Why do people in fish recommend this in regards to bettas?
I've asked this question once before and really only got one, maybe two people that actually read the question and attempted to answer with the kind of response that I was looking for. Not a generic copy/paste betta caresheet.
I've seen a lot of people in the fish section saying that bettas need a minimum of a 5 gallon tank that is cycled.
Now I've known and talked to a lot of people that are either betta enthusiasts, breeders, or show bettas as well as participated in betta forums and discussions and the general consensus in those circles is that 2.5 gallons is ideal for a single betta that is heated. Filter and cycled optional but if unfiltered than 100% water changes are needed on a weekly basis to maintain water quality.
Argueably, many Thai breeders don't filter their water and yet they continue to produce the best and most beautiful bettas on the planet.
So why is the Answers community advocating double the minimum tank size with filtering being mandatory?
Please see the following refrences http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=18075 http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=20058
The IBC (International Betta Congress) which hosts betta shows and is the authority on all things bettas reccomends a minimum of a gallon provided water quality can be maintain. http://www.ibcbettas.org/pages/knowledge-base/qa-betta/1-betta-qa/5-live-jar.html
2010-10-11T13:31:42Z
Keep in mind I provided the links to show that most resources suggest between a gallon and 2.5 gallons. It was not to provide contradictory information.
Also, I am NOT advocating a small space and 2.5 gallons is far from a closet as compared to most of the half gallon "betta kits" people commonly purchess. I also gave a thumbs down to the individual who rudely responded about the rice paddies. First off, I'm not rude in my questioning, merely asking for clarification and insight and second of all, people wont listen to you when you go around insulting their intelligence. Third of all I'm very familiar with the natural environment of bettas and the vast but shallow space of rice paddies and still ascertain that 2.5 gallons will adequetly fulfill a single male betta's needs. 2.5 gallons are bigger than I think many give them credit for, but of course volumn can be hard for many people to fully realize untill its infront of them.
2010-10-11T13:34:55Z
I also respectfully disagree on the price point of a 2.5 gallon versus a 5 gallon. I can purchess a 2.5 gallon aquarium kit for around $25 while the 5 gallon kits I have seen where all closer to $60. Quite a significant diffrence to house a single $3 fish. Unless someone knows a source to purchess a 5 gallon kit that is under $50-$60 that I may have missed.
2010-10-11T13:38:11Z
Most answers I gave thumbs up to FYI. I am looking for feedback and insight
Only thumbs down the rude responses
2010-10-11T13:40:16Z
Also note that I believe heated to be mandatory unless you can keep a tank at a range of 76-82F consistently without one
Water logged2010-10-11T10:51:17Z
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2.5 gallons is acceptable, and serious breeders with a dedicated breeding room at a a stable temp might go as low as 1.75 gallons (the room is set int he high 70s so individual heaters are not needed).
The reasons for the minimum size of 5 gallons as commonly referenced is that in most cases the average owner cannot regulate a tank smaller than 5 gallons and keep a stable tropical temp. 2.5 gallons is very hard to keep stable, it is prone to temperature shifts or overheating from most commercial heater, 5 gallons is much easier and can be kept stable. So for beginners, 5 gallons is really best, but 2.5 is acceptable if you can find a good heater.
OK. A 5 gallon tank costs only a tiny bit more than a 2.5 gallon tank. Anw. It's all about stability and more water means more stable temperature. A 2.5 gallon tank is impossible to keep clean, a betta that has to be removed from its tank every week for you to change all of the water is stressed to death really. Also breeders don't need filters, the best filter is the plants. Live plants feed on the waste of fish (ammonia, nitrites nitrates and stuff). That's why they don't use any filters.
A filter is nesescary in my opinion. Some people don't use any but those people don't care if their fish live for a few months instead of years. A betta can easily live 5 years if taken care of.
A betta can live in a 2.5 gallon tank heated even without a filter but that's only if you are an EXPERT. A 5 gallon tank is much easier to maintain so it's safer for the fish. That's why most people say that 5 gallons is the minimum.
"I've seen a lot of people in the fish section saying that bettas need a minimum of a 5 gallon tank that is cycled."
Well first of all, "a lot of people" is a broad term. Not everybody recommends a 5 gallon tank. Lots of this is personal opinion. For example, bettafish.com(reference you gave) suggests 2 gallons minimum. Then you proceed to say that the IBC only recommends a 1 gallon minimum. There is no set rule. Second, it is always better to have a higher tank volume for better dilution of wastes in case you or a family member that does not know about fish overfeeds the tank. More experienced betta keepers will obviously know more about care for their fish, but most people asking for help on yahoo answers are new fishkeepers and thus, should always err on the side of safety.
You are questioning why some people on yahoo answers advocate mandatory filtration, when Thai breeders don't filter their water and produce show quality bettas. Then you provide us a contradictory reference(bettafish.com) that recommends filtration.
" 1) Weekly Water changes. A filter cannot take out everything in the water. Would you like to live in your own poop? This is why bettas need regular water changes. A betta tank should never need 100% water changes unless working with medications. Too drastic of a change in water params can cause illness and death to any fish. Bettas can withstand more than the average tropical fish, and 50% changes are good for them if done frequently enough. The smaller the tank size the more frequent the water changes should be done. Anything under 2.5 gallons should have a 50% change every other day. 2.5 and more should have 50% changes at least twice/wk. If a filter is running in the tank, 50% changes once/wk are usually plenty."
What? >.>
And honestly I don't know how thai breeders can get around no filtration with 100% weekly water changes. That provides a lot of time for ammonia to build up. Maybe they feed very low amounts(fish can survive much longer than it seems...), and rely on beneficial bacteria growing not on the filter, but on tank surfaces for biological filtration, whereas a new betta keeper would most likely feed much higher amounts daily. Maybe they rely on plants to absorb ammonia(which again, is difficult to rely on completely unless you really lower bioload by feeding small amounts every few days).
You are correct, a betta is OK in a 2.5gal tank, as long as the temperature is correct, and you keep the water clean. Either filtering or lots of water changes.
For a beginner, a 5 gal tank is ideal. It wont cost much more and is more forgiving of newbie mistakes (overfeeding or missed water changes etc)
But everyone parroting "5 gal or your betta will die" is a bit excessive.
I would still suggest it's the ideal home for a betta, even if smaller is acceptable.
Because anything less than 5 gallons is impossible to safely heat, and I believe a fish deserves at least a little space to swim. People who keep Bettas in tiny tanks often complain that they're "boring". When kept in a larger space, these are actually very active fish who swim about and patrol the tank throughout the day.
Unless you're performing full water changes, a cycled tank is going to be easiest to maintain, and best for Bettas health. Since full water changes done weekly are prone to stress the fish, partial water changes seem to be the way to go. This means you need a cycled tank. Again, you're unlikely to obtain and maintain a proper cycle in anything under 5 gallons.
My understanding of large scale breeders is that though the Bettas are kept in tiny containers, the water is changed out at 50% daily. Some have drip systems that continually replace/renew the containers water. While this may keep the water parameters in order, and reduce the stress of full water changes, IMO, that's not a happy fish they're keeping.
Of course, the breeders in Thailand don't need heaters, as they live in, well, Thailand, obviously warm enough for a fish who's native there.
I say if your intent is to house as many fish in as small a space as possible so as to maximize your profit margins, then small containers with clean water is the way to go. This practice can be found in all sorts of animal breeding facilities, including kennels used for breeding dogs, and crates for cats. That doesn't mean that folks in the cat/dog section would condone keeping an animal in this matter. If you're keeping your fish as a pet, then your concern should be with its overall quality of life. I don't believe that quality can be obtained in a tiny tank, an unfiltered tank, or in a tank where full water changes are the norm.