Opinions on an artical I found

[Erin]

I was just bumming around the net and found this... while it could give hope to bad betta owners, I personally still think that a bowl is a bowl. no filter or heater? hmm yup its still a bowl.

Lets see what you think.

thegab.org/Plants/the-planted-betta-bowl.html

[uwish]

I agree, a bowl is a bowl...

I do not know much about Betta's however, I know fish like to swim an just because you 'can' keep one of these in a tiny bowl doesn't mean you should. The lack of heat issue to me isn't a problem to much. Most buildings and residences are at least 20 C in the winter or more, if you find it comfortable then likely the fish will as well. Water temperature will not fall below the ambient temperature of the room.

I still think it is pretty sad, I don't like looking at them at the pet store, they usually keep them in a clear cup!!

[fishclubgirl]

Please do keep in mind that bettas live in puddles with poor water quality in the wild(hence the labyrinth organ). Though I disagree with the small cups of some of the pet stores , there's nothing wrong with keeping "jarred" bettas at room temperature with clean water. Some watersprite or duckweed is helpful with the water quality too.

[werner]

I personally still think that a bowl is a bowl. no filter or heater? hmm yup its still a bowl.

Plants=Filter.

As the article states, healthy, growing plants will remove the ammonia/ammonium (and nitrites and nitrates if they're produced). If you have a sufficient number plants, you don't actually need a filter.

[fleshgear]

12 watts per gallon seems a little high

[fatpuffer]

I always thought that the "lives in a puddle" thing to be a myth. The wild betta that i have seen in videos do not live in puddles and have never seen any betta living in actual puddles.

Jonah

[RD.]

While betta fish have evolved to survive in water with low 02 content, especially during periods of drought, they don't typically live in puddles. The concept of keeping betta fish in jars originates in Thailand, where glass jars are used to train fighters, with owners then taking their prize fighters to the local "arenas" in glass jars where they hold contests to see who has the best fighter. If you search around on youtube you should be able to find some videos showing these types of arenas. Glass jars are also used on a commercial basis in Thailand for reasons of space, economics, and efficiency, but that doesn't equate to a glass jar being an ideal long term environment for the fish.

[BettaFishMommy]

bowls are for soup, not fish.

[fishclubgirl]

http://www.ibcbettas.org/pages/qa-betta/1-...5-live-jar.html

[Mermy - Fish Noob]

I always thought that the "lives in a puddle" thing to be a myth. The wild betta that i have seen in videos do not live in puddles and have never seen any betta living in actual puddles.

Jonah

It is a myth -- bettas have been found in puddles but this would be due to some sort of trauma where they would find there way to a puddle in desperation.

Those bowls are horrible -- much too small. WHat's worse though is that they don't have any hiding holes for the betta - he needs somewhere to hide if he feels threatend.

And while you don't need a filter - you can tell by those pics that the water is filthy -- it needs to be cleaned often!

And a heater is always a good idea no matter where you live becuase if there was a suddon temp. drop for any reason this could be devastating!

[Piet]

I think 15 W of light is too much for a walstead planted tank, and the plants are doing poorly because of the high levels of light combined with the lack of minerals in the water. And why would you leave dead plants in a tank, never mind a small bowl? No wonder the water got cloudy and yucky. I also think adding the crushed coral wasn't such a great idea since bettas like soft water. Coral will harden it. Combined with the acid from the soil may cause pH fluctuations(or cancel eachother). Those are my opinions on this.

[Evolution]

I think this is fantastic and I am impressed at the efforts this person went to try and make a good environment in a bowl. I would ( i do actually) add some peace lilies around the edge of the bowl to enhance the water purifucation.

I personally do not have a problem with bettas being in bowls. However, the size of the bowl is important to me; the bigger the better. Bettas can live a long and happy life (3-5 years) in a bowl and without any detrimental effects like depression.

Bettas being sold to live in bowls is also very good for the hobby, infact it is one of the most import aspects of our hobby. People who keep bettas in bowls are usually first time care givers of fish, and people quickly learn that Bettas have amazing personalities and are often in awe when they learn that their Betta is very happy to see them.

The Betta in a bowl is an fantastic way to be introduced to fish behaviour and a betta in a bowl often helps make people more conscious and respectful of fish.

[RD.]

The person in the OP's link was using a 1 gallon bowl. Nothing fantastic, or impressive about that type of environment. Unfortunately this is exactly the type & size of environment that most entry level hobbyists use to keep bettas in, and while some may feel that this is good for the hobby, I doubt that the fish would feel the same way.

2.5-5 gallon tanks are cheap, and will provide a far more stable environment for the fish than a small unfiltered, and typically unheated, bowl will. It will also generally equate to a more satisfied owner, who learns how to properly care for a fish from the get go.

JMO

Edited July 26, 2010 by RD.

[Evolution]

Yes, like I said, I have no problem with it and I think it is fantastic, the effort the person made. I do not just feel this is good for the hobby, I know for a fact that it is. The stability of water in a 2.5 and a 5 is not much different than a 1 gallon. In fact, a Betta is likely to get better treatment in a bowl, than it is in a similarly set up small tank. Bowl maintanance is far easier than tank maintanance and takes a person far less time and effort. The important thing is that the person buying the betta in a bowl is educated properly as to how to maintain the environment and keep the fish healthy. Bettas in bowls, like I said, do very well and suffer no ill effects do to the close quarters.

This is not just my opinion, it is also my 25 years worth of experience and my dads 45 years of experience keeping and selling bettas in bowls. You'll never see a betta sold in a cup or a rose bowl in my store, but I noticed everywhere NLS is sold, bettas are sold in cups or rose bowls and everyone of those stores has no problem selling bettas to be put into bowls.

Hypocritical double standard?

Edited July 26, 2010 by Evolution

[BettaFishMommy]

i have kept bettas in both bowls and in a range of tank sizes (2.5, 10, and 20 gal). i can very strongly say that the bettas in tanks are much happier, livelier, and healthier!

have you ever done an ammonia test on a betta's bowl? within 2 days of a 100% water change on a 2 gallon bowl, the ammonia levels were scary!

i vow to never keep a betta in an unfiltered bowl again.

to add, quite often when a pet store sells a betta/bowl setup to somebody, they give them incorrect information on how often the water needs changed and the betta suffers from ammonia poisoning as a result. One store told me that every 2 weeks was too often to be doing a water change (stresses the fish) and once a month was fine. i feel badly for the bettas that go home with people that listen to that store's advice!

Edited July 26, 2010 by BettaFishMommy