot of people that in America they're sold in little cups, so I guess if they're used to having a small amount of space then keeping them in a smaller tank or bowl isn't really an issue.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I keep my fish in a 1 gallon. However I do make sure that I can give him the best environment possible in that space.
At one of my LFS, they have a giant black plakat in a 110ish gallon tank with some other non aggressive fish. I've never seen the plakat move more than a few inches from this java fern that floats in the corner...I don't think that one will mind a one gallon to himself. lol


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## wish4coner (Mar 22, 2013)

Well, I admit--I went and got these craft bowls that are 2 gallon, wide and tall. They were only 3.00 and only meant as a temporary place until I get the 20 gallon with 4 dividers, 2 filters and a good heater. I am hoping to do this next month as, Petco has a great 29 on sale and I hope it stays that way. Until then, I syphon every day, any waste. I feed with medicine dropper so I can limit the amount of Mos. Larvae that goes in, so it doesn't waste. I have moss balls in there for ammonia/nitrate, as well as biological agent. And, of course I have a heater in each one. 
I definitely am not a fan of bowls but, For a few weeks, they will work well. After I do the divider tank (already bought the internal filters--just need the tank itself and a good heater), they will move and I will keep the bowls as isolation tanks if needed.
That's my story and I am sticking with it.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

sounds good ^_^
I dont like bowls because they have an awkward shape. lol. I don't even like bow front tanks :/


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## mermaid77 (Feb 24, 2013)

aokashi said:


> I keep my fish in a 1 gallon. However I do make sure that I can give him the best environment possible in that space.
> At one of my LFS, they have a giant black plakat in a 110ish gallon tank with some other non aggressive fish. I've never seen the plakat move more than a few inches from this java fern that floats in the corner...I don't think that one will mind a one gallon to himself. lol


Aokashi brings up an important point...One has to also take into consideration the betta in question. Time and again I have run across threads where people state their bettas act strange or tail bite if placed in larger bodies of water. Sure enough, when I placed my own young female from her 3G to a 5G on her own, she clamped up and hardly moved from between the plant leaves she was hiding in the whole time...In short, occasionally some bettas really do prefer smaller spaces. I will agree that most however will prefer the extra fin room...LOL
Many others will divide a 5G...that technically leaves each betta in about the same amount of space as a 2,5G bowl, actually less if you take into account the space occupied by substrate and other decor...I see little difference in doing that vs keeping them in separate larger bowls as far as the bettas themselves are concerned. Granted, the 5G is much easier to heat and cycle...
I personally prefer to keep my guys alone and in 3G-5G tanks...but I don't see any problem for those willing to keep up with the maintenance of a larger bowl...provided they can find proper/safe heating for it.
At the end of the day, anyone who has educated themselves enough to know not to keep their betta in Petsmart's recommended 1 QUART minimum (LOL), is doing OK by them in my book!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

No one is going to like me then..

Many many of my bettas live in .33g, .66g, 32oz deli cups and 2 liter soda bottles (tops cut off). 

But here is the difference - each one is heated to 80-82F. Each one is siphoned of waste daily, along with 100% water changes every 2-3 days.

Is it ideal for someone with a pet betta? I wouldn't recommend it. But breeders do it all the time. They house their breeders and juveniles in 32oz cups and beanie containers (4x4x8) all the time. But no one says anything to them about it.. yes I have multiple larger tanks, and sometimes there is a betta or two in them. But majority of them live in their own separate container. As a breeder do I get a "free ride" on how I keep my fish? It seems like it.. 

So how is it different if a person is able to house their betta in a 1g bowl, is able to heat it and cleans it regularly? It shouldn't be different. Each owner has their own preference, their own space and money limitations. As long as they care for the betta - keep up with water changes and keep them as warm as possible then it should not matter the size of the bowl/tank. We should not judge nor tell people they are bad owners because of an opinion. 

Trust me, if I can give them all 5-10 gallons I would in a heartbeat (a lot easier to care for then! lol). But it's not going to happen.. so the fish will adjust and accept the way things are as the way things are. They have warmth, food and neighbors to interact with. They don't know what they are missing.. they are fish. They eventually forget they were in a larger tank stuffed with their siblings. 

As long as their basic needs are met, they will be fine. The breeders in smaller containers dance and act the same as the ones I have in 6, 10 gallons. I see no personality difference to be honest. Just keep in mind, tank sizes are an opinion.. a betta in a 1 gallon bowl can easily be just as "happy", healthy and live the same length as a betta in a 10g tank.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Well I still like you Myates  I too have some fish in 1g containers. but treat just like Myates with heat and 100% every 2-3 days. If they are heated and have good sanitation practices fish can be very healthy and active. This is not meant to be the forever home just a nice clean small apartment until they move into bigger better digs with new owners. The small space is harder on the keeper than the fish with frequent water changes.


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

I'm really enjoying 'hearing' everyone's point of views put forward in such a friendly and non-judgmental manner! This is one of those topics that often gets a bit . . . heated. Thanks to all of you for keeping this thread open-minded and friendly - and for being such conscientious caregivers to your little fishy friends! Makes me happy. . . 

*kudos all around*


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## wish4coner (Mar 22, 2013)

Personally, I think there are two kinds of breeders---one loves their fish and others just want to sell them. That's just my opinion from all my research, which is not here but all over. I absolutely adore my fish--to the point of never wanting to harm them, talking to them, etc. I chose the glass containers very carefully--thickness, depth, width, etc. I also made sure I had enough heaters. And, let's face it--fish tanks are glass--these are glass. 

One thing I did notice--and it probably comes from how they were kept before I bought them, is that--when I tried putting a male into a larger tank, he seemed petrified and hid behind the heater and cheater cord. When I put him back into the 2 gallon, he was more active.

Between my siphoning waste, every day, checking levels and conditioning water, I know my fish are loved. And, by reading the ones here, I know their fish are loved. That, I believe is the big difference between how we care and how some, on commercial sites (even pet stores) keep theirs. What always bothered me was that, the pet stores keep these bettas, indefinitely in these little cups, with a hole in it. To me, that seems cruel--especially when you notice the water quality in them.


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## crowntaillove3 (Dec 26, 2012)

Everything about this is true. At my school, we have one betta in a 1 gallon bowl with two golden mystery snails. He is miserable, and he has a heater right next to the tank next to an outlet. Is it plugged in? No. Is it in his tank? No. Does he get a water change more than once every two weeks? No. Is he WAAAAAY more unhappy than Maytes' fish in a tank one third of his size? Yes. Do I tell his caretakers that he needs more maintenance? Yes. Do they listen to me? No. Do they get ticked off when I change his water when they don't know it? Yes.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I don't hate anyone who keeps them in bowls. IMO it's only bad when they don't receive proper care in that bowl. Would I recommend bowls? No. That's because even forgetting one water change can get risky. And i hate how it distorts them but thats just me lol. A betta would be happier in a 80* planted one gallon then a bare, cold five gallon IMO/IME.


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## Emmalee01 (Apr 16, 2012)

I like Betta in bowls (properly heated with reg water changes of course!) MattsBettas, part of the reason I like Betta in bowls is the way it distorts them- they loo HUGE sometimes, and tiny other times, and sometimes you can't see them at all which I find entertaining (but can see why its not everyones cup of tea lol)
Heres my three: (I've been posting these all over the place today- sorry if its annoying!)


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## wish4coner (Mar 22, 2013)

Now, those are beautiful! What kind of light is that? I have a lamp by the bettas for night time, when I am doing their last feeding. It's a paint.

Mine have a plant, a heater, some substrate and daily changes/waste removal, as well as IAL in them. I gotta say--when I can find the right shelf, they are gonna look awesome! I am going to buying some more plants when I get paid. 

I just love those...and roomy too!


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## Emmalee01 (Apr 16, 2012)

wish4coner said:


> Now, those are beautiful! What kind of light is that? I have a lamp by the bettas for night time, when I am doing their last feeding. It's a paint.
> 
> Mine have a plant, a heater, some substrate and daily changes/waste removal, as well as IAL in them. I gotta say--when I can find the right shelf, they are gonna look awesome! I am going to buying some more plants when I get paid.
> 
> I just love those...and roomy too!


Thanks! They are LED clip on lights from a Chinese company called LEO aquariums (www.leoaquarium.com/) I'm from NZ and bought them at a local pet shop, so I'm not sure if they are available elsewhere (haven't seen them on line anywhere else either) They are really bright though, and seem to do the trick with the plants I am growing :-D


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