Semi-self Sustaining Betta Vase?

Hey all, was hoping someone could shed some light on steps/materials to make a cost effective semI self sustaining betta vase with a bamboo or other water friendly plants? Was wondering what kind of substrate and/or food I would need? I have other tanks and am aware of general fish needs.
Thanks!!!

 

Hopefully its a very big vase.

 

Agreed. You will need a huge vase for this.

 

Betta's need an absolute bare minimum of 2 1/2 gallons of heated/filtered/cycled water. Your best bet is to get a small tank and put whatever you'd like in it in terms of plants/substrate. For food, they can eat pellets, flakes, peas and lots of other things.

 

Yep, you need at a very minimum 2.5 gallons. I don't think any vase is that big.

 

Yep, you need at a very minimum 2.5 gallons. I don't think any vase is that big.

I had one!! It was 8 gallons! Dang near hip height on me and only 10” across but it held about 8 or so gallons. (He’s in a proper 15 gallon now.)

 

I mean if you have a 3-5gallon vase go ahead

 

Has to be a wide vase though. It will be easier to keep a betta in a tank though.

 

Has to be a wide vase though. It will be easier to keep a betta in a tank though.

Very true bettas don't like tall surfaces. And I never heard of a flat vase

 

I personally wouldn’t keep a fish in a vase, if you do any substrate is fine, they’ll eat any food, and I can’t see a way to make it self sustaining. It would need frequent water changes and I’d add some bacteria supplements to help. As for cost efficiency, a big vase, a betta, a plant, food, substrate, and Bacteria supplements shouldn’t be too much. As stated above, this will need to be a HUGE vase, Bettas are extremely hardy and certainly not picky but that doesn’t mean they’re happy with the absolute bare minimum they need to survive, I strongly recommend you don’t do this. Also bamboo is poisonous to cats and dogs so just be aware of that. Good luck, but in my opinion it’s a bad idea.

 

I did this for a number of years. Everyone did. It was all the rage and some still do this. I had success. I have 6 betta now that are all in 3 to 10 gallon heated, filtered tanks just like my 10 other tanks. I'm not raving about the results I'm getting from the heated, filtered tanks.

 

Can I ask why you want to do this? It seems to be more costly and just way more of a stress than just buying a 5 gallon kit and a heater. Like mentioned above, it would need to be a LARGE vase, you would need at least a heater, and LOADS of plants - so much so that you'll probably barely see the betta fish. I've seen self sustained shrimp vases/bowls, but I haven't seen a betta fish yet. It's probably because it just seems a little inappropriate. Too much work for something that isn't that ideal for the fish.

 

Some research on Walstad tanks may help I don't see a problem as long as it is big enough and has some form of surface agitation and heating

 

Some of the fads that have involved live fish have been simply atrocious. A live betta in a pendant, for example. The fad of putting Bettas in a vase was one of the worst things that ever happened to fishkeeping. It was not only sold as being suitable for the betta, they claimed that the fish would eat the roots of the plant that were hanging in the water. As I'm sure everyone here knows, Bettas are not vegetarians.

There were also companies selling half gallon cubes with a plant and a single Zebra Danio or other small fish in it, and the cube was sealed. Again, the plant in the cube was supposed to provide oxygen and food for the fish. They disappeared from the market when the fish started dying in the cubes before the stores could sell them. We all know how Goldfish have been abused at fairs and carnivals for - well, seems like forever. Instant Fish was actually based on a real characteristic of some Killifish, but they sent them out with inadequate instructions on how to properly raise and care for the fish.

P.T. Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute." So long as there are suckers, there will be con men and women to take their money.

 

I can see them being kept in vases if its big like others have said but I wouldnt do it. its much simpler and easier to just get a tank that is the right size