One of the things that has always baffled us is the number of people that try to squeeze their Betta fish into the tightest imaginable spaces. It is as if people hear that Betta fish live in small spaces in the wild and, therefore, they will enjoy living in small spaces in captivity too. The problem is that things do not work like this. With that being said, you may be asking yourself, can you keep betta fish in a bowl?
Putting your fish in a small vase (we have seen people do this) is far different from a Betta living in the same size space in the wild. Some people will opt for larger spaces, such as bowls. But is this really the best way to raise a Betta?
On this page, we will talk a little bit about whether you can keep a Betta in a bowl and, perhaps more importantly, how you can ensure that they are happy while living in that bowl. We will also talk about whether a fish tank may be a better option than a fishbowl for a Betta.
Can You Keep Betta Fish in a Bowl?
Believe it or not, the answer is a little bit more complicated than you might think.
While you could keep a betta in a bowl, it can be hard to find one that’s big enough, and one that will support all the equipment your betta needs to thrive.
But with that being said…
Betta fish can live in a bowl, when the requirements are met. A bowl that is at least 5 gallons in size is needed, and it must also be able to house a filtration and heating system as well. However an aquarium is always preferred due to their ease of use.
But while a fishbowl will never be the preferred place for a Betta fish to live, you can make it habitable if you know what you are doing.
What Does a Betta Fish Bowl Need?
It isn’t going to be a case of just throwing some water in a bowl and adding your fish. You will need to have proper aquarium equipment; otherwise, your Betta is unlikely to last a week.
Minimum Size
If you want to keep betta fish, then the minimum size the tank should be is 5 gallons. Anything smaller than this is stressful for bettas, and it can also cause the water quality to swing rapidly.
Betta fish need to be constantly stimulated. This means that they need to have a lot of space that they can swim around in. The more space, the better. Yes. Betta fish live in small bodies of shallow water in the wild, but we can guarantee that pretty much anywhere that a Betta fish lives will have a lot more than a small tank can offer.
Even if the space to swim about wasn’t an issue, there is less water surface area with smaller fish bowls. This can make it tricky for the Betta fish to breathe.
At the minimum, you will need to have 5-gallons of water in a fishbowl. However, this can be a bit tricky to do. This is because not many companies make 5-gallon fish bowls. As a result, you will have to buy a fish tank instead.
Please. If you take one piece of advice from this page, let it be the fact that you should not be putting your Betta fish into a small fishbowl. It will die. The aesthetics of their tank shouldn’t be more important than the happiness of the Betta.
Filter
There needs to be some sort of filtration system in any fish tank. It becomes even more important in a small fishbowl.
Fish produce a lot of waste. This can lead to bacteria and filth starting to form in the fishbowl. If this isn’t filtered out, the ammonia levels in the tank will rise, which can cause all sorts of problems for your betta.
A water filtration system installed in the bowl will help to keep the fishbowl as clean as possible for the fish. It is not going to remove everything, though.
You will still need to change out the water and clean the fish tank on a fairly regular basis. In fact, on average, you should be cleaning that fish tank at least once per week.
Heater
Betta fish need to live in warm water. Ideally, the water will be between 75F and 80F. Anything lower than that, and the Betta will start to get cold. If they get cold, various processes in their body will start to shut down.
For example, Betta fish living in colder waters will have an immune system that doesn’t work quite as effectively. This means that they are more prone to getting sick, which, ultimately, means that they are more likely to have a shortened lifespan.
Lid
Betta fish are well known for jumping out of their tanks, particularly if the water is quite shallow. This means that you will need to have a lid on the bowl. If there is no lid, then we can promise you that the Betta fish will eventually jump out.
Remember that the lid will also prevent other animals from getting inside of the fishbowl too.
Gravel
One of the best substrates you can add to your fish bowl is gravel!
Gravel is so effective because it harbours beneficial bacteria in it, which means you’re going to have a larger colony eating ammonia, nitrite and nitrates in your tank.
On top of this, gravel also cannot be swallowed by the Betta fish. So, you don’t have to worry about them grabbing their food from the bottom of the bowl. If you had some sand down there, then there is a strong chance that the Betta can end up swallowing it.
Another great thing about gravel is that it doesn’t float. Since bettas are such delicate fish, floating gravel could end up damaging their fins.
(Do you have a Blind or partially blind Betta fish? Read some tips on how to take care of them.)
Decorations
Betta‘s are surprisingly intelligent fish. This means that they need something to keep them mentally stimulated. Decorations go a long way here. Small plants they can swim in and out of. Little artificial caves. That sort of thing.
Make sure that any decorations you put into the fishbowl are aquarium safe. If they are not, then they can kill your fish. We suggest that you try to steer clear of artificial plants. This is because they are often made from pretty tough wire. This can seriously injure your Betta fish. This means that you should always choose real plants.
Air Bubbler
The water that your Betta is in must be well-oxygenated. This means that the Betta will be able to breathe, which, of course, is exceedingly important for a living animal.
The problem with most fishbowls is that their top is quite narrow. This will prevent oxygen from flowing freely into the bowl. This is a bad thing.
Due to the small spaces that Betta normally lives in, they will often need to get oxygen from the water’s surface. If there is very little air flowing in from the top of the bowl, they may end up suffocating.
An air bubbler will often solve this problem. It just adds a bit of extra oxygen into the water. Although, do bear in mind that an air bubbler can take up a lot of space in a fishbowl.
(Find out more about how essential air bubblers are for your betta fish.)
Recommended Bowl For Bettas?
It is tough to provide you with any recommendations for Betta fish bowls. This is because, as we said, the minimum amount of space that a Betta needs is 5-gallons of water. The vast majority of fishbowls on the market will cap out between 2 and 3 gallons of water. This is because many people seem to believe that 2.5-gallons of water is all the space that a Betta needs. It isn’t.
This means that it would be wrong of us to provide you with a recommended bowl because we know that your fish will not be happy in it. We also know that it will drastically shorten their lifespan. Therefore, you should be looking at a minimum of 5-gallon tanks. Although, the more space that your Betta has available, the better!
However, if you’re desperate to get a bowl, I’d recommend getting the Bi-Orb 8 Gallon or 16 Gallon! These are going to be far more expensive than fish tanks, though.
What Are Some Common Problems With Bowls?
Nearly every single fishbowl that you purchase will be undersized for your Betta fish. No matter what people tell you, a 2.5-gallon tank is not going to be large enough. This means that, right away, you have a major problem with fish bowls. There just isn’t enough space inside of them.
If you do find a large bowl, then it will be pretty weighty and cumbersome to move around, which is probably why they do not make that many of them in the first place. This can make it very difficult to clean the water in the fishbowl.
You also have to remember that the sides of a fishbowl will be rounded. This means that it is very tricky to stick the water filtration system onto it.
This means that the water may not be filtered as efficiently as inside a tank. Yes. There are water filters designed for fish bowls, but very few of them for 5-gallon fish bowls.
Fishbowls will generally not have lids either. This isn’t good for Betta fish because they are either fantastic escape artists or incredibly suicidal animals. The jury is still out on that one. You can get around this problem by making your own cover but, at that point, why not just get a fish tank in the first place?
If your Betta fish is turning brown, find out the possible reasons here.
Fish Tanks vs Fish Bowls
It seems that the only advantage that fish bowls have over fish tanks is the aesthetics. We haven’t ever seen people talk about how easy it is to maintain a fishbowl. It is more about how beautiful they can make them look.
The problem is that when you are caring for your betta, the beauty of their bowl should really be playing second fiddle to the health and happiness of the animal.
Fish tanks are larger than fish bowls. As we have said numerous times on this page, Betta fish need at least five gallons of water in their tank. You aren’t going to be finding this with most fish bowls.
In fact, it was tricky for us to track any fishbowls of this size down. You will probably end up having exactly the same issue that we did. Since you want your Betta fish to be healthy, then you need a tank. They cannot thrive in the smaller bowls.
Even if you do find a larger fishbowl, you will often find that the oxygen flowing into the bowl is going to be restricted. Due to the way in which Betta fish breathe, this mustn’t be the case. There needs to be a lot of air flowing in through the top of the fishbowl.
This is because the Betta will often return to the surface in order to breathe oxygen. You can deal with this a little bit by oxygenating the water properly but, remember, if you do that, you aren’t really going to be encouraging natural behavior in the Betta.
It is a lot easier to maintain fish tanks too. This is because fish tanks will have been designed with filtration and heating systems in mind, which means that it is going to be a lot easier for you to maintain proper conditions inside the fish tank. Considering all this, your Betta is probably going to live a far longer life.
Finally, you also have to remember that the shape of a fishbowl means that you are not able to fit quite so much in it. This isn’t mentally stimulating for the Betta fish.
This can quite often lead to boredom. If your fish is bored, they will not be all that pleasurable to look at. In fact, it is a pretty sad feeling to watch a fish that is so unhappy with their tank that they simply do not do anything. Bored Betta fish may even struggle to swim around their tank due to the lack of stimulation.
All in all, this isn’t really going to be a competition. If you are faced with the choice of putting your Betta in a fish tank or a fishbowl, then it should be a fish tank all the way.
We can promise you that your animal will live longer, be happier, and be much better to look at because it is more likely to show its natural behaviors. There is no sense in keeping fish if you cannot observe them being happy, right?
If you want to master Betta fish care in no time, click this article!
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions that people have about keeping their betta fish in bowls!
Can Betta Fish Live in a Bowl Without a Filter?
In theory, yes. If you are cleaning the bowl regularly, and we mean properly cleaning it, then the Betta fish could probably survive without a filter being in there.
However, the cleaning should happen every couple of days. It will save a lot of time and effort just having a filter in the first place. If you are worried about the aesthetics, there are ways to cover up the filter.
Does a Betta Fish Bowl Need to Be Covered?
Yes. Betta fish are notorious for attempting to jump out of their fishbowls. Unless you want a dead Betta fish on your countertop, then there must be a cover to the fishbowl.
Try to ensure that this is a breathable cover, i.e., netting. It helps the fish out a little bit more on the breathing front.
Can Betta Fish Live In A Bowl Without Oxygen?
Every betta needs oxygen to survive. Bettas use gills for oxygen absorption and to access the labyrinth organ. For fish to survive, dissolved oxygen levels should be between 5 and 7 ppm. However, if the levels in the tank water fall below three parts per million, it is dangerous for the fish.
Can Betta Fish Live In A 2-gallon Bowl?
It’s never a good idea to keep betta fish in a 2 gallon bowl. Not only is this not going to give them enough space, but it will also be hard to keep a filter and heater in the bowl too.
How Often Should I Clean a Betta Fish Bowl?
It depends on the size of the bowl. It is recommended that the average fishbowl is cleaned at least once per week. Every few days, you should be changing at least 30-50% of the water in the fishbowl.
This will help to keep the tank clean and ensure that your Betta fish can survive living in it.
Recap
While some people will keep Betta fish in a bowl, it is not recommended. It is incredibly difficult to find a bowl that is going to be the right size for a Betta fish. Even if you do, a fishbowl will hold no advantages over a tank outside of aesthetics.
If you put a Betta fish in a fishbowl, then we can guarantee that they are going to be a lot unhappier than they would be if they were swimming around in a nice and airy fish tank.