ProudGrandma Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 My daughter has a betta in a small (2 gallon, I think) tank. This morning, the temp in the tank was 64 degrees (according to the thermometer stuck on the side of the tank. ). I googeled it and read that the ideal temps are 72-78 degrees. My question is, how are we going to keep the water that temp all winter long. Our house is usually kept at about 68-70 tops. Is that tank too small for a heater? What should we do?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 You need a heater. If you can't get one for a tank that size, get a bigger tank. We once bought a beta in a bowl on impulse. We noticed he was most lively when his bowl was sitting on top of the dishwasher when it was running. One morning I set my coffee cup next to the bowl and he huddled up against it. That day we went out and got a tank and heater. He was one happy, lively and even interactive fish after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article38.html You need heat and bigger tank. 5 g min, 10 is better. Craigslist often has deals btw... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 My daughter has a betta in a small (2 gallon, I think) tank. This morning, the temp in the tank was 64 degrees (according to the thermometer stuck on the side of the tank. ). I googeled it and read that the ideal temps are 72-78 degrees. My question is, how are we going to keep the water that temp all winter long. Our house is usually kept at about 68-70 tops. Is that tank too small for a heater? What should we do?? When our betta is in his "1 gallon hospital bowl", we set it on a basic (medical-type) heating pad on low and that seems to be all it needs to keep at a good temp. His usual home - a 3 gallon, has a small, inexpensive heater that suctions to the inside of the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyerin Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I have a very small heater for my beta tank in the winter. I got it at petsmart. It just raises the temp a few degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted October 4, 2014 Author Share Posted October 4, 2014 until we get a heater, I put the tank on a heating pad on low...I will watch today and see if that does the trick. thanks everybody!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 What killed our beta fish was feeding it too much!😱 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Aykm? A heater? I have a beta on my desk at work. He lives in a large vase with about a half gallon of water. I clean the bowl about once every two weeks. He gets two pellets a day and he is thriving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 If you read the article I linked it explains why a 1/2 gallon tank is cruel for these animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 We've never heated our Betas' water and we've had many over the years that lived forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth78 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have one male Betta in a 5 gallon tank WITH 2 neon tetras. Surprised? Dont be, they can be housed with non aggressive fish happily. We do NOT have a heater, BUT we live in FL and we do have a light to warm water when its cool. Our Betta is super active he loves playing in the water pump flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Just make sure it doesn't get too hot. My daughter killed one by turning up the heater and coming home and finding a dead fish in water about 100 degrees. I liked the beta but am afraid to try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article38.html You need heat and bigger tank. 5 g min, 10 is better. Great article! I actually believed some of these myths. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have one male Betta in a 5 gallon tank WITH 2 neon tetras. Surprised? Dont be, they can be housed with non aggressive fish happily. We do NOT have a heater, BUT we live in FL and we do have a light to warm water when its cool. Our Betta is super active he loves playing in the water pump flow. We had some other fish with our beta too. I can't remember what they were but they were compatible. We gave them away when we moved (which was shortly after the beta died). We lived in Oregon when we had our beta. It was cold there! So no, I am not kidding about having a heater. Joe lived a long and apparently happy life, longer than any of the other betas we knew (owned by friends of ours). No regrets over giving him a warm, spacious home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have one male Betta in a 5 gallon tank WITH 2 neon tetras. Surprised? Dont be, they can be housed with non aggressive fish happily. We do NOT have a heater, BUT we live in FL and we do have a light to warm water when its cool. Our Betta is super active he loves playing in the water pump flow. We just added a neon tetra to my dd's Beta tank, and her beta seems to genuinely like it. Our tank is a 3-gallon, aerated, and has a light that helps keep the water warm. I had always been told myths about betas, but part of my requirement when dd asked for a pet was that we read and learn about them...and yes, it came in a tiny cup too small to even let the poor thing swim:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 thank you for all of the information. My duaghter really wanted to add other fish and I thought you couldn't. So maybe now we will try a neon tetra....do you think 1 beta and 1-2 tetras will be too much for a 2 gallon tank? She wants to get a bigger one, just haven't yet...a fish aquarium seems too big...too much up keep....so maybe we can find an inexpensive 5 gallon tank someplace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Just because this is a forum where we discuss things educational, here's a web site about betta care, and I'd like to point out that (1) it is betta, not beta; (2) it isn't necessary to say "betta fish," because there's no other kind of betta other than a fish (kind of like saying "tuna fish"), and (3), it's pronounced "bet-ta," not "bay-ta." That pet store people mispronounce it is irrelevant. :laugh: We've kept bettas in small bowls/aquariums and they have done just fine. We've also kept them in community tanks (only one betta at a time, of course) and they have done fine. They will be healthier if they get some sort of actual meat once in awhile, and not always dried food; we've used frozen brine shrimp, because that's easiest, but we also give little bits of raw hamburger ever so often. If I use a small bowl, I prefer the kind that has flat sides, IYKWIM, so I can prop a mirror against one side, such that the betta thinks it's another betta and puffs himself up and prepares to defend his territory. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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