# My nano betta bowl



## Nanonoob (Jan 17, 2008)

Hello there! This is my first time posting to this forum! I have been experimenting with planted tanks for a few months now and this is my first attempt at a planted betta bowl. here are the specs

Lighting 27 watt 6500k PC Desk lamp

Filter Azoo Palm Filter

Substrate Pool sand

Co2 DIY Yeast bottle diffused through filter

Plants New Zealand sword / clippings from java fern

I appreciate any suggestions you can toss at me!


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

Cute but I don't care for keeping Bettas in such tiny confines.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

you, know bettas jump right?

i had a female jump out of her cup (floating in a spawning tank) into the tank to mate with the male, then back in when she was done to run away from the male. your guy might for some reason jump and then he is history.

thats great for a bowl however, even has a filter.


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## pdc2104 (Jan 1, 2008)

> I appreciate any suggestions you can toss at me!


 
Is that one of those half-bowls that hang on the wall? It's too small for a betta. 2.5 gallons is the minimum I would use for a male betta. Mine have 5 gals each.

And yes, they jump. I just had one jump through the tiny opening next to his filter. Luckily I found him before he died.

They also need very warm temperatures and I see no mention of a heater?


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## James From Cali (Dec 15, 2006)

I think its nice. Even though it is a small bowl(or whatever) he took the plunge into getting it a filter which is definitely a plus. Its a very nice "tank" and want to see the finished product.

@[email protected] they only jump if its stressed out. Other than that its fine. My "shared tank" is open top(with lighting fixture above but more than enough room for it to jump) and my betta has not jumped. If he jumps check for diseases, parameters, and excess food.

pdc2104- They do require a heat source but I found that if they are in low to mid 60's they are fine. How I know is my cousin had a betta in a tank with no heater at all. It being about 5 years old it died though. It had lived its entire life in the water with no ill effects.


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## pdc2104 (Jan 1, 2008)

Yes, bettas are tough and can survive in poor conditions and tiny bowls, but that doesn't mean they should.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Im not trying to fan any flames or anything but....... Betta's come from tiny ponds in asia and other places in the east that often experience drought contitions, and their pnds turn into mucky "holes" of muddy stagnant water. This is the reason they are called anabantids or "labrynth fish" they have a specialized organ called the Labrynth organ that allows them to breath air from the atmosphere. 

So, while the very nice diggs that nanonoob has provided for his/her splendid fish it certainly is much better then the cups they are in at the fish store. Furthermore if you have issue with someone's fish lodging ethics pm them let's not internet argue, that fish will live just as long in it's current residence as it would in a 10g (or 2.5g) givin that the owner keeps up with maintinence and wc's.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

> that fish will live just as long in it's current residence as it would in a 10g (or 2.5g) givin that the owner keeps up with maintinence and wc's.


sorry, but that is wrong. Walt Maurus, a betta expert, states in his book Bettas - A Complete Introduction that single bettas confined to smaller quarters will live a consederable amount shorter then those in larger community tanks. its stated to be because bettas in small containers get no excersize and sucumb to fatty degeneration.


however that said, im done. the bowl does look nice, it is not unreasonable; not optimal, but acceptable.


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

bsmith782 said:


> Im not trying to fan any flames or anything but....... Betta's come from tiny ponds in asia and other places in the east that often experience drought contitions, and their pnds turn into mucky "holes" of muddy stagnant water. This is the reason they are called anabantids or "labrynth fish" they have a specialized organ called the Labrynth organ that allows them to breath air from the atmosphere.
> 
> So, while the very nice diggs that nanonoob has provided for his/her splendid fish it certainly is much better then the cups they are in at the fish store. Furthermore if you have issue with someone's fish lodging ethics pm them let's not internet argue, that fish will live just as long in it's current residence as it would in a 10g (or 2.5g) givin that the owner keeps up with maintinence and wc's.


More like puddles alongside the road. Other than that I agree with you 100%

Also I have a male Beta in an open top 29 and he gets constantly harassed by 1 0f three baby skunk botias and he has never jumped. I dont doubt that they might once and awhile but I doubt they are generally considered "jumpers".


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

@[email protected] said:


> sorry, but that is wrong. Walt Maurus, a betta expert, states in his book Bettas - A Complete Introduction that single bettas confined to smaller quarters will live a consederable amount shorter then those in larger community tanks. its stated to be because bettas in small containers get no excersize and sucumb to fatty degeneration.
> 
> 
> however that said, im done. the bowl does look nice, it is not unreasonable; not optimal, but acceptable.


Then by that argument would you say that they live longer say in a ten gallon aquarium than that in their natural habitat?
I am honestly curious.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

I would agree MOST fish live longer in the home aquarium than in nature.
In the home environment most people do the right thing for the fish ie:
fed regularly, water parameters, housing, compatibility etc...

In nature a lot of fish will encounter predators shortening a lifespan.
In nature these bettas will fight to the death no?

So I would say yes for the MOST part a betta would live longer in a ten gallon than in nature.
But heck I'm wrong about a lot of things

On topic:
Nice lil tank and betta


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

I understand your points. However, I think you know what I meant.


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## nickboudin (Jan 9, 2008)

Would Co2 in such a small tank be harmfull for the fish? 


Other then that, the word that describes this is, "Cute". As my girlfriend would say. From myself, Well done.


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

I am ont choosing a side here, but stating a fact I read in a book, saying that Betta's, being from old Siame or however you spell it, Old Thailand i'll say, since I'm half thai, are found in rice paddies also, and in flooded fields.

Now, i'm not going to say whch is better for the betta, in regards to tank size and this and that, but I will say that Betta's do not like current, so that particular filter might not be a good choice, being a HOB. The filter is a nice and thoughtfull thing to add, but maybe just not that type. Maybe and air-driven one or similar would be better for the fishes preference of slower/still waters.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

I would venture a guess on this one and say that the fish will probably (on average) live 4 to 7 times longer in an aquarium than it would in its natural habitat. Could it become obese and sedintary? Sure. Does it have to cope with dry seasons, food shortages, predation, and other environmental factors? No.




fshfanatic said:


> I understand your points. However, I think you know what I meant.


Not trying to be smart fshfanatic. What did you mean?

Nanonoob - That is a cool little setup, and I am sure that your betta loves it compared to the cup he was probably in prior to your bowl. Too bad we can't ask him . One thing I would pay attention to is what Searun Simpson said about the current from the filter. I had a betta in a tank with a filter with a strong current a long time ago. When I had this setup, I noticed that the betta was somewhat restless and I think it was due to a high amount of current as SearunSimpson just pointed out. I never put two and two together until he brought it up just now.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

that filter is fine for bettas, just needs a current kill. just cut up a plastic bottle along the side to slide from the lip of the filter output to the water. that way the water wont splash and the current is much less.


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## negatived (Apr 14, 2005)

Regarding Walt Maurus and the longevity of bettas - he was referring to a university study where the autopsied fish that were kept in smaller containers were being compared to fish in larger tanks that were "exercised" daily by students that chased them around the tank. No mention was given to the life span of fish that were kept in smaller containers, or fish that were kept in larger tanks that were not "exercised" daily. 

As far as temperature, Maurus states that bettas can be kept satisfactorily at 70 degrees, and that 74 is about right. He believes that they age faster at higher temperatures


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## this1fish (Jan 15, 2008)

nice tank.... i have breed bettas for many years and the setup that you have is more than enough for it. Mine were kept in bowls or jars with less than half gallon of water. Until breeding i then move them into a 2.5g.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

lower temperature does mean slower aging. thats do to fish being exothermic (cold blooded). so the lower the water temp, the lower the fishes temp, the slower the metabollic processes, the longer it takes for the fish to do stuff such as digest, grow, and age. its not the 70s temp that is the problem. but the temperature flucations. it is stressful for an animal that adapted to water which changes temperature very little in nature. to have up to a 10 degree day/night temp difference. excpecially since the fishes temperature changes with the water temperature.

as for the size, its acceptable; but not optimal (as i have already said). however, i dont reccomend you breed bettas in 2.5 gal. that is the bare minimum, plus you have no room to raise the fry. I kept my male and female in 2.5 gal and a 3 gal, and bred them in a 10 gal.


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## pdc2104 (Jan 1, 2008)

Bettas do NOT live in "mud puddles along the road". That is a myth perpetrated by retailers who want people to buy tiny decorative containers for them at inflated prices.

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=17970


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Great link pdc2104, now I know more about bettas. 


From what I read, wild bettas live in rice paddy fields or similar conditions in Southeast Asia. These fields are usually massive. This means the water conditions are really stable and suitable for ideal betta health most of the year (until dry season where water dries up). 

If they don't like the condition in one place, they can swim away to another place with better conditions.

Can they do that in a small aquarium? No. You can't copy its natural habitat 100%, but you can try, and have more water so the conditions are more stable, and maintain a clean environment.

They are really hardy fish, but does that mean you need any less care for them compared to other fish? I guess that depends on the keeper.


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## beyondanytherapy (Jan 14, 2008)

bsmith782 said:


> Im not trying to fan any flames or anything but....... Betta's come from tiny ponds in asia and other places in the east that often experience drought contitions, and their pnds turn into mucky "holes" of muddy stagnant water. This is the reason they are called anabantids or "labrynth fish" they have a specialized organ called the Labrynth organ that allows them to breath air from the atmosphere.
> 
> So, while the very nice diggs that nanonoob has provided for his/her splendid fish it certainly is much better then the cups they are in at the fish store. Furthermore if you have issue with someone's fish lodging ethics pm them let's not internet argue, that fish will live just as long in it's current residence as it would in a 10g (or 2.5g) givin that the owner keeps up with maintinence and wc's.


As has already been mentioned by pdc2104, that "mudpuddles" is a myth. Also, no, the fish probably won't live as long as it could in a larger tank. The more they eat and don't move, the more prone they are to fatty liver disease, general obesity, and just overall poor health from weakness. 

Not to mention that the bettas we see in the stores and shows are worlds apart from their wild cousins. I keep both splendens and wild bettas and trust me - they are very different. It's like saying because a wolf lives in the forest and sleeps in the snow, your poodle doesn't mind staying outside with no shelter. Not on the same level. Domesticated, human "created" species should never be held to the same standard as their wild counterparts. We've messed with bettas for far too long to claim that they only need the same things they need in the wild.

The smallest size tank I recommend for a betta (personal opinion here) is 1 gallon. Even then, I only prefer to keep females in tanks that small, since they generally stay smaller and don't have the long fins and can move about easier. However, I much prefer to have 2.5 gallons per fish. I don't have the space to give them 5 gallons each, or I would. I only have 4 splendens right now (I've had upwards of 30 at a time before), because I became more interested in wilds. 

Not intending to turn this into a betta debate, because that's a never ending thing. Just wanting to raise my voice of 6 or so years experience with bettas.


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## psybock (Jan 12, 2007)

Ok, best place to ask questions about bettas is www.ultimatebettas.com.
It's a forum that is dedicated largely to these intresting little fish...

Kevin


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