'For anyone who has a betta fish or is thinking of getting one'

For anyone who has a betta fish or is thinking of getting one

Tags: betta, fish

Erin (208.120.250.231) -

I have seen a few posts regarding keeping bettas in fish bowls. I am a betta enthusiast with multiple fish and I urge you to research before buying.

Myth: Bettas are happiest in small fish bowls because they lived in tiny mud puddles in the wild.

Fact: Bettas lived in shallow waters, but not tiny puddles. Their natural habitat (rice paddies, etc.) often spanned several acres. They do well in shallow water, but they (like all fish) also crave space to swim. Shallow does not equal cramped. In fact, most fish bowls give them the opposite: deep water with little room to swim from side to side.

Properly cared for, a betta can live five or more years. The most common cause of death in bettas stems from lack of exercise.

Their natural habitat is very warm. Bettas are tropical fish and do not thrive in cold water. They prefer a temperature in the high 70s/low 80s. All betta breeders and hobbyists keep their fish in heated aquariums.

Additionally, their very large fins are very prone to rotting, which quickly becomes a problem in dirty water. The smaller the aquarium, the more frequently you need to do water changes!

Please do not keep your betta in a tiny bowl. They are kept like that in a pet store because they cannot live with other bettas and most stores don't have room for individual betta tanks. That does not mean you should take your fish home and put it right back in a tiny bowl! Bettas are fish, and fish need to swim. Contrary to popular belief, they are very active; they appear listless at the pet store due to poor water quality, cold temperatures and no room to spread out.

The absolute minimum tank size recommended by betta experts is one gallon. A one gallon tank and heater usually costs less than an ornamental fish bowl.

Do you want a decoration, or do you want a pet? If you want a decoration, get a plant. If you want a pet, please practice responsible pet ownership and give your fish the best habitat possible-- he will be far more active, vibrant and healthy in a clean, large, heated tank. (As with any other fish!)

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