# Beta in a Bowl?



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Hi everyone,

My wife wants a Beta fish, a nice one, but doesnt want me to give her a minimum of 2.5 or 5.5 galon aquarium / filter which i am currently not using... she wants it in a bowl... So is this doable? What size bowls you recommend and how often should i change its water? Not sure how to make the bowl have the beneficial bacteria, so wandering if anyone has experience with this so i can tell my wife an estimate of water change without me having to use my testers on it everyday!!!! Also, how often do you feed it? Are male betas much nicer than female betas? I may put some emergent plants to help keep the aquarium clean for a little longer, or maybe some water lettuce.

Also, where can i get nice bettas and how much are the nice ones about?


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## brianc (Mar 19, 2007)

I don't think a bowl without filtration is what a Betta prefers, but it does work.

It's not a very humane way of keeping a fish thats for sure.

I've seen a Betta survive in a glass vase with a plant in it for like 2 years. Tap water changes.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

i am not happy about this either, but i want to give it the best chances, maybe one day, my wife will want my small aquariums for it. And about the filter, maybe there is something small that could work. Have to research it. I want to find and show my wife a 1.5-2 gallon tank and see if she accept this (otherwise a 1/2 gallon as a minumum, i hope).

Lucky bamboo may help in the water quality....


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

try putting in some moss balls, good for filtration and bettas love to play with them too .
bamboo will sometimes start to rot (believe it or not) underwater so it might even worse the water conditions O:


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks, only the bottom of the bamboo / roots would be in water, the rest woudl be emergent. I have other emergent plants as well. I also have some water lettuce (not sure i will use it yet though).


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## brianc (Mar 19, 2007)

Maybe if you showed her a nice enough nano tank she might want it. The Fluval Spec?

Or a rimless nano tank. The ones that AI have are nice.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

OOhh yes, Brian has a great idea. Take her to AI, show her some of the rimless stunning tanks there. Nanos are a huge hit right now, try to pick the most gallons you can get away with since it can be filled with pretty plants too. 

bowls are so fugly anyways and its hard to spot the fish half the time as it is because of the view the bowls provide.

Nanos are very 2012. 

Males and females have similar temperaments but they can be very shy, or very outgoing depending on the fish. Usually, with time the fish really get to know your face or the fact that you are the bringer of food. LOL

You can feed your betta every day, but very small amounts. Only a few pellets at a time if possible. You can offer frozen bloodworms as a treat or other frozen foods but very minimally when you are dealing with a small tank.

I usually have a betta in a five gallon, minimum two gallons. The smaller volume of water means you will have to be changing the water often. Some people do very large water changes when they have small tanks. I personally do about 50% every couple of days. If you are going to feed them a messy food, do it before the water change.

Moss balls are fantastic things... my betta and shrimp love them! 

Ohh and do not mix males and females. People do it a lot because they feel they need a GF or have you but I wouldn't change an accidental spawn or death of the bettas.


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## brianc (Mar 19, 2007)

I actually really like the Fluval Spec. I'd love one at my work table but we aren't allowed 

Plus its kind of pricey. But it's all you need and it looks great.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i think theres someone selling it here for 35$?


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

is it really nice to the fish to be kept in a bowl? I'd never go less than a 5G for a betta....but that's me....I prefer big tanks.


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## Kerohime (Jan 10, 2011)

I would say a bowl is fine as long as you keep it clean (partial water changes every 3 days or so) and put something for it to hide and be comfortable in. I kept one in a large glass vase with a peace lilly plant, it lived for over 3 years. 

You can get a bowl and a undergravel filter would be pretty good for beneficial bacteria. strong filters can kill a betta sometimes due to their unnaturally large fins.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

thanks for the replies, i showed my wife the look of the fluval spec on youtube, not sure if she likes it yet...

My question: Is anyone using the Fluval Spec for Bettas? It seems to be only 2 gallons and has a filter. There is no heater. Can you get by without the heater? Also, with the Fluval Spec, and say the fish is fed once a day, and say i put cycled filters in there, how much water change and how often. Is it like 25% once a week?

Kerohime: How big was your bowl, and how much partial water change were you doing? 25 or 50%? Did you have a heater? Did you have a filter in it? Although i have never had an undergravel filter before, how can one pull it off in a bowl.

Also, what do you guys think of a small sponge filter?


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## Kerohime (Jan 10, 2011)

I actually rarely did any water changes... maybe once a month at around 25% but I mostly topped up the water otherwise. The betta really liked the root system of the plant, and the plant did really well too... also I fed once every other day, made sure not to over feed, no heater... room temperature seemed to be fine for my beta... 

the size of the vase was similar to a bowling ball at its widest area i guess, just make sure if you have a vase shape you fill the water up to the widest part for larger surface area to water ratio.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks Kerohime, will keep this in mind.

Also looking at the Fluval Spec. Would have liked something similar in terms of filtration, but a bit larger, say 3 - 4 gallons.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

A friend has a 5g bowl so large bowls do exist. At least that would give you larger water volume, my friend also has a filter and heater on the bowl. If the room it will be in is consistently warm enough for a betta then you might be able to get by but most people have the temperature fluctuate. The fluval edge looks pretty nice but cost a few pennies.


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## Kerohime (Jan 10, 2011)

To put it simply, a bowl is fine for a beta, extra volume and filter/heater are not essential they are more like a luxury. 

These fish originate in shallow pools of water in rice paddies and puddles. They are also bred in bowls @ room temperature (in hot asian countries). 

That is just my opinion.


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