Betta Q&A and misconceptions (Pt1)
* “Bettas are sold in small cups, so they must need a small tank!”
Unfortunately, from my experience working at a petstore, we keep bettas in cups because its easier to sell, and we don’t have the time to perfectly match each betta with the fish already in our tanks. And my corporate is too thick headed to make a cool betta rack where each one is filtered and heated ect. It sucks to watch. The recommended tank size for a betta is NO LESS than 2.5, but I recomend at least 5 gallons.
* “Bettas don’t need a heater”
Bettas absolutely need a heater. As referred to above, we don’t have the space, or a small enough heater for a 4oz cup. If you dont have a betta in a heated tank, it can slow their metabolism down, lower their immune system defense, and vastly shorten their life span. They are tropical fish.
* “Don’t wild bettas live in puddles?”
This is one I constantly get at work when I suggest a larger tank than the .25gal they want. Bettas in the wild TRAVEL in puddles when the dry season is current and they need to find more water. Most of the time, a lot of bettas die because they cook in the puddles, and they can’t make it to deeper waters.
* “Do I really need such a large tank for one fish?”
Yes, you do. Bettas looove to swim. That’s why its so hard to take pictures of them without putting them in a breeding box of sorts. You really don’t need your 987 sq foot house, you could technically live in a nyc studio wherer its just a long rectangle. But you wouldn’t be happy. Plus, they come from acres upon acres of rice fields. The best we can do is give them a larger tank.
* “Bettas live in dirty water so I don’t need a filter”
They also live in a lot more water than you can provide to them. The larger the space of water they have, the less likely they are to die of ammonia. Having a filter is a must, unless you want to do daily water changes, or have a really intense bioactive set up. It also helps with oxygenating the water. A dirty tank leads to infection and death real quick.
* “My betta built a bubble nest, does that mean he is happy?”
Unfortunately, no. It means they are sexually mature and they are ready to mate. Ive seen huge bubble nests in betta cups turned yellow from lack of care.
* “Can I keep my betta in a vase with a plant, since the betta can eat the plant and the plant will feed off of the pee and poop”
….this one really irks me. For one, a vase for a flower is too small for a a betta. Two, bettas are insectavores/carnivores. They eat bugs and meat. The only reason the betta will eat the plant is because it is its last attempt to fend off starvation, and at that point, you are torturing the poor animal.
* “Bettas only need to eat once a week”
Please don’t starve your fish. At the pet store we feed them twice a week because they live in cups, they don’t swim, and are cold. If we fed them everyday they would swim in their own waste, die from toxic ammonia, and get swim bladder issues constantly. At home, if you have a bigger tank, you need to feed your betta at least 5 times a week. Its good to have fast days, but do not give your betta fast weeks. They will burn those calories really quickly zipping around their large home.
* “Bettas are so aggressive they can’t live with any other type of fish!”
Whenever people say this I can’t help but roll my eyes a little, because they normally say it like a betta fish is a harpy or some mythical beast. Usually, you can house bettas with other tropical fish, as long as they aren’t flashy and fin nippers. Ive had luck with neon tetras, snails, shrimp, and even at one point a lil khuli loach. It depends vastly on the temperament of the betta. Mushroom for example, as small as he is, I know he is really aggressive. Finnigan would probably tolerate a tank mate, and Talos would be okay with a tank mate. You really need to know your bettas temperament to determine an appropriate tank mate.
* “Females are smaller and peaceful, so I can put them together!”
No, you cannot. Females are just as aggressive, and more dangerous because they don’t have long heavy fins slowing them down. Do NOT have a sorority of bettas. Its never a matter of if they fail, its always when.
* “How long do bettas live”
I used to say 3-5 years, but lately with the disgusting rate of over breeding for colour and aggression, its more like 1-2.5 years.
* “How do I get my betta to love me?”
Its an open debate whether bettas have the brain complexity to be able to love their owners. In my opinion, they really don’t. I think that they can have basic emotions such as anger/aggresion, and comfort when they are housed nicely. You can train your betta to come up to you and flair whenever you feed them, but it really is just a food response rather than a love response.
* “How do I know if my betta is sick?”
I usually take a picture of my fish when I buy them if I think they are healthy. I then compare the photo to the fish if I think there is something wrong. I also keep a look out for lethargy, loss of fins, loss of appetite, and if they have any odd growths like a tumor or fingus.
* “My betta fish is lazy and does nothing but hide, so all bettas are like that”
If your betta does nothing but hide and act lazy, I would make sure he is healthy and your water quality is good. There are some shy/lazy bettas out there, but usually they are still active sometimes. It also can be due to the fact that you have almost nothing in your tank, and they loathe large open spaces, as it makes them feel unsafe and vulnerable and stressed. Bettas love to be active.
* “Bettas are just dumb fish and there is nothing special about them”
Granted bettas are not everyones cup of tea, bettas do have great personalitys and are acutally really smart. I’ve trained Finnigan (even though he is a gourami) to “give me kiss” before he gets his food (he has to swim to where my finger is and peck the glass before he gets a treat) and I’ve taught Talos to flair on command. Some people train their bettas to jump through hoops. You get as much interaction as you put in.
