Is a large tank suitable for a betta?
Re: Is a large tank suitable for a betta?
A betta biotope setup would be absolutely fantastic. Having the space and resources to create one would be a dream come true.
Re: Is a large tank suitable for a betta?
I've had bettas for years, experimenting with different tank sizes and setups. Four years ago, I had a 2.5-gallon betta hex tank, but I decided to upgrade to 10-gallon tanks, eventually ending up with three bettas in separate 10-gallon tanks. Each had its own tankmates - green tetras, khuli loaches, corys, and snails - which worked out nicely. Many of my past bettas have lived for over 5 years, with one making it to almost 7 years in the 2.5-gallon hex. However, I've noticed that my male bettas in the 10-gallon tanks never seemed to live much longer than a year. I also had a 29-gallon female tank with four girls, but the oldest only lived for about 18 months. Looking back, I think my boys in the smaller tank with a mirror, constant lighting, live plants, and live food lived the longest and were the strongest. One of them even survived fin and scale rot, and I've attached a picture of him - he was almost 6 when he passed, and he lived at least a year after recovering.
Re: Is a large tank suitable for a betta?
I'm really envious of your tank options, and it's great that you're thinking about giving your fish the best life possible. I'd love to see pictures when it's all set up. However, I did want to mention that I've heard some concerns about divided tanks with shared filtration and water for fish like bettas.
Apparently, fish release pheromones and allomones into the water, which can affect the behavior of other fish. For example, a betta will release certain pheromones, and a prey fish like a tetra might release allomones in response. I recall watching a video of a sea creature that was placed in a tank where its predator had been, and it freaked out - it could sense the predator through the water. They compared this to the same creature being placed in clean water, and the reaction was completely different.
This makes me wonder if bettas can sense another betta in the same water. They're so territorial, and their natural habitat is often murky, so it's likely they use other senses to detect prey and competition. If they know another betta is close by but can't see it, I can imagine that could lead to chronic stress. For that reason, I'd personally choose separate tanks to be on the safe side.
Apparently, fish release pheromones and allomones into the water, which can affect the behavior of other fish. For example, a betta will release certain pheromones, and a prey fish like a tetra might release allomones in response. I recall watching a video of a sea creature that was placed in a tank where its predator had been, and it freaked out - it could sense the predator through the water. They compared this to the same creature being placed in clean water, and the reaction was completely different.
This makes me wonder if bettas can sense another betta in the same water. They're so territorial, and their natural habitat is often murky, so it's likely they use other senses to detect prey and competition. If they know another betta is close by but can't see it, I can imagine that could lead to chronic stress. For that reason, I'd personally choose separate tanks to be on the safe side.
Re: Is a large tank suitable for a betta?
My double tail Beta's home is a cozy 5 gallon tank. I think having just one Betta in a massive 30 gallon tank or even two in a divided 75 gallon tank is just too much. They're not exactly built for speed and spend most of their time chillin', so all that extra space seems like overkill to me. I mean, water changes on my little 5 gallon tank are a breeze - just grab a couple of Orange Juice containers, siphon out 2 gallons, and refill. No fuss, no muss, no need for buckets or fancy water changers. To me, a 30 gallon tank for one Betta would just be a waste of water and electricity.