Join Date: Jul 2010
Dispelling the Myths
General Husbandry Myths
Myth: Wild bettas live in tiny mud puddles and thus do not require clean water or space.
Reality: The wild ancestors of today's domesticated Betta splendens yield from rice paddies, swamps, wetlands, and shallow ponds in South East Asia. These bodies of water, though shallow, are quite expansive; rice paddies typically span many acres. Male bettas form sizable territories during breeding season, sometimes as large as a square meter, and are only found in "puddles" during the dry season - a time of year where many bettas will die due to crowding, poor water quality, and inadequate food supply. It is also noteworthy that these bodies of water, though dark from tannins in fallen leaves, are not unclean - plant life provides a sort of natural filtration, and the replenishing of water during the wet season maintains a healthy, clean aquatic environment. The suggestion that bettas or any fish thrive in filthy water is contradictory to logic.
Myth: Bettas prefer tightly confined spaces and will "freak out" or die in larger containers.
Reality: Most owners who report bettas becoming distressed or dying in larger tanks had this experience because of something done wrong during acclimation, set-up, or husbandry while in the tank. In a well-planted tank with appropriate filtration (or lack thereof), compatible tank mates (or, again, lack thereof), proper acclimation, and suitable water parameters (including temperature), there is no reason that spaciousness should stress or kill a betta. Indeed, a slightly larger tank, in the range of 2.5-10g (preferably 5g+), may even be beneficial; one of the leading killers of bettas is inadequate physical activity, resulting in fatty liver.
Myth: A cup or bowl is the ideal habitat of a betta.
Reality: In a room of the appropriate temperature, and with frequent enough water changes, it is true that bettas can survive short-term in a cup or bowl. However, this is far from being an "ideal" home for a betta. Cups and bowls are prone to temperature fluctuations, rapid declines in water quality, and generate stress during the frequent 100% water changes typically required to prevent fin rot and dangerous waste build-ups. They are also positively correlated with curled fins and obesity, both of which can be caused by insufficient physical activity.
In actuality, the ideal habitat for a betta is a heated tank of 2.5-10 gallons (preferably 5g+), that is longer and wider than tall. It should have live or silk plants and at least one hide for the sake of the betta's sense of security, and water quality should be maintained through cycling, filtering, or frequent water changes. And it should certainly be covered to prevent jumping - a problem we often see in cups and bowls.
Myth: Betta-in-a-vase products mimic the betta's natural environment and create a stable internal ecosystem
Reality: One of the most dangerous elements of the betta fad is the betta-in-a-vase craze. These vases are undersized, over-exposed, fail to maintain adequate temperature, and often do not provide space for air-breathing. It should be easy to see through the suggestion that they mimic the betta's natural environment; what natural environment could a tall, narrow container half-filled with marbles with a plant plopped on top possibly be emulating? Certainly not a rice paddy, that's for sure! What's more, the assertion that the plants roots will sufficiently manage ammonia and waste production in the small container is preposterous; even in aquariums filled with aquatic plants, filtration and gravel cleaning are required.
Myth: Bettas kept in vases survive by eating the plant's roots; feeding and cleaning is not needed since this is a self-sustaining environment.
Reality: Bettas are carnivores (insectivores) by nature; in the wild, they eat a variety of insects, and occasionally the eggs and fry of other aquatic species. While they might intermittently nibble at plant matter if hungry enough, they can not obtain adequate nutrition from plants. Any betta actively consuming the roots of a plant is likely doing so as a last resort while attempting to stave off starvation. They absolutely must be fed an appropriate carnivore diet. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the vase is not a self-sustaining environment. True, a starved betta will not produce as much waste as a well fed one, but bettas absolutely need water changes - especially when kept in inadequately sized containers like a vase.
Myth: Bettas, even in small and unfiltered tanks, do not require frequent water changes as they thrive in unclean conditions.
Reality: Tying back to the myth regarding the ideal water conditions of bettas, it is a common misconception that the species is found in dirty, muddy puddles, which has convinced some novice aquarists that clean water is not demanded of the species and could even be harmful. In reality, the opposite could not be more true. The selection for decorative and show finnage types in bettas has created fish that are in fact highly sensitive to water quality; unless conditions are pristine (right down to hardness and pH, even!), you can expect crown tails, half moons, and other long finned bettas to suffer deterioration of the finnage. The poor circulation to the extremities of these lofty fins also makes them a prime target for bacterial infections, a problem only exacerbated by unclean water. Make no mistake: there is no such thing as a fish that thrives in waste-laden, filthy water!
Myth: Bettas do not require heating or filtration.
Reality: While this is technically a myth, there is no simple counterpoint for a number of reasons.
It is true that bettas can survive without a heater or filter, but only under highly specific conditions. For example, in a room heated to at least 76 degrees, a betta does not need an actual heater, but under normal room temperature conditions, they absolutely do. The ideal range of the species is 76-82 degrees (with a survival range of around 72-86), which under most conditions demands a heater.
In regards to filtration, opinions are split. The benefits of a cycled, filtered tank are numerous and well supported. Unfortunately, the combination of yielding from stagnant water and having large, cumbersome fins can make filtration stressful, so many keepers (including traditional thai breeders) do not filter or cycle. Both methods seem to work so long as clean water and consistent water parameters are maintained. (You can read more on this issue when I add the document "Bettas And Filtration: What You Should Know" to our Resources shortly)
Myth: Bettas are not tropical fish.
Reality: Many pet stores will tell customers that cold cups are not problematic because bettas are not tropical fish. I'm sure the people of Thailand would be interested to learn that they are living in a temperate climate! Bettas, like many other tropical fish, have an ideal temperature range of 76-82 degrees. They survive perfectly well in temperatures upwards of 86 degrees, but they can not thrive in temperatures below 72. While they may be hardy enough to survive outside of their ideal range, cool temps typically result in lethargy, constipation, fin rot, and an increased susceptibility to disease.
Myth: It is best to keep bettas in cool temperatures as it results in a longer lifespan.
Reality: Because bettas are exotherms, it is true that their metabolism is directly related to the temperature of their environment. As such, there is some foundation to the suggestion that colder temperatures will reduce metabolism and thus, in theory, lengthen lifespan. However, what this theory neglects to consider is that cold temperatures are correlated with susceptibility to parasitic infestations and illness, which shorten lifespan. What's more, colder temperatures result in lethargy, and low levels of physical activity are closely linked to fatty tissue degeneration - one of the number one killers of bettas.
Myth: Because bettas do not use their gills, there is no need to oxygenate their water.
Reality: While bettas do have a labyrinth organ that permits them to breathe air, this does not mean that they do not gill breathe, nor does it mean that there are not risks to keeping them in oxygen deficient water. While healthy bettas do not demand aeration to stay healthy, aeration should always be provided during medical treatments, if the fish is suffering gill distress, or if the fish is having trouble surfacing. Oxygen poor water contributes to anaerobic bacterial blooms, stresses the gills, and in extreme cases of weak fish who can not surface, may result in death. The adaptations bettas have evolved to survive in stagnant water are not an excuse for improper care during sickness.
Myth: Bettas are inactive fish and thus demand minimal space
Reality: Most bettas who are inactive are behaving as such because they are cold or ill. When provided with appropriate space and temperatures, they are an extremely active, inquisitive fish. Some heavier finned fish may be less active, but a betta who is inactive is most likely unhealthy.
Myth: Bettas must be kept in distilled water.
Reality: Because bettas come from soft-water, acidic environments, many pet stores incorrectly recommend keeping bettas in distilled water. While there is some debate over this topic, a general consensus is that distilled or R/O water must be conditioned with some degree of trace minerals; purely distilled water is not healthy. Bettas do demand a certain amount of essential trace minerals in the water, and unconditioned distilled water is prone to fluctuations in pH as it often has a poor buffering capacity. In short, unless you have the resources to properly condition R/O or distilled water, your betta is safer in dechlorinated tap under most circumstances.
This is from friends with fish. I don't own it.