#he loves the deep substrate in this tho

[stalkmysnake]

Some crappy pics of Slinky’s new viv- it’s still not even close to where I want it, and I’d prefer something a little bigger, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the last until I can get him another one. 

[hella-free-space]

Betta Tank Minimums: Let’s Discus!

haha see what i did there? ;D but really though, I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this! This post should be a thread where people are allowed to express their own opinions freely, and discuss the opinions of others in a civil and polite manner. It’s okay to disagree, this is supposed to be a conversation afterall, but it’s not okay to berate anyone for having an opinion.

1. How do you define minimum tank size?

I consider the minimum tank size to be the absolute minimum size of a tank (with reasonable dimensions) where all a fish’s basic needs can be met. i feel like ‘minimum tank size’ shouldn’t be synonymous with ‘recommended tank size’ because the minimum tank size only covers the basics and nothing else while a recommended tank size gives the fish more room to swim and also leaves more room for decor, plants, hides, extra enrichment, etc. basically: i feel like the minimum tank size for a betta is 2.5 gallons, but i’d still recommend a 5 or 10 gallon tank to anyone looking into getting a betta since bigger is better and bettas love to wiggle!

2. As a follow up question, do you think that minimum tank size should be synonymous with recommended tank size? If so, how does that relate to or affect how you define ‘minimum tank size’?

3. Why do you feel that this tank should be the absolute minimum size tank required?

you can buy a standard-size 2.5 at most pet stores

if someone's looking at a 1-2 gallon bowl for a betta, it might not be too hard to talk them up to a slightly bigger tank. if someone's looking at a .25-.5 gallon bowl, 2.5 gallons looks like a palace and they probably won't even consider upgrading to a 5 or 10 gallon for their prospective betta :/ also, lids! a standard 2.5 is the smallest size lid (glass or screen) thats commercially available from what i’ve seen.

pet stores don't sell fishbowls over 2 gallons

i dont even think fishbowls over 2 gallons are manufactured >.> someone let me know if they are tho?

a lot of keepers push the "fishbowls are bad" narrative (me included!) since a lot of people will walk into a store and want to impulse buy a betta, guppies, or goldfish for a very small bowl. now, i know that the shape of a tank isn't really the problem here (in fact, if you like the bowl shape, head over to walmart, hobby lobby, michaels and pick up a 12" bubble bowl from the floral department. 3-4 gallons (when full of water and decor) for $10-20, same price as a 1-2 gallon bowl), but a lot of people (myself included) would like to see people move away from seeing fishbowls as acceptable because when someone who doesn't know about fishkeeping thinks "fishbowl" they probably just picture some gravel, a bowl, no filter, no heater, and cheap flakes for food. "fishbowl" is kind of a packaged up notion of fishkeeping and i'd really like to see the general public move away from "fishbowls" and the type of care that generally goes along with them.

the smaller the tank, the harder it will be for the cycle to be stable

i've heard this a lot, and so far i think that water changes for really small tanks should be based off of carefully monitored parameters. removing too much waste (ammonia that's hanging out in the water) with a big water change could starve the bacteria if your fish doesn't produce ammonia very fast, meaning that there could then be a bacterial bloom or your cycle is just thrown off and you've got to pay even more attention to your parameters and your water changes. most beginning aquarists aren't going to want to do this or know how to do this. (if i’ve misunderstood how a cycle works in a small tank, please feel free to comment! i’m always open to learning new things or understanding the nuances of a big concept!)

the smaller the tank, the harder it will be to heat properly

bettas require a heat source. most heaters are too big (the smallest 50w adjustable ones i could find are 6-8") or can quickly overheat a small tank (a 7w "betta bowl" heater or "slim" heater can quickly heat a 1-2 gallon bowl to 86F+, the hottest i'd let a pet-store betta get. i wouldn't recommend keeping them at that temp long-term tho). the smaller the tank, the more the temp will fluctuate. and since most 1-2 gallon bowls aren't big enough for an adjustable heater with a thermostat, even with a little 7w heater, the temp will fluctuate more than a few degrees unless your house stays x degrees 24/7/365. i feel that the extra 1/2 gallon of water and the dimensions of most 2.5 gallon tanks pushes you, just barely, over into the safe zone and allows you to purchase an adjustable heater with a thermostat.

wiggle room!

bettas aren't colorless lumps of finnage that sit in one place all day! they're super active fish most of the time! I have a boy who's a double tail half moon with an insane doral fin (he's gorgeous and i love him) and even tho he wouldn't do well in a very deep tank, he doesn't stop to rest very often in his current tank :p i find that bettas are so much more enjoyable when you get to see them and interact with them! a standard 2.5 gives them more length-wise swimming room than a smaller bowl or tank :)*

I wasn’t really sure if i should also point out this or not, but i feel like its a good thing to make note of regardless of tank size: tank size doesn’t necessarily equate directly to how much water volume is in a tank that’s got decor and substrate, so having a 2.5 gallon tank with substrate and decor might actually hold 2-2.25 gallons of water. in a 2.5 gallon standard tank, i dont think that this affects the fish’s swimming room very much, but i dont know to what degree the stability of the cycle is affected.

As a little endnote to everyone who participates in this conversation or who reads this post and those that (hopefully) follow: It’s okay to have an opinion that’s different than someone else’s. It’s also okay to agree with someone else on certain points and disagree on others. It’s okay to question someone’s reasoning or stance, and it’s okay to be questioned. Be open to having a discussion! :) Lastly, it’s okay to walk away with a different opinion than the one you came into the conversation with! if someone’s point makes you rethink your view, feel it out and be open to change! I will be and I hope you will be too <3