# Betta Tanks



## Fishy:) (Apr 10, 2010)

So someday, definitaly not right now, I may want to get a small tank to put on my desk. I don't want one with a filter or heater. A heater may be alright. I was wondering if like a 2 gallon or so would be a nice little tank for one betta and if I need a heater or not. The water will probably stay around 70-72 Degrees. Would this be alright?


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

For the size difference and price, a 5.5 gallon would be a much better option.


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## Chrispy (Oct 28, 2007)

yea bmlbytes is right. you can go get a rectangle glass 5.5 for the same price. If you didnt have a filter you would need to water changes almost every other day, if not daily.


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

Honestly, Bettas really shouldn't be in a tank less than 2.5 gallons. That's even pushing it. I just got mine three days ago and I'm already considering an upgrade.


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## Fishy:) (Apr 10, 2010)

Ok um if I have this nice glass bowl, and I don't know how many gallons it has in it, can I just fill it up to the amount of water I want in it and then syfin it out with the hose and measure the water(my bucket has like gallons of water drawn on the side so I know where the water is)?


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Fill your bucket to a line that you know has more water than the bowl. Then pour the water from the bucket to the bowl. Subtract the amount of water that is left in the bucket from the starting point. 

You cant get all the water with a siphon. 

Most glass bowls are 1 gallon.


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## Fishy:) (Apr 10, 2010)

Ok Ill do it and any more info on bettas are appreciated!


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## GlockWise (Apr 17, 2010)

*I can help you*

Fishy, I have a channel on youtube that I will be soon updating. I will have a video of how to properly house a betta. The bettas you find at petco/petsmart are ornamentals. They are crossbred by humans for beauty which apparantly according to most people involves unusually oversized fins. The problem is these oversized fins capture water current way too much... yet the fish aren't crossbred for strength so they get taken by the current.

Bettas do best with planted tanks. However most plants need water circulation for CO2 to get around the tank.

I am currently in the process of making a couple practical solutions.

Both of them are very beautiful!

I will attempt to give you a short summary of how they work so if you are eager to start you don't have to wait for my videos. However you should check up on youtube.com/aquaticheaven to see if I've added the videos.

Method 1: Uses a heater, air pump, air hosing, a T and preferably 2 valves (at least 1). You can buy all of this at petco for around $32 -- You will also need substrate and tall plants like bamboo sticks that you can purchase at many discount stores and $1+ stores. Make sure all the leaves/grow leads are sticking out of the water to prevent rotting, rid the orange roots. Remember using plants that stick out the water help keep the surface of the water still for your betta to bubble nest and be happy. I suggest using the kind of heaters meant for small bowls that can be submerged under the gravel. If you buy it from a reputable company you can always return it if the temperature fluctuates. If you want to use a more reputable heater instead (recommended) you just take 4-5 sticks of bamboo and gently tie them around the front of your heater. Using suction cups (meant for airline hosing) you can even control your power cords and air hoses to keep them hidden behind the bamboo like I have. Then you put a small peice of hose on your air pump, add a T. if you only have 1 valve you have to attach it on the shorter outlet (least resistance) -- if not just make it easy and buy 2 valves. Adjust the valves so most of the air pumped is released into the air and only a small ammount of it is forced through your air stone. Usually an airstone and air-hose comes with your air pump... I use strap ties to tie my hosing to my heater so the hosing is blocked by the heater and the heater is blocked by the bamboo. It looks like a completely un-equipped spherical bowl. Remember, always have your fish'es housing about 1-2 weeks before you buy the fish. Make sure everything works, let the plants and bacteria start growing and make sure none are about to rot... make sure heat stays constant from bottom to top etc. -- again adjust your air valves so there's close to NO water movement. A 5G bowl won't be hard to keep evenly warm.

Method 2: (for hardcore CO2 plants)
Choose your CO2 system... I use home-made... You need a Rio 50 power head ($15), Lees aquarium replacement tubing ($5), foam for A/C ($3), and the proper size bottle cap ($1). And a heater of your choice... I use $13 Hydor bowl heaters. Most importantly: You need a bowl that you can stick a powerhead to. I used a large cyllindrical bowl and a tiny Rio 50 -- Take the elbow that comes with your RIO or some sort of 90 degree elbow and glue the outlet to a bottle cap. I have to check but I think arrowhead 12Oz is the special size that's a little smaller than standard 12Oz bottle caps. Then you get lees aquarium's tubing and attach the middle pipe to the outlet pipe, you can even spend an extra 5 for the special activated carbon cartridge or you can just stick activated carbon in your foam. Insert your foam in the outlet, attach your middle pipe, then tightly clamp on the cap. If you want use more glue but I advise against this as it will make it that much harder to clean.

You want to face your lee's outlet back towards the glass for minimal water flow and attach a CO2 line to your Rio's intake. I don't use attachments on the intake and stick it straight in the hole using a clear hose-connector.

The co2 gets highly diffused by the powerhead and gets pumped through the foam... any bubbles that aren't fully diffused will get stuck to the foam until they fully diffuse... at worse they will slip through and get caught under your foam functioning as a CO2 trap. If you accidentally over-due the CO2 it will form large bubbles that dance around in the tube again functioning as a CO2 trap.

This method allows for 99% still surface water perfect for male bettas. I haven't tried putting a betta in yet.

My spherical bowl is exactly 8" in diameter which is the size of the cheap chrome light housings they sell at Osh. The light fits PERFECTLY on it... Now all I need is a custom peice of glass for the wire of the heater/powerhead.

This will make more sense with the visuals.

E-mail me at [email protected] if you have any questions.


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## Fishy:) (Apr 10, 2010)

Ok thanks, when you get the page up on Youtube let me know!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Do you have access to any non-Spendens Bettas? Just heard a wonderful talk about the rest of the family. Oddly enough, the common betta is the worst suited of the lot for keeping in a small, unheated bowl. Many other bettas are smaller and like cooler water. A 2.5 gallon tank with a little sponge or teeny power filter (internal or external) and a 25W heater will hold a small group of small killies like F. gardneri or one betta. But plan on twice a week partial water changes. I've seen some lovely pics of nano-planted tanks, too. Some with tiny fish like clown killies, other with just shrimp and/or snails.


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## Fishy:) (Apr 10, 2010)

Ok here's what I'd like someday if my five gallon gets better and I have time for another tank thing:

real small tank(1-2.5 gallons)
no heater
no filter
maybe some bubbles for senary
live plants

pretty much just a small bowl with nothing in it except for some sort of gravel or substate, plants, maybe bubbles

what would be a good fish for a kind of tank like this?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Only very teeny tiny ones.


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## Fishy:) (Apr 10, 2010)

Like what ones? Name some fish please


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## Guest (Apr 22, 2010)

try these

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Boraras&species=merah&id=948#5


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

no filter at all? I wouldn't do fish. Maybe a snail. With no filter, you can't skip any water changes.


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## LifePhotography (Feb 12, 2010)

Fishy:) said:


> Ok here's what I'd like someday if my five gallon gets better and I have time for another tank thing:
> 
> real small tank(1-2.5 gallons)
> no heater
> ...


Why do you not want a filter? I agree with emc7 - maybe a snail. I don't put a betta in anything less than a 5 gallon tank (which is actually the cheap route if you get the 5 gallon kit from Wal-Mart) and without a filter it would just mean more work for you because you would have to do water changes about every 3 days or less. My boys are in 5 gallon tanks and I change 20% or so of their water every Thursday. In fact - it was water change day today and I have lots of pretty pictures.  In larger tanks they are much more active and happier fish.


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## Fishy:) (Apr 10, 2010)

ok maybe a filter. Please what is a good fish?


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## ni317 (Jan 18, 2005)

I have had some heavy planted tank with no filters no air stone notheing but crap loads of eather Java Mosss,Jave Ferns,Hornwort and or Anacharis Most were 10 gallons with no more than 4 or 5 small fish that stay small like guppies,endlers and such.Larger snails like apple snails will not do good in a small tank They need 2.5 gallons per snail unless well filtered and crap loads water changes and I still wouldnt run a low stock tank with out at least a air stone of some kind or something as snails make a lot of waste.
Betta do ok in 1 to 2 gallon tanks no heat no filters and well planted I have kept bettas in gallon pickle jars with sun light and Java moss or ferns but large amounts of both and weekly water changes.
One thing with bettas also is in the wild they breed in rice pattys and such with NO filters and little to no water movements and thats well how there happy it is warm as there in Asia but most bettas are kept with out heat as heating 100's of small betta breeding cups and such would well be hell to try to do Diana


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## Hibiscus (Apr 21, 2010)

Fishy:) said:


> Ok here's what I'd like someday if my five gallon gets better and I have time for another tank thing:
> 
> real small tank(1-2.5 gallons)
> no heater
> ...


Without trying to sound rude or sarcastic, my best answer is pretty much the cheapest fish you can find because you are going to go through many fish. They won't live long in that setup and if they do have a semi-long lifespan, they still won't be happy and thrive. Its no life for a fish.


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## ni317 (Jan 18, 2005)

There are fish that do well in small tanks like heterandria formosa you can find them pertty cheap also


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## OCtrackiepacsg1 (Oct 18, 2009)

I did research on your "heterandria formosa" It says they need 7 gallons/30 liters.

I'll be realistic here a majority of bettas are kept in 1/2 gallon bowls and if you want that, fine. Most people on here really care about fish and thats why we disagree with the general public that they can live in bowls. I would suggest nothing less than a 2.5 tank with a filter. But there is always going above and beyond for your like many people on here do.


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## LifePhotography (Feb 12, 2010)

Fishy:) said:


> Ok here's what I'd like someday if my five gallon gets better and I have time for another tank thing:
> 
> real small tank(1-2.5 gallons)
> no heater
> ...


If you really want something small with a betta - a MiniBow 2.5 or 5 gallon is your best bet. If what your looking for is more of a decorative bowl - best stick with aquatic plants or something but no fish. When first starting out with fish it can seem okay to go the small fish with small bowl route but once you research things you are going to want something larger. I started out with 2 glofish in a 1 gallon tank. Now you can see everything I have in my signature - and I have much more planned. And I have only been at this for about a year. As long as you choose the right plant - a small bowl with an aquatic plant in it would be very attractive.


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