Betta Vase – Is it the Perfect Betta House?

Betta Vase – Is it the Perfect Betta House?

So, you’re thinking about buying a betta fish. You see them everywhere in a Betta vase, or small bowl, but is this type of Betta house conducive to long life and health? The Betta vase you got with your fish from the pet store may appear large enough for your little friend, but it is lacking three essential characteristics to make it the perfect Betta house your Neptunian buddy can be proud of.

Sad Betta Fish in Tiny Betta Vase

1 – Betta Temperature regulation

Unlike you and me, your little Betta can not simply add a sweater, or change into shorts and a t-shirt to regulate his body temperature. He also can not adjust the thermostat in his Betta house. In the case of a Betta vase, there is no means of regulating temperature. To provide your fish with the best possible chance at a long, healthy life, a heater with programmable thermostat needs to be in place.

2 – High Betta water quality

The water in a Betta vase, even when changed frequently, is not nearly as disease free and clean as that in a Betta house that has a water filtration system. Aside from filtering the water to clean it, the filter breeds good bacteria in its reservoir that help control the ammonia levels in your fish’s habitat. This keeps your finny friend comfortable and healthy, and makes water changes and tank cleanings much easier.

3 – Space

Yep, your fish can survive in his little Betta vase, but he can only thrive in a Betta house that is three or more gallons. Your fish needs more room to swim and check out his new digs. He gets much more exercise in a larger tank. His personality has room to grow, and he will live longer and stronger. I prefer five gallons at least, but a three gallon is even a huge improvement over the tiny Betta vase he is in now.

Happy Betta with Lots of Room to Grow

A Betta vase may look fine, but it is very minimal in providing your fish with a healthy environment. The perfect Betta house is at least three gallons, preferably five, and has a thermostat controlled heater and water filtration system. The three secret ingredients to keeping your fish living well beyond the industry average of six months are clean water, disease prevention and comfortable habitat, and these items cover all the bases. Provide them for your fish, and you can expect him to live as many as five or six years.

“Want to know the Betta Facts for successful betta set-up and care? I have enjoyed raising healthy, happy bettas for over 20 years. Head to this special web site for some incredible betta care tips (and a limited time offer). See you there!”

Elizabeth Christopher

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Betta Water – Proper Betta Tank Setup For Healthy Fish

Betta Water – Proper Betta Tank Setup For Healthy Fish
By Elizabeth Christopher

Getting betta water just right is the single most important step to increasing your betta lifespan from the industry average of six moths to a whopping three to five years. This will insure proper betta temperature and water quality. This generally covers heating, water set-up, filtration and substrate (tank flooring) before introducing your fish. Get a comprehensive Betta Care Guide to cover all the deatils.

Betta water in the wild is generally clear to brackish, with little or no water flow. However, betta water in captivity is a whole different situation. A betta tank must be cycled to lower ammonia levels, kept at a constant temperature range, and have constant water changes to ensure a happy, healthy fish.

An ideal betta tank is a five or ten gallon low, rectangular shape. Bettas do not live in deep waters in the wild, so purchasing a deep betta tank is a waste of resources, and your betta will not fully use or enjoy his surroundings. Get a glass or acrylic betta tank, because these do not scratch or fade like plastic, and provide maximum visual enjoyment.

Purchase a water treatment kit at your pet store, follow the directions and get your betta water ready. It is important to let the water sit for 24 to 48 hours to allow the chemicals to affect the water properly. This will get the nitrates started that are needed in your betta tank to offer the best environment for healthy fish.

Substrate is an important part of betta tank setup, since it plays host to good bacteria that form in the tank floor and eat harmful bacteria and ammonia that comes from the fish’s waste. A medium size gravel is fine. I have found that sand, while beautiful in appearance, is much harder to clean, and can grow algae much more rapidly than gravel will.

Purchase a heater that has 3 – 5 watts per gallon size of betta tank. This will keep the betta water at the proper temperature, 78 to 82 degrees. Also get a temperature gauge to double check the heater’s readout.

When purchasing a filtration system, get one that contains some type of sponge filter. This is a great place for good bacteria to live, and help your fish ward off disease by keeping the betta water at a healthy level. Just as the bacteria in your substrate cleans the water, this bacteria polices the nitrite and nitrate levels in your betta tank, keeping them at an acceptable level.

“Want to know all about Betta Tank Setup and proper betta water maintenance? I have enjoyed raising healthy, happy bettas for over 20 years, and I have found an amazing resource for betta fish lovers. Head to http://www.GodzillaFish.info for the best selling Betta Care Guide on the net, and find out what over 900 satisfied customers already know. Ciurrently on sale (limited time offer). See you there!”
Elizabeth Christopher

Betta Bowls, Betta Tank, Betta Aquarium or Betta Vase – I Am Confused!

Super! You have found a beautiful Betta Fish at the local pet store, and you want to rescue him from a life in a tiny betta vase. Good for you! But where do you start? I mean, the pet-store employee told you they can live just fine in a tiny betta vase, even with a betta plant taking up most of the room. They tell you that in the wild, these Betta Splendens can even live in a horse’s hoof print. If that is true, why should you worry about purchasing a Betta Aquarium instead of letting him live in his tiny betta vase?

Let me put it to you this way; you could live just fine in a ten foot by ten foot room, but you would not live nearly as long, and not nearly as rich a life as you do now. See what I mean? Let’s take a look at some different options, and find just the right Betta House for your new finned friend.

Betta Vase

Doesn’t it look too small?

A betta vase is fine … if you want to raise a lethargic, unhealthy fish and shorten his lifespan by a few years. It is true that because of the labyrinth organ in a betta’s head, they can live in small amounts of sub-standard quality betta water with little air circulation. But that does not mean they should!

(Look at Walter in the betta vase above. Does he look happy or healthy? Now compare him to a similar male betta in the pic below that is being raised in a 10 gal. betta aquarium. Huge difference.)

Betta Bowls

If these are no good, why does the pet store use them?

(Look at the betta bowl in this pic. The betta is so embarrassed he is hiding!)

Betta Bowls offer the same negatives as betta vases, Betta bowls are easy to clean, sure, and they do not take up much space, but you probably purchased your betta to watch him swim, and ineract with his environment. You are definitely not getting that with one of the many betta bowls being marketed.

Refer to the above reasons in the betta vase example for examples of why you don’t want to buy a betta bowl.

Betta Tank (Betta Aquarium)

Now we’re talking!

Here we go!

(Look how vibrant and healthy this betta is! Not to mention the entire betta tank experience is more visually pleasing!)

There are lots of “betta aquarium” choices out there. They offer plenty of room for growth, adding a betta plant or two, and adding betta substrate (flooring), a heater and filter. The betta temperature can be controlled in a betta tank (one of the leading causes of betta stress is a cold tank), and water quality can now be monitored and effectively cycled.

Try not to go below 3 gallons. I personally recommend a 5 gallon betta aquarium at least, and personally use nothing smaller than a ten gallon betta tank. The benefits of choosing a betta aquarium (tank) are many :

1 – Better betta water quality
Because you can now add a filter, betta water quality can be monitored and kept at an optimal level in a 5 or 10 gallon betta tank.

2 – Betta temperature
The perfect betta temperature is between 78 and 82 degrees, with 80 being ideal. Betta heaters are inexpensive and effective. (Your betta will live longer and much healthier just because of this one simple addition!)

3 – Substrate (Tank flooring)
Substrate plays an important role in the filtering, and “good bacteria” process. Having a larger area for gravel, sand, etc. allows for a cleaner, healthier betta tank.

RECOMMENDED READING

(The only Betta Care guide I recommend.)

“Outstanding Betta Care E-course by a 25 year betta care professional. Covers bettas every step of the way from tank selection, to fish selection, to caring, breeding, and disease treatment. If this had been around when I started raising bettas, it would have saved me thousands of dollars, not to mention saved many fish’s lives. Highly recommended.”

Elizabeth Christopher
20 year Betta Enthusiast

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