who knows about beta fish?

[AdoreMyDogs]

Is there anyone out there who has experience with beta fish? I am interested in getting one for my office in maybe a 2 gallon tank but I will not unless I am fairly certain I will not kill it. I would not get one if I thought they were so easy to kill that by getting one I was sentencing it to death. I think they are pretty and would love to have one here to help ease the stress of a busy day. It's not as calming as having my dog by my side, but it's peaceful and calming to see swimming around.

First of all...is a 2 gallon tank big enough for just 1 male beta fish? And will the fish be OK on the weekends without eating? (On holidays when we have more then 2 days off I can always come into the office to feed the fish.) And do they have to have "bubbles" in the water with a filter? Do they live long?

Like I said, I will not sentence any living creature to death by not giving it the care in needed, whether it be a dog, cat, rodent, reptile, plant, or fish. I'll browse the web and see if I can get any further info, but if anyone has general care and maintance of beta fish, please post.

Thanks!

-Leslie

[aly]

I've had fish for a looong time but never a beta. I think a 2 gallon tank will be okay for one beta. I know a 5 gallon would be good, but 2 might work too. I've never seen any of my friends with betas use the air filters in their tanks. If you ever want to use those weekend/holiday feeders though, you should get an air pump. As far as not eating for two days, I really don't know. I don't think it would kill him, but I don't know how healthy he'd be. Sorry I'm not much help. If you ever get a tank at home, I'd recommend calico goldfish. They are very sturdy fish. Two of mine I had in high school lived three years,another lived 5 years, and another is still alive. I also have a tiger barb who is about 4 years. I usually have a minimum of 3 tanks up and running but my 70 gallon isn't up right now because I got too upset when all my bala sharks died.

Anyway, good luck!

[zippy-kat]

I love bettas!

I'm an oddball and like the pinks, whites, and speckled (I like the blues, greens, and reds but it seems everyone tends to have those colors. Gotta be different! lol)

Right now I have a pink female.

Anyways...re: your questions:

A two gallon would be adequate--however, if you can afford a larger tank, by all means do so! Your fish will "tank" you for it! (*groan* ok, bad joke! lol)

You do not have to have an air pump/filter/etc. THEY WILL DO JUST FINE WITHOUT IT! (Mine currently doesn't have one.) However, I would recommend one. You can buy 'airstones' (I believe they are 88 cents at walmart)--if you hook this up to a pump, it will make a very pretty 'bubble' display! There are also bubble walls or wands that you attach to the back of the tank--they make for a beautiful display as well!

The fish would survive the wkend w/out food but I don't know how healthy it would be for him. If you'd like to leave him in the office over the wkend, I would suggest adding some LIVE plants to the aquarium. Not only would this supply him with a snack, it would also help add oxygen to the tank!

Good luck!

[AdoreMyDogs]

Oh a live plant is a good idea. Would I have to feed him at all if I had a live plant in the tank? One of my co-workers has a beta and she has it in a tank with a live plant, and because of the plant, she has never fed the fish before...the fish eats only what comes off the plant. I wonder if that's healthy, and if it's filling, but I wouldn't want to overfeed the fishie.

[carrie]

Thicky Brit here again I'm afraid....

By "Beta" do you mean a Siamese Fighting Fish?

There are many betas, most live in shoals and are stressed when on their own.

Clearly another language thing....help me!

[zippy-kat]

Spencer~ LOL LOL LOL

Personally, I disagree with the Beta's living off ONLY the plant. (From the book of Zippy-kat: "Thou, shalt not live by plant alone." 5:48pm ) lol

I've had friends who've bought the beta/plant set-up that they sale in florist shops and they have lost MANY O' FISH. (Of course, this could be due to many things...perhaps the florist didn't put in a 'fish safe' plant or perhaps it was due to the lack of feed or maybe it was just time for him to travel to the big fishbowl in the sky.... )

At any rate, I think that a live plant would suffice for over the wkend. But I would definitely feed him flakes and/or pellets during the week.

[carrie]

Thanks, as always, with a laugh!

Siamese Fighting Fish need their own space. You can only have one male to a tank. It is more natural to have two to four females with him. One will be under such constant attention that she will give up the will to live pretty quickly.
You can also mix these with some other fish - unwilling to name names as it is a language minefield out there!!!!!
This is a warm water species within fishkeeping as a whole BUT can be kept, without the stress of females, in cold water. (What sort of life is that? No girls and you use all the energy that you would of used to woo the girlies to keep warm?)
There is no need for an air stone, in fact they can find it very upsetting.
These fish are "bubble nesters". They make a safe area on the surface of the water by blowing bubbles into a clump and the eggs are kept safe by the male in the clump.
A small filter will need maturing for a few weeks before your fish is/are introduced.
A book is the best answer to your questions as terminology and common names make it very hard to give advice.
Good luck and bless you, so many people think fish are a simple matter of water and food.

[auggie]

A live plant is great, but you still have to feed your Fish. Give him special Beta pellets.
Carrie, I never heard of Betas living in shoals. I know that you should never put two Males together, because they fight until death. A Male and Female is ok. My Beta was giving to me in a large Vase with a live Plant. After a few months he moved in to a 50 gal. Tank. I think he is much happier and gets along just great with all the other Fish.

[LindysMomma]

I have a Beta, and trust me, they're some hearty fish! I have had mine for about a year. My sister had one on her desk at work, and It did really good. The only thing is, if you want a plant, make sure it gets some sunlight, and you still need to feed the fish even if there is a plant. My sister's died when her hubby put the wrong kind of water in the tank. IT HAS TO BE SPRING WATER, as they found out. Oh and it'll be OK over the weekends, because that is what my sister did.

---LindysMomma