My Sad Introduction to the Betta Myth
I recall the first time I ever laid eyes on
Hmmmm. I’m sure this sounds familiar to you all.
I assumed she knew what she was talking about (well, she was working in a pet store after all!), though with some doubt as there were a few dead ones. Months later, my tiny daughter was turning two and I thought of getting her a small pet of her own with the ulterior motive of using this excuse to finally keep a fish again. I went to another store and looked at the bettas, thinking this would be perfect if indeed they were suited to tiny bowls. I picked up a 1/4g (1L) plastic critter keeper, thinking I was wonderful for giving these fish a bit more space, and asked the staff member about the fish. Thankfully, this staff member did inform me these were tropical fish, and required a heater which would not suit the little plastic tank;however, he did not recommend a filter. I acquired a secondhand 5g (20L) from a friend, put in my old heater and filter, and went back for a nice purple betta as I now had a heated tank. Despite not having cycled the tank, he survived, though quite lethargically, and when he seemed to pick up I proceeded to add several other tetras until I had about 10 fish. He did hide and not swim very much but I put this down to his large fins. I also think doing very large weekly
Not only was my fish succumbing to awful stress from overcrowding, ammonia and nitrite spikes, and very high nitrates, but the grand palace I thought I was keeping him in was the bare minimum for a thriving betta. Indeed, nearly the whole story I’d been told was completely untrue.
So, how did this story evolve? Why are bettas still being sold in cups only to graduate to ‘tanks’ which are barely any bigger? Why do I still hear people (and pet store staff) claim they don’t need filters, and only really need a heater if it’s a cold winter? To answer this it is crucial to understand the native environment these fish are kept in; their biology.
Betta Origins, Myths and facts fighting fish?
Bettas are said to have gained their name from the “Bettah” clan of ancient Asian warriors, chiefly as they were known to be aggressive to other males. This made them popular for ‘fish fighting’ in Siam (now Thailand), a practice still condoned in rural areas. However, these were not fights, but tests of bravery to see which fish would be first to retreat after flaring at each other. The fish rarely, if at all, actually fight. In the wild, displays are to assert their dominance, and usually occur over territory and females, and are over when a competing male retreats . In fact, betta males will only ever usually fight to the death if they are in a confined space, and/or if one is a particularly aggressive individual. Still, these fish are considered to have an aggressive temperament, particularly as the domestic strains had originally been selected for aggression. Males should not be kept in the same tank. A divider is ok, providing there is a lot of space on both sides for each to swim freely without always having to see his neighbour,. A lot of cover is also required on both sides of the tank so each fish can retreat if he feels threatened. It is ill-advised to divide anything less than 10g.
Habitat and the ‘Puddle’ Myth
Indeed, bettas are territorial, and contrary to common belief, territories are estimated by some to be approximately 1 square meter (or 3ft sq). These territories are the thickly vegetated, slow moving streams, marshes, large vegetated drainage ditches (klongs) and rice paddies of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, specifically the Mekong and Chao Phraya River drainage basins. These ecosystems are shallow, though deeper than many aquaria, and extensive, providing ample space for establishment of such territories as well as a wide area for hunting insect larvae and finding mates. Naturally, all of these activities would be nearly impossible in a tiny puddle, so why is the most common betta myth, being that these fish live in ‘hoofprints’, so prevalent?
The answer to this seems to arise from the bettas remarkable adaptation to the changing seasons in these areas. In the dry season, the shallow streams and marshes inhabited by these fish can dry considerably due to evaporation, which can leave these fish trapped in small vegetated water pockets, which is the likely source of the ‘puddle’ myth. Though rather than continuing to live happily in this situation, bettas merely endure these predicaments and opt to escape whenever possible. Indeed, being trapped in a puddle prevents them from finding adequate food and mates, and unless they can escape, these fish are doomed to either starvation or death from toxin buildup, and at best, an inability to find a mate and reproduce.
To survive a temporary period of entrapment, and to assists them in obtaining oxygen from larger water bodies which may be low in dissolved oxygen due to slow movement or stagnation, bettas possess a hardy nature and the labyrinth organ. The labyrinth is a highly vascularised modified gill structure which enables these fish to supplement oxygen from the surface. The additional myth that this feature removes the need for a filter is also erroneous here, as bettas, like all other fish require filters not only to remove waste but to increase oxygenation of the water, as the labyrinth is a supplemental oxygen source only, and bettas must obtain the bulk of their oxygen from the water in which they live.
To escape to a larger body of water, bettas make use of their excellent jumping abilities, where they jump from puddle to puddle until they are able to reach a larger body of water, which is usually not far away, and they can even survive out of water for a limited time providing they and the labyrinth do not dry out. Indeed, many owners will attest to this jumping and amazing survival abilities. This includes myself, where I have personally returned home to find one of my bettas having escaped his tank via a small hole in the lid, and laying almost dry on the floor. Upon returning him to the tank, he went on to make a full recovery. Many others have had similar experiences, and it is no wonder that despite being kept in the worst conditions, these fish continue to survive where most fish would perish.
Another natural assistance to bettas when trapped in natural vegetated water pockets is that the water in these is regularly refreshed either by regular tropical rains (light rains still are frequent in the dry season), or by dilution as these pockets are generally part of a larger body, and thus waste is kept to a minimum. Additionally, waste (in form of nitrates) is also constantly being absorbed by the surrounding vegetation, also reducing toxicity to the fish. Such refreshment is not available in tiny jars, where water will rapidly become toxic, and fish are slowly poisoned from the accumulation of their own waste and lack of dissolved oxygen. Additionally, tropical forests are almost constantly warm and humid, and ground/vegetation/water absorption of this heat also keeps bettas warm and in a relatively stable
Sadly, it is obvious that fish stuck in puddles are easier to find than fish swimming freely in rivers, and are therefore more commonly seen by passing humans – much the same way as whales are easier to find on the beach than in the ocean by your average beachcomber. Likewise, because we find a whale on the beach we cannot conclude it likes to live there, and the same can be said for bettas stuck in seasonal puddles.
The ‘Bettas Dislike Large Tanks’ Myth
Many have also claimed that bettas will ‘freak out’ and/or hide in larger tanks and require smaller volumes. Another misinformed fact bent from truth. Indeed, while bettas are able to survive in smaller areas, they do not prefer them, as they are inquisitive, active and intelligent fish who like to patrol and explore their territory. Without this environmental enrichment many will become lethargic and deteriorate. However, hailing from thick vegetation, bettas also can become nervous in open water, and while they prefer a large space, they require it to be filled with plants and cover in which they can hide if they feel threatened. A lone betta in a 20g open dealers tank housed with a hundred tetras can obviously show signs of stress and will hide, though the same fish in the same volume in a planted tank with few other fish will be actively out and swimming confidently. Given space to exercise and cover to explore, they will feel secure enough to display their true colours – in terms of both their appearance and lively persona.
Given this understanding of the bettas natural habitat, we can now see how these myths arose and are now perpetuated by the aquarium industry. Certainly, it seems a perfect sell – a colourful exotic fish you can keep on your desk which can take up no more space than a coffee mug. Indeed, it needs such a tiny space as this is its preferred environment! While this angle may sell thousands of novelty containers, it is capitalizing on the basic survival mechanisms possessed by these fish and exploiting them far beyond what is humane treatment.
The only way to end this treatment of domestic bettas is through educating others, particularly pet store staff, next time you see the the bettas suffering in cups in stores. As the customer, you have a right to politely voice your concerns and point out inappropriate care to staff. If they espouse the common betta myths to you, you can confidently debunk them with this information, which I have gathered from experienced betta keepers and wild fish collectors, who have seen and catalogued natural habitats properly. Feel free also to post short points on these myths on online product reviews of betta tanks, such as ‘photo frames’, desk lamps, and other novelty containers which, though cute, have no right housing any animal. With enough education, less people will purchase these tiny containers and hopefully, one day, aquariums marketed to bettas will be filtered, heated, 3-5gal (12-20L) tanks with silk or real plants which will keep any betta safe and happy for their full lifespan.
Thanks for reading, and happy betta keeping!
View Comments (90)
I have a red and pink crowntail betta i bought from a breeder here in montana where i live, and i recently bought a female crowntail to breed him with. i have a 10gallon tank for breeding and two 5gallon tanks for wich i house them seperetly and alone with heaters and filters. the breeding tank has a heater only and i noticed that my male betta (big red) only blows bubble nests in his tank and refusses to blow one in the breeding tank. is there anything i can do to make him blow a bubble nest???
Try adding more plant cover, particularly floating plants like water sprite and hornwort. These are great for building nests in, and also will provide cover for fry. Happy breeding – Lea
Greetings as a new Betta enthusiest I was researching breeding techniques and was lucky enough to find information directly from a breeder in thailand. They recommend introducing the fem. Into the males tank as it is the fathers duty to tend the nest, the fem. is removed after the eggs are layin in his territory. She is removed after laying eggs and the male starts being agressive towards her, then the male is removed in 3-5 days when the fry start hatching, Hope this helps
Make the ten gallon his territory. If he’s nesting in what he considers his territory, then the five he lives in is your breeding tank. Common sense. Male should live in the ten. When he does nest in the ten, introduce the female in a glass container until his aggression stops. Then let her loose. Get a second female for his 5 gallon and diversify your gene pool. Indian almond leaves and floating vegitation should be in there too. Give him in the ten objects, “landmarks” that he knows to be his territory.
I had my betta, Sharky, for 2 years in a giant glass olive jar. I swear, he got excited when I came into the room. I loved that damned fish! He didnt have a heater or filter. Reading this, I wonder if my Sharky would have lived a longer, better life if I had read more about their care. Sharky II will be better provided for. Thanks!
That’s great news! They are certainly interactive, i hope this all helps you in caring for Sharky II :) .
i feel so sorry for you i all so had a fish that lived for 3 years inn a 1 gallon fish bowl sometimes i put him in a guppie tank and i had some guppies in a bowl they live for 2 years buy some people only have betta’s for a week that means you take good care of sharky :D
Bettas actually have a lifespan of 5-7 years, with the occasional fish reaching the age of 9!
But with all of the misinformation that the petstores themselves have (they rarely hire anyone knowledgeable), it gets to a point when 3 years seems ancient with these guys. Plus, they’re so badly bred, that tumors and other health issues will arise before too long.
For more information on this amazing species of fish and to connect with other betta keepers, check out http://www.bettafish.com
RightyO
Liz, I grew up with bettas. I’ve been breeding them for over 20 years but have always had as a kid. Back then there were no heaters, filters, etc…. This stuff is a sales ploy. You did nothing wrong. I have bettas in tanks with and without filters and heaters and frankly the ones without anything are lasting a little longer. Remember 90% of what you read on the internet is cr*p and just plain wrong. Take you info from a person that has YEARS of experience not something you’ve read. You did just fine.
my betta used to live in a huge cheeseall container until i earned enough money to invest in a one gallon fishy tank with an awesome heater, and a betta-safe filter. I invented that…
BUT IT WORKS!!! :D
True, I live on an un-air conditioned sailboat and have a beta fish named Freddy ( She's a qoi beta) and lives happily with her tank mate Frank ( a corydora). I didn't use a filter or heater and they are still living two years later. They had a ten gallon so I hope the were as content as they seemed. Great article!
Thanks for the info. Our betta jumped out of his overfilled tank and we found him on the floor. He had probably been out for five minutes. Luckily he survived but is it advisable to put a plant in the container like a peace lily? So he can hide in roots?
Absolutely not! How thoroughly did you read this article? A betta generally jumps out of a tank if he finds it unsuitable. He’s looking for a “better puddle next door” but there isn’t one.
Peace lillies are not aquatic plants and are not suitable for aquarium use. Not even for bettas. And before you ask, neither is bamboo.
You say “tank” in one sentence and “container” in another. How many gallons is this container? Is it filtered? Heated? Decorated? Getting his tank appealing and suitable is step 1 in making sure this doesn’t happe again. Step 2 is getting it a nice breathable cover. :)
I have bamboo in my tank. I have a 20 gal “home” for my betta. I washed the bamboo is really hot water before putting it in the tank. the leafy part sticks out of the tops of the tank. Should I remove it? and if so why? I also have a couple of other live plants in there as well as plastic ones.
Glad to hear he’s got such a huge home!
Sadly, the hot water will likely harm or kill the leaves. I’d not recommend this, but if your concerned about plants bringing in sanils or disease, try a 1part bleah, 20parts water ‘dip’, then rinse very well in old tank water in a bucket, then place in your tank. You can use bamboo if you leave the leaves above the surface, as bamboo leaves need to grow emerged (above the water line). This can look quite neat, but i prefer true aquatics plants. Long stemmed leafy ones, and ones that float like hornwort and watersprite are wonderful too and replicate a natural environment. I would keep a 20gal full of plants to keep your betta feeling secure, and once he does he’s will own every inch of it.
Just wanted to say thanks and to let you know that the betta is loving his home. I added a pleco and a couple of assassin snails because I ended up with snails. I also put in a LOT of plants to give him a place to hide. He is no longer spooked when the cat has his face against the glass. He truly is a little hunter. When I clean the tank I use a siphon type he will swim right up to my hand. He is awesome!
Thank you KellyA, so glad to hear your great story! Sounds like a perfect tank :) Just be aware pleco’s can grow huge and need very large aquariums due to heir size and their large waste output. If your pleco is a bristlenose then it will stay small (3-5inches) and be fine in a 20g, but any other species may grow substantially larger. Check with your aquarium store to be sure of the species, and don’t forget some driftwood for him to munch on :)
Good for you i have a female betta shes small so shes in a 2
gallon tank with 2 guppies and a suckerfish that’s what i call them they suck on the class i almost forgot i have 3 Mountain Minnows
Good advice snukb, though some will still jump regardless (especially if they see a tasy insect fly overhead or land on the water). Still, a poor home will encourage jumping more. I suspect that bettas in tiny cups in stores are not too ill to jump, or lack the room to swim and build up speed to jump properly.
I have had this happen to me with a betta in a heavily planted, heated and filtered 5g, which was well covered but he escaped through the hole the filter and heater cables went through. In retrospect, i think he was resting on top of the filter and may have been startled into jumping up and out. Nevertheless, he went on to make a full recovery.
Cover will certainly keep your fish happier, and twisted driftwood or big bunches of stem plants like water sprite, hygro, bacopa (baby tears), hornwort etc will do this nicely.
Thank you so much for this information! My new Betta Fred seemed ill at ease and was always actively bumping his nose on the glass. I now now he may be nervous without any plants to hide behind! I’m so glad because I was getting worried that he seemed so anxious all the time. :(
A pleasure, share it around and maybe the sale of tiny betta cups will end :) .
I can’t stress lots of live or silk plants enough for these fish – not only do they do wonders for reducing stress and providing an interesting home, but also look beautiful and you’ll love watching your fish explore it all.
If I might add that plastic plants are not soft and pliable like natural plants and may scrape or catch the flowing fins. I have also found that if you give them plenty of places to hide that you will actually see them often, especially if you create a procedure when you feed them. I tap the edge of my pond 3 times lightly to alert them that I am there to feed them and they come out. Now they have begun to come to me since they recognize me and associate me with food.
Just bought my daughter a Beta tonight…..got a 1 gallon glass tank, pretty blue & turquoise rocks on the bottom and a few fake plants and decorations. He, “Blue”, seems pretty happy in there, and its certainly bigger than the cup we bought him in. There is no filter….they just said to use the Beta Water Conditioning drops. Does this all sound adequate?
Hi Monica
If you read the article above, you’ll see that it sadly is not appropriate.
Cups are death traps, and all bettas require a minimum 2.5g (5g and above better), with a heater set to 78F/26C and a filter such a sponge filter or internal filter which can be set on a low setting. Your tank is also new, and thus not ‘cycled’. This means you do not have the essential bacteria present to turn the toxic ammonia from Blue’s waste eventually into less harmful nitrates.
Adding a generous bunch of live plants (floating like hornwort or lacefern are good and easy), or java moss or java fern which you can tie to ornaments/wood/rocks will help to seed the tank with this critiacal bacteria until the filter colonises with them. They will also act as another filter of sorts, removing some of the waste from the water. ‘Cycling’ can take 4 weeks or so until the gravel and filter have enough bacteria to handle the ammonia load, and until then daily 50% water changes with water ager are essential to keep Blue healthy. Failing to do so can lead to his death quickly via ammonia poisoning. Also note that cleaning his filter media in OLD TANK WATER ONLY is requited to preserve the good bacteria in your filter. read up more on this site and i’m sure you’ll have a happy betta. Good luck!
The minimum for a betta is really 1 gallon.
Anything below is too small. It depends on the fish owner on whether or not a 1 gallon tank can be a perfect home or a death trap.
If you dedicate the time and energy to giving the 1 gallon 100% water changes every few days (with water no less than 84 degrees so it will slowly cool down to 77-78 by the next water change) then you can keep a betta in a 1 gallon. I knew someone who bred bettas and kept them in plants mason jars that they changed water for daily, and kept them warm by keeping them outside in a covered area.
The bigger the tanks get, the less you have to do water changes (as long as it is cycled before-hand).
That's good. As for me I'm breed a pair of fighter plakat bettafish they will have lots of babies once they become mid size adults they will start stamina training they will be outside and inside fighters the will already know how to fight their stamina lasts 7to 8 hours I will send 3 to Cambodia for fighting these will be the GREATEST fighter plakat bettas since boxer MUHAMMAD ALI.
it’s ok to keep them in a unfilterd bowl i had betta’s live for 10 years wich is really rare but other then that it is ok but if he show sickness get it sometimes they like nice water that is treated And i am the Betta :)
Awesome information, I’ve been reading online about bettas for the past few hours and yours is by far the most helpful. I didn’t have a heater for my betta and his water was getting down in the low to mid 60s and he would just sit on the bottom most of the time. We got a bigger tank and heater and now he’s zipping around like a mad man. Thanks for your help!
Thank you Jennifer! Stick around, nippyfish is any excellent site :) . Just make sure your tank is cycled (check site info or ask here) to prevent any ‘new tank syndrome’ deaths. A nice addition for bettas and to seed new tanks, some floating plants. I find tossing in a bunch of hornwort looks stunning, and grows feathery vines all over the top for bettas to rest and play in, while keeping the below area free for swim space. A good idea in smaller tanks (5g and under). Happy betta keeping!-lea
You should add to your article that if you are getting plants, to look for low light ones, the ones you mentioned are perfect. Bettas prefer low light due to the brackish colored water they live in. If someone is leery about raising plants in a tank, duckweed is a good choice, it’s almost impossible to kill, like a dandelion lol. Just make sure the surface has a hole where food can drop and they can use their labyrinth organ. Also for the
Haha, yes, maybe i should – but i think i’d need a whole new article, maybe i’ll ask about doing that! I am a bit of a planted tank nut also.
To tie some readers over, good hardy, low light plants include: anubais, javafern, javamoss (all of these can be tied to wood, rock or ornaments to grow), floating plants like hornwort, duckweed and watersprite, or hardy ones requiring a substrate which have lots of stems and leaves for bettas to hide and play in such as moneywort, hygrophyllia, ambulia (moderate lighting is good here, and some liquid ferts), or big leaved Amazon sword (swords are better for larger tanks, they can get huge but can be pruned back to live in 15G).
I also think you been dark or ‘blackwater’ – brackish means freshwater with a higher salt content such as those found in estuaries. You are correct though, bettas are rumored do like subdued lighting cast by plants, though i’ve never had issues in brightly lit tanks… i find it’s more of an issue that they have cover to feel safe and secure. That said, a dimly lit tank with some tannin staining from indian almond leaf or driftwood can look very natural and effective. Thanks for the comment!
Lea
now i’m talking real you should get him a tank mate like a frog a ghost shimp but if you have more fish that is betta friendly and if he does good then get him one if he dies you should get a female betta and get three or two betta’s are really expensive so i would really get only two females are not that aggrisve like the males the males will fight to death sometimes females like to be alone make sure you like check if they are like the groupy ones or if bigger one like a 30 gallon you can get 2 males but two males are more powerful and will both gang up on a killifish,guppie,and other small fish
oor get an imbellis betta they will be no problem they will not fight as much as crowntails and halfmoons i even had 2 bettas in a 2 gallon fish tank it came with a filter not a heater they both played and swimed together they lived for 6 weeks i added another one he killed both of them i called them both lay back betta and i gave the betta that killed them to my friend sorry i wrote so much bye :o
That was good no need to be sorry for writing alot.
That was great not need to feel sorry for writing something great.
Lea,
I agree that keeping bettas for sale in cups is a horrible idea. I have also noticed that some retailers add something blue to the water and I have been told that it is to keep the bettas from being able to see each other and stressing out.(?) So what you are left with are a bunch of sad bettas whose colors and personalities are unviewable. But I have yet to hear someone with a viable alternative for retailers to utilize. I know that at least some of these people love fish and would rather not have to display the bettas in this manner, but as people want variety, how to stock and keep several bettas affordably is a problem. I have wondered if they could have individual 1/2 to 1 gallon tanks that are opaque on three sides and have at least one bushy plant. It would probably raise the cost per fish somewhat, but I would be more than willing to pay a few extra dollars for a happy, healthy fish. Do you have some
better ideas for retailers? Thanks.
Hi Jacquie – Yes i certainly do, and have recommended them to several stores. There are several viable ideas as far as i can see, the underlying theme being that the bettas should be housed in the fish wall as part of the rest system, so they can enjoy the cycled, heated, and filtered water like the rest of the fish. I believe the best way to do this, which is also easy and cheap, is to use DIY mesh dividers in the aquariums used to house aquatic plants and keep a single male in each section. I think a standard tank divided into 4 would be enough for display and space for the betta. The cover will be appreciated in terms of stress reduction and stimulation, and will also make both the plants and betta look more attractive as a display!
Alternatively, betta barracks could be used in other aquariums, but i dislike these as they are cruel in terms of swimming space and no access to cover to limit stress. Another system i ahve seen in my local LFS, is a specially made set of tanks with 1 gallon divisions, each housing a betta and small plant, where water flow is shared between them all and the tank is hooked up the the central filter/heater system. I think any of these options are actually rather cheap to create, and cheaper in the long term as less cleaning is required as all are hooked up to the central filtration unit, less illness and death, and more sales as bettas are in better health. Regarding the blue solutions you mention, that is methylene blue.
It does not stop bettas from seeing each other (they have far better eyes than that! after all, how could they see in their jungle dense, tannin rich homeland waters?), but it is a mild disinfectant which is used as a ‘cure-all’ for low grade disease. Stores add this to prevent ich and finrot from breaking out in their betta tanks, but it only works as a preventative and will not stop fish from succumbing to illness from ammonia poisoning and stress.. which could easily be prevented by taking care better care of their fish as mentioned above. :) . If you’d like to sugest any of these ideas to your local store, that would be great! All the best, lea
Thanks so much for putting out an article that is easy-to-read, informative and correct! I have been keeping bettas for several years and currently have two males, Tuff and Tanis. Tanis is a purple/red cambodian halfmoon plakat who has his own heated, filtered, planted 5gal flat-back hex tank. Tuff is a pink and purple crowntail who lives in my 55gal heavily-planted mixed tropical/temperate community. Tuff is always out and about and active, I’m sure because of the massive amounts of plants I have in that tank (one whole side has been taken over by jungle val). :-)
Very informative site! Thank you for sharing. Luckly for my curiosity as a child even now in my late 20s i always love to do extended research when it comes to my interest, Especially fish. I learned from a young age even before actually searching. That all animals need a very large yet accommodating environment.
As for my girlfriend, she wasn’t as driven. We went to petsmart to look for an aquarium for our apartment and she stumbled across the poorly healthed bettas along with the rest of the animals. Some still thriving to survive, others dead or on the verge of dying. I did make it my business to complain and educate these people but like every other corporate run business it wasn’t in their budget. So i wrote a letter to the company. Lets see if we can get more people to act on behalf of these beautiful creatures.
As far as our new betta “bubbles” we got him from a small mom and pop pet shop, where i’ve been going since i was 9yrs old. He loves his 10gl home full of plants, heat and filtration. He makes plenty of bubble nest and seems to be very happy. I will be getting him a female soon.
Thanks for more very useful info,
mike
That’s wonderful news – sounds like a perfect betta home, and an owner who’s very caring…. let’s home you get a positive response from the company!
If budget is a concern, try suggesting putting cheap mesh or plastic dividers in the tanks housing the aquarium plants. Then, they could house a male betta in each division easily, keeping them part of the heated and filtered system and also giving more space and loads of plant cover for them. A 10g plant tank could easily be divided into 4 for temporary betta housing, and each would show off both fish and plants well…. indeed, it would be a good showcase to encourage people interested in bettas to buy plants too once thy see how good they look together!
Good luck with your fish, and all the best.
Lea