Tags
Aquarium, Asia, Betta, Betta Fish, fish, Gallon, Pet store, postaday, Siamese fighting fish
You Betta.
OK. Bad pun. Long day.
For those of you who are constant readers, you may know that I have fish.
A few fish.
Okay, several fish.
Several Betta Fish.
We will skip for a moment the fact that long before there were any fish in my house, I had recurring dreams involving huge fish tanks … several large hundred gallon tanks.
One for fresh water fish … one for salt water fish … one for piranhas and sharks. In some dreams they exploded. In others the fish got intermixed with disastrous results. In others they were just sitting there being pretty.
No clue.
Who else is haunted by dreams of fish? Really?
So in the recent past, I sought out the advice of other fish owners and the folks at the local pet store.
“Betta Fish live in mud puddles in Asia” they said.
“Betta Fish are solitary creatures” they said.
“Buy this plastic Betta Fish bowl … it takes less than a gallon” they said.
So I did.
And as you may already know, the fish idea / collection grew … and grew … and grew. Culminating in the often hit blog entry “The Crazy Lady With The Bettas“.
Now, truth be told, I am not crazy … although some would argue that on some days I suppose. But it’s not crazy in a bad way. I promise.
But for some reason my discussion of Betta Fish has drawn out the Betta Fish Protection Brigade … more than once … and it happened again today.
The first time it happened, I was quite upset.
Did research. (Betta Fish are hardy)
Answered comments. (mea culpa, etc)
Checked with my sister-in-law the Veterinarian. (although they could be in better tanks, this is not the end of the world … ignore the nasty comments.)
And, visiting my local pet store, I asked the Fish Lady about it all.
She laughed.
Now today it has happened again … as in:
Your fish are in horrid conditions. You need to look up a basic betta care guide. The general rule for fish is a gallon per inch and by that logic a betta should be in a minimum tank of 2-3 gallons. Those can’t even be a gallon. Do some research before you decide to “take care” of a living creature.
Well, I haven’t taken a fish survey. I guess I don’t obsessively change all the fish water on a weekly basis. I hear that they are spooked pretty easily. I’m thinking the bubble nests indicate they are reasonably happy and waiting for a Lady Betta Fish.
But her words seemed intense.
Fair enough. So I went to the Pet Store and talked again to the Fish Lady.
She laughed … again.
I asked my fish.
They looked for yummy food … which I gave them.
And I did some research.
Here on WordPress and out on the net.
And learned how they are shipped.
Gee, maybe they would be better in the spacious accommodations at the pet store.
To those who are wondering how a fish can survive in such little water, betta fish have the ability to breathe atmospheric air due to an organ called the labyrinth.
This organ allows them to live in the wild in areas where other fish would not be able to thrive like large puddles, slow moving streams and drains.
… And in the houses of Crazy Ladies With Bettas, it appears.
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Happy Holly Project 
I don’t know if you are still keeping bettas, but I encourage you to read through some of the posts at http://www.bettafish.com.
I, too, used to keep bettas in .5 gal and 1 gal tanks. They lived about a year and then they died. If bettas are kept in 3.5 gal tanks and above, they can live close to a normal lifespan (around 4-6 years).
At one point you mentioned “hundreds of gallons” and that you must be a “horrible dust bunny keeper” or something like that because you don’t dust under the bed every day.
Bettas do not have to be kept in a tank that is hundreds of gallons, however, in the wild betta males will typically have 1 cubic meter of territory all to themselves. 1 cubic meter of water is 256 US gallons. So no, they don’t live in puddles. They are not “puddle fish”.
And a dust bunny is significantly different from a living, breathing animal. A betta is a living thing. It has a pulse, it can feel pain, and some of them even have personalities. They make wonderful pets and companions, but you have to care for them properly. Unfortunately, that means a 3.5 gal tank or larger, with a heater and a filter, weekly water changes (only 50% or so), and food 5 to 6 days a week. Plus regular water testing to check pH, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites.
And yes, some of the comments here were rude, however, if was very flippant of you to post (multiple times) disregarding the concern people were displaying for your fish. While a lot of them could have been worded better, they come from a good place: Empathy.
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Thanks for your in depth explanation here. You may be happy to know that I ended up giving them to a dear friend who is far more equipped than I to give them adequate “housing”.
There are only two of them left at this point … and they happily “share” a five gallon heated tank with extra air pump and filter.
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do you really care for your fish? you think of them more like decorations than pets.
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Hey.. My first betta lived for six years until a friend was changing his water, was moving him back to his tank and he jumped out of her hand and hit the bookshelf his tank was sitting on. He got flopsy bad after that and lived for probably just a week more before he died after 6 long years of life. I had had him since I was 13!
my second betta had flopsy when I got him from the pet store and I obsessively took care of him and he ended up living for four years.
I’ve had three others since; two that lived for 3 years and one that I just recently bought when the others died after I made a big move and they just couldn’t handle being on the road.
That makes 5 bettas that I have lived with and loved for years now.
my second one, his name was Luna because he was a gorgeous aqua colored, half moon, I took care of him obsessively because he was very sick from the moment that he came home with me.
The others have not needed as much care, except feedings and they love attention, not just from me but from my cats too; (I make sure to always keep the tank covered with an air hole for oxygen) playing with them keeps them active! and they have all lived happy, healthy, long and active lives with me!
OCD is a great thing if you have a sick betta, but most bettas are very self-sustaining and can survive most things, just remember that they are carnivores and they can’t live on vegetation (like lily roots) alone.. Feed them daily and change their water as frequently as you have the time, watch out for bloating and overfeeding and if it looks like they are too big for the space you have them in, upgrade them, they also like leaves to lay on and caves to hide in, but from your pictures – your little guys look like they’re doing alright!
and gee I never knew how they were shipped! it makes me wanna say don’t send them to pet stores we don’t need them as pets anymore, even though I love them SO much!
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Thanks for the feedback!
I am happy when they make those little “bubble nests”. That is the way I know they are happy campers.
Now unfortunately, I don’t do the whole breeding thing for them, but by and large they have seemed happy.
I never tried the tunnel / cave idea. Will have to give it a shot. The do seem to like those fake leaf things that you can stick to the side. Both laying on them and hiding under them.
Thanks again. 🙂
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Let me add though, Holly, that we don’t or shouldn’t “change the water as frequently as you can” as you’re tank won’t ever cycle, nor will beneficial bacteria stabilize, PH stabilize, Nitrates become present, etc. Once a week water changes are typically alright, with addition of a quality water conditioner, obviously. I always recommend to anyone who has fish to buy Seachem Prime. I’ve use a few other cheap brands, and Prime is by far thee BEST water conditioner available. Hands down.
Good luck in your continued love for bettas…they sure are awesome ; ) They certainly deserve all of the love and care we can give. And it sounds like you surely loved yours.
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Pingback: It’s Official … I Have An Enemy … | Happy Holly Project
Oh and one more thing. If the “Betta Fish Protection Brigade” has said things to you many times maybe it’s time to listen. Or keep ignoring us. Ignorance is bliss for the one not being abused.
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Oh honey… You are so terribly ignorant… If you got that info from your pet store they shouldn’t be in business, I mean unless it’s a chain store… they are just there to sell you stuff though so they’ll say anything to get you to buy something. So lets use your logic here, the betta fish live in “mud puddles”. These mud puddles are located in a warm setting of Asia. So warm temperature means warm water. Doesn’t look like you have any heaters on those bowls. Secondly those “mud puddles” you call them are actually rice paddy fields. Those fields are are thousands of acres. Thirdly, you said. “I guess I don’t obsessively change all the fish water on a weekly basis.” Changing the water in a tank is a weekly thing on a 50 gallon tank. According to Petsmart. (one of the WORST places to get fish info from), “Change the bowl water weekly, making sure that it is dechlorinated and at the correct temperature.” This quote came directly from their website. You aren’t even following Petsmart standards! Fourthly, just because they are shipped this way doesn’t mean they should live this way. They come that way because they want to be able to sell as many as they can.
Again do some RELIABLE research. You ARE abusing your fish.
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I have bred betta’s several times over the years. Yes, a larger habitat is optimal. (I’m the weird gal on a family reunion back in July, with the long hair. We had great conversations, about dogs, rescues, etc. However, betta’s are surface breathers. They live naturally in mud patties, that could dwindle down to a cup or so during the dry season. If you want your pet to be truly happy, then build him a mud patty! If your aren’t planning on breeding…then they are probably fine where you have them. I also got a trophy at the age of 16 for a show fish that was artificially reared. (It was not done at the time) Let’s face it…your cup or the pet store’s cup…not really a tough decision to make. I would though recommend that you purchase some 5 gal tanks when they go onsale, and some easy to grow plants to make your guys happy.
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