Betta bowl question.

[Glasstapper]

I currently have my betta in a resort, if you will. He has a filtered and heated 5 gallon tank all to himself, but I recently found out I need to go out of country for a few months and I'm adopting out my fishes.

A girl at work wants to take my betta and keep him on her desk. The 5 gallon tank is too large and would be too much trouble for her to do siphoning with a bucket and so on. (She's pregnant, so no heavy lifting for her for the next 5 months or so). I bought a large glass bowl (it's 1 gallon and is shaped like a big brandy snifter - she can carry and lift it) for the betta, but I've never kept a betta in a bowl before, so I don't know how cleaning should go. Here are my specific questions:

1-Would once a week 100% water changes be enough? Too little?

2-Is netting the betta out of the bowl and put in a smaller holding bowl during cleaning be too stressful for him, or is that what everyone else does?

3-Will my betta be very unhappy and depressed downgrading homes to a non-filtered, non-heated, 1 gallon home from his "resort", or will he not really care very much?

4-His tank is now at 78F, but the bowl will be non-heated and kept at room temperature (more like about 72-75F). Will this affect him negatively in ways of eating and bubble nest building? Should I start lowering his tank water now to help him get used to it?

Thanks so much for your help, guys. If you have anything else for me that would help, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Drumachine09]

1. I had a betta once, and i did a 100% water change every 9-10 days.That seemed adequate.
2. That is what we always did, and we had a smaller bowl that we would put old tankwater in from the change to keep ph and temp roughly the same.
3. He would probobly be a little depressed, but anything is better than the cups of death.
4. I would start acclimating hims slowly now. 1 degree every 3 days or so should be fine.

Hope i Helped!

[f1oored]

I doubt he will be as happy or active in his new home but he should do alright. The 100% weekly water change is enough but make sure she knows about keeping the water temps the same and everything. Many a betta are lost because the water temps aren't the same during water changes and the fish goes into shock. As long as she is good to him he should do fine.

[Glasstapper]

I am nervous about letting someone else take care of himm (I just don't think anyone can do a better job than me---haha!), but I'll be around for a while longer to show her exactly what to do and how to do it. I'm just hoping like hell that she doesn't "slip" and let him get sick. I'd be crushed, and I would feel so bad.

I still would rather him be on her desk instead of back in that little cup at the store for some kid to neglect him or fight him. At least this way I can still go check on him and make sure he's kept healthy for a while before I leave.

[minabird]

A girl at work wants to take my betta and keep him on her desk. The 5 gallon tank is too large and would be too much trouble for her to do siphoning with a bucket and so on. (She's pregnant, so no heavy lifting for her for the next 5 months or so). I bought a large glass bowl (it's 1 gallon and is shaped like a big brandy snifter - she can carry and lift it) for the betta, but I've never kept a betta in a bowl before, so I don't know how cleaning should go.

If it isn’t too late, you could buy a 2.5gal minibow tank. It should be large enough to accommodate a small filter and heater.

Here are my specific questions:

1-Would once a week 100% water changes be enough? Too little?

I did about a 50% every week when I had my betta in a 1gal betta tank with an UGF.

2-Is netting the betta out of the bowl and put in a smaller holding bowl during cleaning be too stressful for him, or is that what everyone else does?

That shouldn’t be a problem . I kept the old Tupperware deathtrap he came in and use it to scoop him out of the tank instead of netting. Less stressful than netting I thought, but took more time trying to coax/trick/ambush him into the container.

3-Will my betta be very unhappy and depressed downgrading homes to a non-filtered, non-heated, 1 gallon home from his "resort", or will he not really care very much?

Probably won’t be as happy being confined to a smaller tank, but should get over it after a while. Place a plant, rock cave or some other décor for him to explore and form a territory around it.

4-His tank is now at 78F, but the bowl will be non-heated and kept at room temperature (more like about 72-75F). Will this affect him negatively in ways of eating and bubble nest building? Should I start lowering his tank water now to help him get used to it?

Not ideal for him since they are from a more tropical environment where the water temp is in the low 80s, but he should do fine. All of the bettas I’ve seen at my lfs are kept in those Tupperware deathtraps at store temp. He’ll adapt. Do as DM suggested and start lowering his water temp so it isn’t a shock when he moves to his new home. With the water being colder, he’ll also live a little longer than if kept at a higher temp, or so I’ve been told/read.

[bettaboy691]

1-Would once a week 100% water changes be enough? Too little?

it would be fine, but make sure the water is treated before adding back to the bowl.not sure about mini-cycles tho? some one else with have to confire that as im not great about cycling small tanks.

2-Is netting the betta out of the bowl and put in a smaller holding bowl during cleaning be too stressful for him, or is that what everyone else does?

if its every week then it isnt such a problem.try scooping him up with a cup so he doesnt have to leave the water.plus some nets will damage the fins.

3-Will my betta be very unhappy and depressed downgrading homes to a non-filtered, non-heated, 1 gallon home from his "resort", or will he not really care very much?

he will be so depressed and unhappy at first, his terrotity will be changed and his swimming space reduced.not so much the size that im worried about, but not heated or filtered? filtering you can get away with by compleating water changes more often, but heating is nessary for a betta, there is a small heater you can buy for 1 gallon bowls that ive seen on the internet(only in the USA).you could get one of them, if hes lives in a heated tank for all his life, then its going to take its toll on him when transfered,plants will help alot with no filteratrion, and make the betta happier.add either a few gems/marbles or gravel to the bottom and the bowl is the best it can be.

4-His tank is now at 78F, but the bowl will be non-heated and kept at room temperature (more like about 72-75F). Will this affect him negatively in ways of eating and bubble nest building? Should I start lowering his tank water now to help him get used to it?

i think 72-75F is too low for a betta, even more so if hes ive in warmer waters before, he will probally become less active and take him longer to start eating/blowing bubbles.

but saying all that, many bettas are kept this way and most adapt well, its still better then those cups they are sold in.he will probally be more effected because of him living habits now, lowing the temp would help.any betta moving from a 5 gallon, heated, filtered tank to a 1 gallon not heated not filtered is going to have some problems.

minibird, bettas dont live longer in cooler waters, in the wild they have warm water and should be kept in warm water in home tanks.many adapt because of their strong nature but good quality water(clean, regular changed water)helps them live longer aswell.#

sorry to be negative glasstapper, but im just giving my opinion, i think a 2.5 gallon is much better, plus it can be easy to heat and filter.atleast your giving your betta away to someone who wants it and will try to look after it rather than back to the fish shop, or worst, flushed.

[Glasstapper]

Thanks for your help, guys. I really would prefer the 2.5 gallon. She thinks a tank will be more work than a bowl, but I've already explained that it's actually the opposite and better for the fish. I'd feel more comfortable knowing that if she happened to forget to change the water while I'm gone that he would at least have a filter to help him out instead of sitting in betta soup.

Or, I could just set the thing up like I want it, and she can just learn to do it the right way. That's what I'll do. Those damn bowls make me too nervous, and I'll just use it to hold change or something.

[cocoa_pleco]

i hate doing anything without a filter

[bettaboy691]

good decision glasstapper,those bowls are too cruel for any betta.atleast you friend will learn how to take care of him properly, and a 2.5 is a much better option.let us know how he gets on

[CinRell]

Playing devil's advocate here.. what happens to the betta when she goes on maternity leave?