Betta Bowl VS Tank

[GuppyandDiscus]

I am slowly working my way up to opening a fish store (it still won't happen for a few years though). I am planning all of the arrangements along with fish/supplies to keep. Anyway, I have no intentions of keeping male bettas in those little cups you see at chain stores. I was planning on giving each betta 2 gallons of water. And I have been debating, tank or bowl? I am aware that bowls make horrible homes for them when they are 1 gallon or under. But what if it is the 2 gallons? Same scenario? Thanks!

 

[Fishnerd360]

I'll go with a tank, I had 2 betta fish. 1 in a bowl and 1 in a tank. The one in the tank was happier.

 

[Matteus]

I am slowly working my way up to opening a fish store (it still won't happen for a few years though). I am planning all of the arrangements along with fish/supplies to keep. Anyway, I have no intentions of keeping male bettas in those little cups you see at chain stores. I was planning on giving each betta 2 gallons of water. And I have been debating, tank or bowl? I am aware that bowls make horrible homes for them when they are 1 gallon or under. But what if it is the 2 gallons? Same scenario? Thanks!

One main issue that people overlook with betas is they need to have a temp of 78-80 depending if you are in an environment that the room temp would support that, it could work but would still need to do fairly frequent wc.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; Back in the days long ago there were long narrow tanks with dividers. My guess is the tanks were somewhere around ten to twenty gallons total volume. Each divider had a small gap so water could moved between sections. I never got around to having one but always thought the setup was a good way to have several bettas. I think the dividers were removeable so the volume of the sections could be changed.
Not much of an improvement over the space each betta might actually have to move around but seemed to me a bonus as far as water quality and filtration goes.

 

[GuppyandDiscus]

Hello; Back in the days long ago there were long narrow tanks with dividers. My guess is the tanks were somewhere around ten to twenty gallons total volume. Each divider had a small gap so water could moved between sections. I never got around to having one but always thought the setup was a good way to have several bettas. I think the dividers were removeable so the volume of the sections could be changed.
Not much of an improvement over the space each betta might actually have to move around but seemed to me a bonus as far as water quality and filtration goes.

Ooh I like that idea! My friend suggested the exact same thing not 10 minutes before you posted, lol. I think I'll try to rig up something similar, thanks!

 

[Matteus]

Ooh I like that idea! My friend suggested the exact same thing not 10 minutes before you posted, lol. I think I'll try to rig up something similar, thanks!

Nice. Post pics once you get going to show your progress

 

[GuppyandDiscus]

Nice. Post pics once you get going to show your progress

Will do!

 

[FLA]

There are two reasons bettas are kept in small spaces. One they live in rice paddies and don't need a huge area. Many are farmed in pint whiskey bottles. This is even more true when they are in a temporary situation. While they don't need a ton of room the bigger issue in chain stores is they aren't providing good water quality. Water changes and stable temp are what matter more. Ideally you wont hold bettas in a retail environment for more than 2-3 weeks if you are marketing them well and ordering correctly. Then the hobbyist can decide how to care for them long term.

I hate to be the one to bring this up, but the other reason is retail space is extremely expensive. You need to get every dollar per square foot you can out of your store. You will not hold nearly as many fish on a shelf using large bowls. Like it or not retail is a business and it cost a lot to run. Rent, labor, water, electricity, equipment, insurance, taxes, and inventory all add up. You do not want to be the non profit LFS in town.

If you do want something with recirculating water I think proclear aquatics came up with a good compromise. You can watch a video about it here. It is also a great way to market nano fish and shrimp that get lost in other retail settings.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

If I hear any more nonsense about betta splendens living in puddles in the wild I'm gonna be angry, saying Bettas can live in small tanks because the wild Bettas do it in the wild is like saying chihuahuas can hunt and kill elk because wolves do it in the wild.

Ideal tank size based on science: 15 or more gallons, fish kept in smaller tanks and bowls die early premature deaths due to health problems related to lack of exercise and fat buildup

 

[GuppyandDiscus]

If I hear any more nonsense about betta splendens living in puddles in the wild I'm gonna be angry, saying Bettas can live in small tanks because the wild Bettas do it in the wild is like saying chihuahuas can hunt and kill elk because wolves do it in the wild.

Ideal tank size based on science: 15 or more gallons, fish kept in smaller tanks and bowls die early premature deaths due to health problems related to lack of exercise and fat buildup

I understand what your saying, and am hoping my future buyers will listen to this, I just don't have the room in a store for that. I am not trying to be disrespectful or argumentative, just clarifying that I so not support tiny spaces as permanent homes for bettas.