Like I said in the title, i'm not trying to start a debate here, just posting an observation.

Last week, when I was cleaning my divided 10 gal, two dividers broke, leaving one 7.5 gal section. I quickly found containers for the displaced bettas, and then had to leave town for a week because of my job. I got home yesterday, and the betta in the 7.5 gal section is loving life. He is all over the tank, and the most active I have ever seen him. His tail had some damage from when I first got him, and now its growing back in faster than ever. After watching him, i feel bad for the guys who I Have in a 1 gal. Once I get paid, each of my guys is getting their own 2.5 gal bowl, no questions asked.

Of course fish would all like bigger homes. I had to move all of mine to 1 or 2 gallon bowls because my divided tanks went horribly, horribly wrong, but if i had the money they'd all be upgraded. Most of them had a real issue with the filter, even with the flow intake and water flow modifyed. My two sick ones haled faster in the still bowls, but some day they wil be upgraded again.

Isn't that interesting. I recently took out my divider in my 10g tank as well. Originally I had 2 bettas in there, 5g each. When I took out the divider, the one left in the 10g hid for 4 days. He just wasn't sure what to make of all the room. He still pretty much sticks to "his" side of the tank. That is probably a good thing because I will be dividing it again some day.

Kinda depends on the personality of the betta (and the attentiveness of the keeper). I have some that LOVE big tanks.... and some that freak out. All goes by what they are used to... and how adventureous that betta is. Very true that ideally they would have bigger homes.... but that is kind of give and take situation.

Bigger tank... better water quality = healthier fish. Water changes are less invasive... less stressful. HOB filters alot of time have too much current.... This is under the assumption that water changes are being done regularly... special attention to make sure the gravel gets clean. Divided tanks are a bit more of a pain to clean... and if 1 fish gets sick.... very easy to have them all sick.

With any tank.... bigger is better.... more consistancy in water quality. Little tanks... if they crash... they crash hard and FAST. Consistant temps....

Good sized jars are not bad either.... they just require more care and careful monitoring. A plus is that they are easier to see.... can be placed almost anywhere.... LOL you may just be able to get a clear picture of them... easier to monitor eating habits... no food rotting in the gravel... able to swap them about with their neighbors so they aren't as bored....

If someone gets a bigger tank for them.... but then thinks it is ok to neglect it... same pitfalls as a jarred betta.

Whatever works for the keeper I guess. As long as what they choose makes for the healthiest environment for the betta.

VERY well said.

I had a whole novel written to say about the tank size issue, but I deleted it all and will say 2 things...

first - I really don't care if someone doesn't think it's right to put a betta in a 1/2 gallon tank indefinitely. I've done it before - and other people have because it's all they can do at the time. Almost all of my fish have eventually found their way into a 2.5g tank with coordinating rocks, arches, plants, etc. I take excellent care of everyone that's ever come to live with me - and I once again would challenge anyone who would tell me that the guys who are currently sitting in a 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon tank here at my house with me aren't happy because I can guarantee you with about 99.875% confidence that they are.

Besides - by bringing a fish home and giving them good food, clean water and attention increases their quality of life exponentially and I wouldn't want anyone to pass a betta by because they couldn't give them a "big enough" tank. :pft:

and secondly - I will immediately close this topic if ANYONE makes the statement "if you can't afford to give a betta an acceptable sized tank, you shouldn't bring it home". BESIDES - if someone cares enough to bring a betta home and give it everything it needs to be comfortable and happy, it's pretty inevitable that eventually they will be inclined to upgrade their tank size.

This topic has been debated hotly before and will again - several times. I'm fully expecting it to stay cool, calm and collected here versus the "other" forum, but try to keep it nice people - and no jabs at other people, please.

my fish are almost all in 1 gallons (except mr peaches) they all love it. i think 1 gallon is the best. if you have to do a 1/2 gallon bowl for a week i think thats ok more than a week no. i think every thing but a vase is good.

I definately didn't mean it as bashing. I have a guy in a 1 gal, and even one in a half gal after the dividers broke. When I brought one of my guys home, I had him in 1.5 inches of water.

What I was trying to point out is how much more active the guy in the big section seems. He seems very active compared to normal. Perhaps its just because he keeps going side to side flaring at the guy in a 1 gal next to the divided tank, and the guy in the last section of the divided tank. His fins have also begun growing back rapidly, where before it was slow.

I was more thinking how people kept htem in the small cups, but I would love to give all my guys a big space to explore.

Well unlike some people here who dislike the 1 gallon idea, I LOVE IT! At WM they sell these clear 1 gallon jar which I will soon buy. Cleaning it once a week is great since it cuts the hassle of 2-3 a week.

I used to keep bettas *when I first kept some when I was a Jr. in highschool* in a 1/2 gal. I think, overall they were happy, but it would've been best if I had them in something larger so they could've had heaters. My bedroom got VERY cold in the winter...so much that my mum eventually got me a space heater...so during the night/very early morn. my room was toasty, but later morn until bed time, it was very cold. Eventually my last 2 surviving bettas were put downstairs during the winter months.
Now everyone *except Fabio* is in a 2.5 gal. Fatima did start out in a gallon bowl, until the day I got her a new tank. Fabio is still in a gallon and a half hex. He seems to be happy, etc. but has a 2.5 gal. waiting for him out at the homestead when I move back.
I figured everyone needed to be in a large enough tank so they could have a heater when I'm not around and can't have the space heater on in the winter.
I think....if they are in a home that is larger than the cup that a person bought them in, they have to be happier.
When I got Danko, I bought him a gallon tank because I knew I wanted to get him a red minibow *2.5* but all they had were the gallon ones that were red. He seemed fine in the gallon tank. I'm sure he was just thrilled to find a home with someone :)
Regardless of the size, someone will always cause problems of sorts....Stefano has been in a 2.5 gal. wonderfully decorated, etc. But still decided to eat his tail...is it because of his home? I have no idea....more likely the spongebob figurine I had in his tank, but have taken out. :P I guess for me, I love the 2.5 gal. minibows...because there's more space for me to decorate than there is for the 1/2 gallons.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with someone keeping a betta in a 1/2 gallon, as long as they're cleaning it regularly.

I work at Petco now, and let me tell ya, most people HATE those teeeeeny containers. I always tell people, if you're getting a betta, bigger is better. I almost always recommend 1-2.5 gallons and clean it accordingly.

Personally, I use nothing less than a gallon as a permanent home. I'm currently setting up my second divided 10-gallon so that everyone will have their own big space. I currently have 2 guys sharing 2 Minibows, but now everyone will have their own. I'll have only 2 fish in 1-gallon, and one of those is Timmy (who can't swim very well).

Gufy - I'm really glad that you caught your divider explosion!! I hear ya about the Minibows, though... I get paid and go buy them too... :P

The tank size issue has been a very touchy subject in the past, but I think that we can all agree that the water quality is much more important than the size of the tank. I have two of my guys still in one gallon tanks. I have plans to up grade and will probably be moving some around in the next week or so, but even if I couldn't, my guys still have a good quality of life.

I keep the water sparkling clean with two 100% water changes weekly, they have soft silk plants to swim thru and lay in and they have smooth river rocks in the bottom that won't tear up their tender fins. They eat Hikari betta pellets, frozen bloodworms and frozen peas regularly for a good balanced diet. I put a pinch of aquarium salt and a few drops of blackwater extract in with the stress coat for every water change. (And have not had any ich, velvet or other illnesses since I started adding the salt and BWE).

Their tanks may be small, but they are spoiled rotten and are lively and playful, bubblenest and do their feed-me butt-wiggle every morning so I don't think they are suffering.

If you can afford to have a 5, 10 or 20 gallon set up for each betta, do it!!! I'm sure your bettas will love you for it, but if all you have is a 1/2 or 1 gallon, your betta can still live a good life as long as you are committed to its care.