Small Bowl ok for a Betta???

Hello again fellow betta lovers!!! Been away long time, busy, just had a new baby. They take a lot of time, but he's getting older and now I can turn some of my attention back to my fishies.

Now for my question. I was given a very small fish bowl. I was gonna put it on my desk at work. If I put a Betta in there, could I put some rocks on the bottom and like 1 silk plant???

Thanks for the help.

 

Your Betta needs a tank big enough to have a heater and a filter. So the bowl is probably not a good idea.
Carol

 

Well, I live in florida. No one I know that has a fish tank has a heater. My 10gal doesn't have a heater and my fish are as happy as can be. When I had my betta....he loved it. Inside my office....the temp stays between 73-77f. But, if Betta's won't be good, what would???

 

Depending on the size of the bowl. Maybe some plants and a couple of mystery snails. It would be different anyway
Carol

 

But I want a fishie :'(

 

Sorry 73-77F is too much fluctuation. In warmer areas heaters can keep the tank at a more level temp. Bettas need to be right about 78F consistently. Fluctuating temps is just begging ich to break out and its also stressful for your fish and stress can cause your fish to get sick.
gunnie lives in Florida and has heaters in her tanks
Carol

 

Hmmmm, guess it depends on who has it. My 10gal says about 76f. It stays the same temp as my house, whatever temp my house is, for some odd reason, that's the temp of my tank. Its weird

 

Glad their doing well Most fish will adjust to a steady temp, bettas will adjust but not necessarily like it. I was just saying the fluctuation is what causes a problem. Most houses are cooler in the morning and warmer in the evening. Even a 2-3 degree fluctuation can cause problems.
Carol

 

Not only is that too mush fluctuation, but it is too cold for a Betta. The optimum temp for Bettas is 80 degrees, although if you keep them with other fish 78 degrees will do. Anyway, bowls are not really suitable for keeping fish. I believe I posted my list of reasons on another post of yours.
I know you want fish but you need to keep in mind what is best for them. How about a couple Ghost Shrimp? I know another person on here (Emma) has two in a half-gallon tank. I think those would be fine in your bowl, and they are very cool. They are clear so you can see the color of the food they ate in their stomach! ;D

 

also an idea they sell small tanks for bettas called the betta keeper at Petco for like $10 with plants, gravel, and a divider (not that u would really want that kinda of bio load) please correct me if I am wrong I will gladly take this back if I am wrong but i'm pretty sure I saw some small filters and heaters if u want to try something like that. I'm sure the whole set up isn't that expensive. just a thought

Brent

 

I'm guessing whatever you're thinking of is not 5 gallons...it is probably a one or half gallon kit, which really isn't much better than a bowl. You couldn't get a 5 gallon kit that cheap...

 

no it really isn't it a 5 gal but can't u get filters and a heater for it?

 

Well you CAN but I do not recommend heating anything less than 5 gallons because it is so easy to overheat. You really can't safely keep fish an anything less than 5 gallons.

 

I think a couple of ghost shrimp would be very cool for that bowl. You could also get some low light plants like java fern, java moss and anubias. It would be very natural and you wouldn't have to worry about heating it.

 

Yeah, that would be really awesome! Maybe I need to try something like that! ;D ;D Sorry if I'm hijacking the post a bit, but are there any filters you can use for tiny bowls/tanks?

 

The Duetto is the smallest one I know of and it is 2 - 5 gallons on their MINI model. It would NOT work on a small box of plastic like the Betta Container with the divider. They are little more than fancy named bowls. And no heater should be put into anything less than a 3 gallon and then only with extreme caution as the smaller tanks do tend to overheat badly. I had my first Marineland Heater problem with the heater that used to be in my 3 gallon giving out when I put it in the 5 gallon. I will now not use more than a 25 watt in my 5 gallon tanks. The heaters that are supposedly made for the small containers do not have adjusting devices. The unit is preset at the factory to raise the temperature a couple of degrees. That does nothing to keep the temperature steady.

Rose

 

I know for bettas u need to keep it around 78 degrees F so if the heater is preset how in the world do u get it up that high and maintain it??? ???

 

That is why you do not want to use that type of heater. You cannot do it, it will not do what you need it to do. You will be wasting your money. Get a bigger tank (5 gallon or more) and an ADJUSTABLE heater (submersible is best) and you will have it made. [well kind of anyway - you still have to get through the cycle] I know you already have all these things in your plans so you are on the right track.

Rose

 

if only full cycling were an over night process it would make our lives so much easier and we could get fish quicker too!!! ;P

 

if only full cycling were an over night process it would make our lives so much easier and we could get fish quicker too!!! ;P

You said it

 

Bio Spira is a quick way to cycle a tank. I only wish we could get it in UK... :-\

Gwenz

 

Seems Marineland can't produce BioSpira fast enough to supply all the demands for it.
Carol

 

well cycling is a total pain

 

yep I agree so are fish dying in an uncycled tank (pain for them that is)
Carol

 

well yeah they are worth the pain in the butt, however its still a pain for us to have to cycle tho o well it happens

 

The cost of Bio-Spira is well balanced out in the health of the fish. Since you already have your fish, you really need to make that investment for the health and protection of your fish. InarI does not need to be the guinea pI g to do the cycling or to stay in an uncycled tank until you do the fishless cycle. With Bio-Spira you add the Bio-Spira and then in a few minutes you add the fish. That's it.

Rose

 

I use nutrafin cycle, I let the tank cycle for about 4-7days and it works even better. I have never lost a fish because my water was out of wack.

 

Bio Spira is a quick way to cycle a tank. I only wish we could get it in UK... :-\

Gwenz

I can't seem to find anything like that in South Africa either...

 

Have you looked for Nutrafin cycle??

 

The cost of Bio-Spira is well balanced out in the health of the fish.  Since you already have your fish, you really need to make that investment for the health and protection of your fish.  InarI does not need to be the guinea pI g to do the cycling or to stay in an uncycled tank until you do the fishless cycle.  With Bio-Spira you add the Bio-Spira and then in a few minutes you add the fish.  That's it.

Rose

wow that fast what is it like just straight bacteria that are need for the Nitrogen cycle?

 

wow that fast what is it like just straight bacteria that are need for the Nitrogen cycle?

yep! it is just the bacteria you need to cycle your filter. that is all it is. just make sure you shake the pouch first or all you get is liquid and the bacteria stay in the bottom of the pouch. Neat huh?

Rose

 

that is awesome!! do they keep very well after u open up the bottle tho or are they just like NOOOOO air not good ???

 

it says on the pouch that the unused part of the bacteria (if there is any) will last 6 months in the refrigerator (open or unopen) but I would use it all and not try to save it. I would put it right in the tank after you open it (be sure to SHAKE first - the reason I keep telling eveyone this is I didn't the first time and had to rinse the pouch out) and then put the fish in right away. It will take a couple of days for the tank to settle in but the tank is in effect cycled from the minute you put it in.

Rose

 

cool!!

 

Wow. I like the bactaria I buy. You don't have to refridge it or anything. Just make sure you put the cap back on tightly. I've had it for about 4 months and it works as good as it did when I first bought it. I'm just now almost out. So I gotta buy a new one for my 15Gal.

 

Unless it requires refrigeration, its dead bacteria and is useless.

 

All mine says is, "Do Not Store In Temps Above 120F For Along Period Of Time." So it doesn't require refridge or nothing. Besides, cold air kills ALL bactaria. That's why hospitals are ALWAYS cold inside.

 

Not true there are bacteria that have been found found in the artic waters and artic airs some bacteria can live in the extremes, extremely hot or cold, overly wet or dry, in the air, on land, in water, doesn't matter place u can think of bacteria can and probably live tho the hospitals keep it so cold because MOST bacteria have a hard time dividing to reproduce in cold envirnments

and there is the science lesson for the day!!

 

Sorry folks, after having been a nurse for 27 years, I am here to tell you that it depends on the bacteria and this one just happens to need to be refrigerated until it has food from the fish produced ammonia to feed it. The reason being is refrigeration keeps it in a dormant state. It does not kill it. This is why the manufacturer states that if it is not cold when it arrives to either put it into the refrigerator right away to put it right back into the dormant state or put it right into the aquarium in question and add the fish so it can start being fed with the ammonia produced by the fish. Hospitals are kept cool for a variety of reasons but I do not believe that to kill bacteria off is the one I would use as the reason they still use disinfectants and medications clearly indicate that this alone does not kill them.

The non-refrigerated bacteria is a different type that, unless I am mistaken have to be added on a regular schedule over and over. It is an entirely different bacteria and is generally unstable. If you for some reason do not add it on schedule or do not get the right dosage in the tank it kills what is in the tank off due to not being recharged and you have to start all over. Bio-Spira is a one time use per tank unless there is a complete loss of bacteria in the filter for some reason and the tank needs to be completely reseeded due to a catastrophic incident.

Rose

 

Mine is to use 1 capful per 10gal every water change. Which is halfcap for my 5gal that's changed everyweek. 1 capful for my 10gal everyother week. According to my brother-in-law(who got me into fish and has kept fish for atleast 15yrs)says that is the best bactaria avaliable. So I don't know why people are saying I have bad bactaria when I have NEVER EVER lost fish to bad water. I even took my water to the my lfs and they checked it and said I have perfect water. So thank you all for your advice, but I like the way all my aquariums are going and I'll stick with what I have.