So, I got surprised with a betta fish today....?

Question

as happy as I am, I am a bit worried.

The only tank I have is a fish bowl that took 2 bottles of water to fill, so it's about half a gallon.

I have a lamp that gets really hot and heats things up around it, so I have the tank about a foot away from it so it gets a LITTLE bit of heat. Don't worry, I'm not gonna cook my fish.

I had the tank sit for about an hour, hopefully to get the water the same temperature as the tiny cup the fish was in.

It seems happy to be free from that tiny cup, it's swimming all over.

Am I doing this okay?

I have a picture so you can see how big the tank is.

I know it's not big enough, but it's the best I can do for now, probably for about 3 weeks, if my fish lives that long.

Any tips you can give me?

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r14/purplepeople443/0723082333.jpg

Answer 1

good u did the best u can =] when you cna upgrade, get a 5gal tank with filtr, heater, deco, stand etc... bettas love bigger spaces! =]

Answer 2

aquarium lights should only be left on for 8 hours a day so your tank will get cold at night

you need to buy a heater, small filter and a tank about 2.5-5 gallons

Answer 3

So far so good and your tank should pass for the moment.

Just remember to not leave the light on all the time as bettas need rest and darkness too.  But than the problem with that is that without the lamp the water will cool at night so the temperature fluctuations could stress your fish.  For this reason, unless your house is consistantly in the upper 70's you should invest in a heater for your betta.  Don't worry, a small heater for a 2.5 gallon tank is pretty cheap, the 2.5 gallon tank can also be purchessed for pretty cheap too and you'll be able to add more decorations to make the tank look cooler and bettas love to have plants and caves to hide in.

He should do just fine untill you can get something bigger, just make sure your doing water changes every 2-3 days or so with a tank that size and make sure to use some water conditioner (also cheap) with every water change.  In a 2.5 gallon tank, 100% water changes every week should suffice but if you want to have even less work than get a 5 gallon tank with a filter that you can cycle, than 25% water changes every other week would be enough.

Since bettas take in their oxygen from the surface mostly as opposed to their small lungs, a filter isnt as nesscary for them as most other tropical species but amonia kills all fish.  So as long as you can keep the water clean and as free of harmful levels of amonia as possible your betta should be fine.

Here's a great caresheet that will give you even more tips and tricks for caring for your betta the best you can. :)

Answer 4

You're doing fine. That bowl is a much better size than what they sell them in!

If you change the water, make sure to leave a little of the old water, so the pH isn't too screwy when you put him back in. Also, the water should be room temp you don't want to freeze him or cook him.

And finally.. make sure you give him the right kind of food (special for bettas).

Answer 5

There was a point when I had 4 bettas at once. My first one I kept under a light like that, and he lived for a year and a half. Get him a fishbowl if you feel the tank isn't big enough and feed him every OTHER day. And don't put other fish in tanks with bettas, because they will masacare the others. They aren't called "Siamese FIghting Fish" for nothing.

Answer 6

my fish which I have had for nearly four years now has always lived in a half gallon tank, and I never let the water sit, he is not sick and never has been. I just think everyone else is crazy.

I have owned several fish before him and all have lived a very long time.

Answer 7

well, the betta will survive for 3 weeks but conditions are definately not optimal.

these are the things you need:

*2.5gal rectangular glass tank or plastic drum bowl (10$ )

*7.5 watt mini heater(only 5$ at wal-mart as the "junior mini heater" or the "hydor heater" at petco for 14$)

* Live or fake plants (live plants really help with water quality)

*food

*water conditioner

*thermometer

that is the cheapest but still decent set-up you can get for a betta. A lamp as a heat source is not reliable, temperature fluctuations will hurt his immune system

for now, change the water 100% every 3 or 4 days. When you get your 2.5al set up, you can change the water 100% weekly.

these are some good betta websties:

http://www.bettatalk.com

http://www.bettysplendens.com

good luck with your new fish, it should live for 3-5yrs with proper care

Answer 8

it looks like a great aquarium. I have 2 bettas right now, and there tank is that big. They are ok with small places, and you might wanna move the lamp a bit , but they should be fine! :)  ~natalie

Answer 9

Wow, you're a fabulous pet owner. As long as you clean the fish bowl once a week, and remember to feed your beta, you should be in tip top shape! Alone, the fact that you are this concerned shows that you are doing more than OK.  If you want to try something fun with your beta (because being in a bowl all by yourself can get a little dull), try pressing a mirror up to the glass for a minute or two. The beta will think it's reflection is another fish, and flare it's gills out like a lion mane. Good luck!

Answer 10

oh course hes ok cause otherwise they would not be able to live in a tiny cup at the pet shop. Just don't do that with any other fish cause bettas are very used to being cramped. I had one in a tank that size with some gravel, a plant, and nothing else and it has lived a year and a half. I don't recomend this though. Because I am getting better at fish keeping, I would not do that again. But you would be fine for 3 weeks.

Answer 11

Every betta owner out there that keeps there fish in at least 2.5 gallons will tell you that it's incredible how much more active, bright, and beautiful bettas are when given the proper amount of space and care. I would definitely recommend upgrading to at least a 2.5 gallon tank, and getting the little guy a heater. Bettas do best in water that's 76-80 degrees. Plus, with a bigger tank, you have more room to decorate, plus you don't have to do water changes as often. With a 1/2 gallon, you should be doing water changes every other day to keep your betta healthy. With a 2.5, you only have to change the water once a week. It's a win-win!

Don't believe the myths that bettas enjoy smaller spaces, or dirty water, or any of that. I've included some basic care sheets that you can read over as well.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to e-mail me. With proper care, your little guy could live many happy years with you. He's a real cutie, too!

Good luck!

Answer 12

yea its fine betta are used to living in smaller places ...try to get at least a 1 gallon but you dont need anymore then that....

Answer 13

Wow, that's a handsome betta. In 3 weeks, he will be fine in the bowl, do water changes every week untill you get him a suitable tank with a heater and filter. Bottle water is inferior to "conditioned" tap water. Tap water has minerals that are essential to a betta's health. This is what I do, I put some water in a bucket and let it settle for a few days, this allows the chlorine to evaporate. When it's time to do your water change, use the settled water and condition it with "tap water conditioner", you can get it at any pet store. The "tap water condiioner" will further remove unwanted chemicals such as chloramines and heavy metals (zinc), which is deadly to fish. Do not overfeed, bettas have tiny stomachs, take a good look at his eye, that's how big his stomach is. They only need like 4-8 of those tiny pellets. Make sure the food you give him is food made for bettas, tropical fish food lacks essential elements betta's need because bettas are carnivores and most tropical fish are omnivores.

Answer 14

That tank is fine

the like small spaces

I had one and had it in a tank like that it lived for a very very long time

Answer 15

What a handsome fish! :)

Bettas are usually very friendly, curious and feisty little guys that are very hardy and easy to care for.

So your betta should be ok in the bowl for a while.

For a very happy and healthy Betta... make sure they have a MINIMUM of 2.5 gallons to swim around in. (Mine has 5 gallons) You would also need to have a heated (76-80F as they are tropical fish and can get sick without a heater) and filtered tank. Some people say bettas do not need a filter but they do... just one with a soft current or the current catches their fins like the wind catches a kite. Filters also make it much easier for you as you will won't have to clean the tank half as much!

They will also want some decorations such as silk plants (plastic can tear their fins) and some marbles at the bottom.

These would be ideal conditions, and a Betta COULD survive in a small 1/2 gallon cold dirty bowl.

But than again.. you could survive in a coat closet.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about your fish!

You seem to really care for him and are a great owner :) :)

This is a great site for bettas: http://www.bettatalk.com/betta_care.htm

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your new fish :D