Bonding: Goldfish and Siamese Fighter

Sorry about the weird subject but I think this bowl is awesome. Got it for my mom for Christmas.;D

 

Very cool bowl! I love the unusual!

 

As cool as it is - imo its cruel to keep a betta in a bowl with out some sort of bio filtration and O2 supply.

 

cruel? that's the way you keep a Betta fish...is it not? My sis has had one on her counter for years. They just sit there. It never moves and you see them, where you buy them, in the cup sitting and they seem happy.

 

They're a very inactive fish. Barely move. That's how most folks keep them, but in my opinion, it's kind of mean to keep them locked away in such a small area.

That's not how they live in the wild. I feel bad when I look at the rows of colorful fish in something the size of my coffee cup at the stores. If I ever kept one, I'd keep it in maybe a 5 gallon, or a 10.

I just can't imagine the fish being happy in such a small bowl.

 

Bettas should have more room than that. They come from the rice paddies in Asia, which are far bigger than a 1 gallon bowl. There are a few problems with betta bowls. 1) They are unfairly small, even for a sluggish fish. 2) There is very little oxygen, which I think may contribute to their sluggishness. 3) It is a deadly combination for water quality. Weekly complete water changes coupled with very little waste make it hard to beneficial bacteria to grow. There is no filter, and with such a small water volume, just a couple pieces of uneaten food can harm water quality. 4) They are from Asia, so they need a heater, which is seldom put on a beta bowl. The water in the rice paddies is warmer than room temperature usually is, and it doesn't fluctuate greatly from day to night like a betta bowl's temperature does. Just because a fish can survive in a certain set of conditions doesn't mean it should have to. IMO, bettas hardiness has given them a bad set of circumstances. They really should be kept in a 5-10 gallon fish tank with a small filter and a heater. They can also be kept in a community freshwater tank if there are no other labyrinth fish (Bettas, Gouramis, others I can't think of).

That being said, cool bowl. Feel free to disagree/correct me.

 

Oh, and what shape is that in. I can't maximize the picture on my computer.

 

My fiance's betta is extremely active in his square bowl (if bowls CAN be square). He swims around often, flares up when we look at him. He always wants to fight everyone and every thing he sees!

Btw, the bowl is very cool!

_chi_

 

Keeping goldfish in a bowl is mean but i think its ok to keep bettas that way. My mom kept one alive for 6 years and he was very friendly, we called him Bruce. You just need to do frequent water changes. She kept him near the coffee pot where he got almost daily water changes and feedings. He did look pretty old the last couple of years. I have a blue gourami getting to that age and he looks old as well and he is in a 110g. It's all in the care you give. if you put a betta in a huge tank and don't do proper maintenance it is still cruel.