I've never owned a betta but really miss having fish. I don't want a huge set up so I've done some research via google and saw they can live in smaller tanks. I'm a bit skeptical, just because one can survive in a 1 gallon tank doesn't necessarily mean they'd thrive or be happy in there. So here I am asking if one gallon would be enough or what the ideal size should really be. What would you recommend for a beginner starting from scratch?
Any tips are appreciated!
Thank you for your detailed response; this is the information I was looking for so i could do this properly. I knew there was no way they could be comfortable in a tank so small!
r/bettafish has a lot of info for beginners!
Awesome. Thanks!
Start off with a 5 preferably a 10. Add lots of plants and an led light to help keep water clean. Wait around 3-4 weeks to let the water cycle with nitrifying bacteria before you add the fish. If using a filter make sure it's low flow, they don't like a ton of turbulence
NOOOO!!! Start off the right way and give your Betta a 10g… this will be like heaven to them and make them happy, in turn, making you happy! Good luck
Thank you! That's why I was asking here. There's no way they'd be happy in a small tank! I hate how the websites and pet stores put out this misleading info. They need room for activities haha
I'm so glad you asked questions but just remember once you add the Betta it's his territory. You can throw in a snail or two at the same time for algae but don't add any other fish. They are sassy and fun 😋
I've been rescuing bettas for over 10 years. As others have said, a 1 gal is not suitable. I've made a template for tank size for each type of betta based off of size and activity level
•Long-finned males are slower and less active, so they get 5 gals. They usually need shorter tanks, no taller than 10-12". •Short-finned males are usually faster and more active but this can vary, so they get 5 gals. They do fine in taller tanks, 12-18". •Long-finned females are still much more active than males, so they get 10 gals. They're also fine in taller tanks but with their long, flowy fins, keep it no taller than 12" preferably. •Short-finned females are the most active, so they get 10 gals. They're fine in tall tanks, 12-18". •Half-Giant ("King") bettas are bigger and usually active, so they get 10 gals. Keep their tank 10-16" tall. •Giant Bettas are the biggest and are very active, so they get 15 gals. Their tank can be 12-16" tall. •Dwarf bettas can vary in size from 1.5-2" max. I once had a dwarf who never got bigger than 1"! They're active but small, so they get 2.5-5 gals. They can do fine in taller tanks, 10-16" tall. •Stunted bettas start off small but usually grow to the size of a normal betta (2.5-3.5"). They can be active or not. For small stunted bettas, a 5 gal is appropriate. For active ones who get a normal size, a 10 gal is good. Depending on the betta, it can be 8-12" tall. •"Baby" bettas start off small and can be stunted or get to be a normal size or dwarf. You can start them off in a 1-2.5 gal but upgrade them to 5-10 gals depending on their size and activity level. It should be no taller than 8-10". Remember to put a glass lid on the tank, not only to prevent jumps but also to increase humidity. Low humidity can cause problems with the labyrinth organ, which can cause suffocation in severe cases. •Deformed bettas are usually less active but can be active as well. Bettas with tail kink can be just as active as normal bettas but slower, and those with severe back deformities might not move at all. They're kinda hard to gauge so depending on activity levels, I give 2.5-10 gals. Some require a short tank, 6-8", some are okay with taller tanks, 10-12", but don't go higher than 12". •Senior bettas can be within the deformed or blind category, so it varies based on the betta's condition. •Last are blind bettas. Large tanks can be very stressful to them so smaller tanks are required. However, they can be very active (especially the females or short-finned males) so I still provide 5 gals. Make sure the tank is somewhat short. I do 8-12", but 10" is the sweet spot.
ALSO, I've done over 12 years of research and did a lot of experiments myself, and it turns out that the typical "78-80°F" rule can be false. I once had a male who was stressed in anything below 83°F and a female stressed in anything above 74°F. It varies based on the betta, so don't immediately start out with 78°F. On top of that, babies usually require slightly higher temps, so keep their tank at least 80°F, but you may need to increase up to 84°F. Senior bettas also require higher temps as they have a hard time staying warm as they get older, so I prefer to keep their tank at 80-82°F. Also keep in mind that the higher the temp, the higher the betta's metabolism will be, and the shorter life they'll live. I have good luck with keeping their tanks at 75°F, then adjusting as needed based on the betta's wants. The oldest betta I had was 6 years old. His name was Ghast and he lived in a 12 gallon community. He was at 76°F then up to 82°F when he was 5-6 years old. As he aged he went blind so I downgraded him to a 10 gal.
TLDR Tank Size:
Long-finned male 5 gals, 10-12" tall.
Plakat male 10 gals, 12-18" tall.
Long-finned female 10 gals, 10-14" tall.
Plakat female 10 gals, 12-18" tall.
Half-Giant "King" 10-15 gals, 10-16" tall.
Giant 15 gals, 12-16" tall.
Dwarf 2.5-5 gals, 8-16" tall.
Stunted 5-10 gals, 8-12" tall.
"Baby" 1-2.5 gals, 8-10" tall, 5-10 gals later.
Deformed 2.5-10 gals, 6-12" tall.
Senior 2.5-10 gals, 6-12" tall.
Blind 5 gals, 8-12" tall.
TLDR Temps:
Babies 80-84°F
Senior 80-82°F
All other bettas vary from 74-83°F. DON'T start with 78-80 like most suggest as some bettas don't like it as high and some don't like it as low. Adjust it based on the betta's wants. Lower temp means longer life!
Sorry for the thread-res, but wow what an informative post. I love it.
How do you determine if a betta "likes" a temp?
No problem my friend
You can typically tell if a betta "likes" a temp by determining if they have any signs of stress (e.g. clamped fins, rapid breathing, sitting at the bottom or top of the tank, etc.) However, if there are signs of stress, it isn't always indicitive of high or low temp
This is why I like to determine whether a betta may be sick beforehand. If there's no sign of disease or parasitic infection, however, then stress could be caused by a variety of environmental causes (e.g. overly bright lighting, tankmates or, yes, improper temperature)
If a new betta shows signs of stress, this is either the fish acclimating to your tank or your temps may be off. I recommend waiting at least a week until you change temps if you have already added the fish. If you haven't added them yet, float them in a bag to get them used to "low" temps
I typically like to keep my betta tanks at 74-76°F. For fry, growing bettas, senior, and sick bettas, I keep temps around 80. I never go below 73 or above 82 for any betta (though it's important to mention that temps above 78 can be stressful and will lead to a significantly decreased lifespan)
Overall, keep an eye on your betta. You'll know of they "like" a temperature if they don't show signs of stress within a few week's time
I hope this helps friend. Feel free to ask more questions :)
They are perfectly healthy in a 5 gallon tank. You can typically fine one on FB marketplace for less than $10 most of the time free, with lights filter and everything just add water and dechlorinator.
Also they love real plants and frequently play with their environment. So don't do any sharp or hard plastic plants you can go to r/aquaswap and get all kinds of awesome plants cheap
No one gallon is not appropriate , not only is it not proper space. But one gallon is a bowl, water parameters are easier to maintain with larger tanks and ammonia & temp is easier easier to control.
Proper care is 5gal heated (they are tropical and struggle with fluctuating temperatures ) filtered planted tank with substrate of soil or sand. If solo size recommended is 5 gal. If you want tankmates 10 gal is recommended.
Surviving is not thriving and 1 gal isn’t even the minimums for surviving. To save money look at local hobbyist groups or wait for dollar per gal sales at local fish stores (lfs) sponge filters are low flow and recommend to limit stress and to still provide adequate filtration, oxygenation, & movement. Additionally plants will help with nitrates and to have resting spots and out compete algae. Before though getting into all the details also research the nitrogen cycle and api master test kit.