Why are bettas typically kept in room-tempature water?

[François Arsenault]

Hello everyone,

There's something that has always puzzled me about bettas. From what I've
read, not only are they tropical fish, but they actually prefer higher water
temperatures than most tropical fish. So why are they typically kept in
room-temperature water? Is it because they're more adaptable than most
tropical fish? Or did someone at one point say "Well, they're very elegant,
colorful, attractive, they tolerate low levels of oxygen fairly well,
they're not very active and don't produce much waste. They'd be perfect for
selling to people, who could keep them in small, unfiltered, stagnant bowls.
A cheap, convenient pet for customers, and very lucrative for us. So what if
they live in warm water? Adding a heater to a small container costs more and
isn't as convient. Not as many people would buy them if we told them they
need the heat. So let's pretend bettas can tolerate them and let people
treat them the same nasty way they treat goldfish"?

Now, if people are under the delusion that just because bettas tolerate
smaller spaces better than most they do just fine is small jars, is it the
same thing for temperature? I mean, is keeping them at room temperature also
a form of abuse? It is just a commercial thing that disregards the comfort
of the fish, or are bettas really more tolerant of colder water than most
tropical fish, despite their natural preference for warmer water?

Also, assuming a betta is relatively tolerant of room-temperature water
(after all, some do manage to live a few years in there, though whether
they're happy is another matter), how well would it take a transfer from a
heated tank to colder water? For instance, if a pet store keeps some bettas
in heated tanks (where they really should be kept), as some do, and then a
customer buys one to keep in a unheated bowl, does the betta have a good
chance of adapting reasonably well, or will it be a nasty shock for it? It
seems to me that any radical change in temperature isn't good news for any
fish.

What about a betta that's used to colder water who gets transferred to a
warmer tank? The warmer water is closer to the betta's natural habitat, but
what about the temperature shock? If it lives it may get used to it and
actually be happier than in his old container, but isn't the transition
traumatizing for the fish?

Anyway, maybe I'm wrong and bettas actually don't mind typical goldfish-like
conditions. But I'd be very interested to know what people think about this.

[Mike Edwardes]

In article >,
"François Arsenault" > wrote:

> Now, if people are under the delusion that just because bettas tolerate
> smaller spaces better than most they do just fine is small jars, is it the
> same thing for temperature?

They do much better in a larger tank.

> I mean, is keeping them at room temperature also
> a form of abuse?

Yes.

> It is just a commercial thing that disregards the comfort
> of the fish, or are bettas really more tolerant of colder water than most
> tropical fish, despite their natural preference for warmer water?

Yes. Sad, isn't it?

Mike.
--
Mike Edwardes Tropicals
http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net

[TYNK 7]

>Subject: Why are bettas typically kept in room-tempature water?
>From: "François Arsenault"
>Date: 11/25/2003 3:01 PM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>Hello everyone,
>
>There's something that has always puzzled me about bettas. From what I've
>read, not only are they tropical fish, but they actually prefer higher water
>temperatures than most tropical fish. So why are they typically kept in
>room-temperature water? Is it because they're more adaptable than most
>tropical fish? Or did someone at one point say "Well, they're very elegant,
>colorful, attractive, they tolerate low levels of oxygen fairly well,
>they're not very active and don't produce much waste. They'd be perfect for
>selling to people, who could keep them in small, unfiltered, stagnant bowls.
>A cheap, convenient pet for customers, and very lucrative for us. So what if
>they live in warm water? Adding a heater to a small container costs more and
>isn't as convient. Not as many people would buy them if we told them they
>need the heat. So let's pretend bettas can tolerate them and let people
>treat them the same nasty way they treat goldfish"?
>

Sadly, this is the case.
They easily mass produced, and can *survive* in those nasty conditions.
Also, Goldfish are the LAST fish that should ever be put in a bowl. Poor
things.





>Now, if people are under the delusion that just because bettas tolerate
>smaller spaces better than most they do just fine is small jars, is it the
>same thing for temperature? I mean, is keeping them at room temperature also
>a form of abuse? It is just a commercial thing that disregards the comfort
>of the fish, or are bettas really more tolerant of colder water than most
>tropical fish, despite their natural preference for warmer water?

The difference is that Bettas can survive in small spaces of low oxygenated
water.
This was Mother Nature's way of allowing these fish to survive the dry/drought
season. This is also their doom. As somebody had the bright idea of marketing
these lovely fish this way. They decided it would be best to tell everyone that
this is how they prefer tolive...therefore no guilt on their part.
If I hear one more person say."they prefer it because they live in little mud
puddles in rice paddies."
::rolls eyes::
Rice paddies about the size of a lake and are about 18 inches deep. This is not
the case in the dry season, which is what folks are talking about when they say
"small mud puddles".
This is why they developed their labyrinth organ. So they *could* survive until
the rains came again and everyting went back to normal.
http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html
Check out the link above. It'll show what a rice paddy looks like.
Not a little mud puddle.


>
>Also, assuming a betta is relatively tolerant of room-temperature water
>(after all, some do manage to live a few years in there, though whether
>they're happy is another matter), how well would it take a transfer from a
>heated tank to colder water? For instance, if a pet store keeps some bettas
>in heated tanks (where they really should be kept), as some do, and then a
>customer buys one to keep in a unheated bowl, does the betta have a good
>chance of adapting reasonably well, or will it be a nasty shock for it? It
>seems to me that any radical change in temperature isn't good news for any
>fish.
>
>What about a betta that's used to colder water who gets transferred to a
>warmer tank? The warmer water is closer to the betta's natural habitat, but
>what about the temperature shock? If it lives it may get used to it and
>actually be happier than in his old container, but isn't the transition
>traumatizing for the fish?

Bettas that are used to being kept properly don't fair so well went moved to
cooler water and cramped quarters. They actually mope about and pout. Their
color is blah too.
On the other fin, put a Betta that has lived in a room temp bowl and add him to
large tank, water temp about 78*f and he's king of the world!
It's color will become vibrant and he/she (sex doesn't matter) will become
quite active.
Some poor things have been kept in such small bowls for most of their lives
need to learn how to swim.
When first added to a tank with a filter the current seems to blow them all
over thank. These need time to learn what those fins can do.
Once they learn...they swim the length of the tank...no matter if it's a gallon
or a 55g tank...back and forth...and quickly too.
Those who claim these are slow moving fish hasn't seen these fish swim!
They are *not* slow at all.
The reason they are considered "slow moving fish" in the hobby is because of
being kept in small bowls.



>
>Anyway, maybe I'm wrong and bettas actually don't mind typical goldfish-like
>conditions. But I'd be very interested to know what people think about this.
>

You're not wrong at all.
People (years ago) used to know how to take proper care of these fish.
Then the doo doo hit the fan. Some dimwit thought it would be a great idea to
make a gift. One that would cost almost nothing to make, and they could charge
$50 bucks for!
They stick a Betta in a small vase and stick a Lily plant on top of it. Tell
them that they don't even need to feed the fish, as it would eat algae off the
Lily's roots.
That's when Bettas (and the mispronunciation as "bait-uh" instead of "bet-uh")
started being kept so poorly.
I've been keeping them for close to 26 yrs now. I specialize in them and it
makes me sad/mad/crazy/ angry/happy all at the same time. I like that they have
become popular, in the way that more folks can know what great fish these
are..personalities to each of them, knowing who you are is a pretty cool thing
for a fish to do with it's keeper. Also, it has brought the better fin
varieties to the general public, such as Delta, Comb and Crowntails. Better
coloring has come too.
However, there's always a price to be paid.
The Bettas are paying for it bigtime.

[François Arsenault]

Thank you very much for all the information about bettas and the nasty
conditions in which they're usually kept. I knew that thinking that they
actually do better in small spaces was absurd, but I wasn't entirely sure
about temperature, wondering if there was a reason other than commercial for
keeping them at room temperature. I'm glad to know that a betta will indeed
do better if transferred from a unheated bowl to a real, heated aquarium. I
figured it would prefer the heat, but was worried about the temperature
change shock. I guess that as long as the change is gradual a betta will be
very happy with such a move.

Francois


"TYNK 7" > wrote in message
...
> >Subject: Why are bettas typically kept in room-tempature water?
> >From: "François Arsenault"
> >Date: 11/25/2003 3:01 PM Central Standard Time
> >Message-id: >
> >
> >Hello everyone,
> >
> >There's something that has always puzzled me about bettas. From what I've
> >read, not only are they tropical fish, but they actually prefer higher
water
> >temperatures than most tropical fish. So why are they typically kept in
> >room-temperature water? Is it because they're more adaptable than most
> >tropical fish? Or did someone at one point say "Well, they're very
elegant,
> >colorful, attractive, they tolerate low levels of oxygen fairly well,
> >they're not very active and don't produce much waste. They'd be perfect
for
> >selling to people, who could keep them in small, unfiltered, stagnant
bowls.
> >A cheap, convenient pet for customers, and very lucrative for us. So what
if
> >they live in warm water? Adding a heater to a small container costs more
and
> >isn't as convient. Not as many people would buy them if we told them they
> >need the heat. So let's pretend bettas can tolerate them and let people
> >treat them the same nasty way they treat goldfish"?
> >
>
> Sadly, this is the case.
> They easily mass produced, and can *survive* in those nasty conditions.
> Also, Goldfish are the LAST fish that should ever be put in a bowl. Poor
> things.
>
>
>
>
>
> >Now, if people are under the delusion that just because bettas tolerate
> >smaller spaces better than most they do just fine is small jars, is it
the
> >same thing for temperature? I mean, is keeping them at room temperature
also
> >a form of abuse? It is just a commercial thing that disregards the
comfort
> >of the fish, or are bettas really more tolerant of colder water than most
> >tropical fish, despite their natural preference for warmer water?
>
> The difference is that Bettas can survive in small spaces of low
oxygenated
> water.
> This was Mother Nature's way of allowing these fish to survive the
dry/drought
> season. This is also their doom. As somebody had the bright idea of
marketing
> these lovely fish this way. They decided it would be best to tell everyone
that
> this is how they prefer tolive...therefore no guilt on their part.
> If I hear one more person say."they prefer it because they live in little
mud
> puddles in rice paddies."
> ::rolls eyes::
> Rice paddies about the size of a lake and are about 18 inches deep. This
is not
> the case in the dry season, which is what folks are talking about when
they say
> "small mud puddles".
> This is why they developed their labyrinth organ. So they *could* survive
until
> the rains came again and everyting went back to normal.
> http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html
> Check out the link above. It'll show what a rice paddy looks like.
> Not a little mud puddle.
>
>
> >
> >Also, assuming a betta is relatively tolerant of room-temperature water
> >(after all, some do manage to live a few years in there, though whether
> >they're happy is another matter), how well would it take a transfer from
a
> >heated tank to colder water? For instance, if a pet store keeps some
bettas
> >in heated tanks (where they really should be kept), as some do, and then
a
> >customer buys one to keep in a unheated bowl, does the betta have a good
> >chance of adapting reasonably well, or will it be a nasty shock for it?
It
> >seems to me that any radical change in temperature isn't good news for
any
> >fish.
> >
> >What about a betta that's used to colder water who gets transferred to a
> >warmer tank? The warmer water is closer to the betta's natural habitat,
but
> >what about the temperature shock? If it lives it may get used to it and
> >actually be happier than in his old container, but isn't the transition
> >traumatizing for the fish?
>
> Bettas that are used to being kept properly don't fair so well went moved
to
> cooler water and cramped quarters. They actually mope about and pout.
Their
> color is blah too.
> On the other fin, put a Betta that has lived in a room temp bowl and add
him to
> large tank, water temp about 78*f and he's king of the world!
> It's color will become vibrant and he/she (sex doesn't matter) will become
> quite active.
> Some poor things have been kept in such small bowls for most of their
lives
> need to learn how to swim.
> When first added to a tank with a filter the current seems to blow them
all
> over thank. These need time to learn what those fins can do.
> Once they learn...they swim the length of the tank...no matter if it's a
gallon
> or a 55g tank...back and forth...and quickly too.
> Those who claim these are slow moving fish hasn't seen these fish swim!
> They are *not* slow at all.
> The reason they are considered "slow moving fish" in the hobby is because
of
> being kept in small bowls.
>
>
>
> >
> >Anyway, maybe I'm wrong and bettas actually don't mind typical
goldfish-like
> >conditions. But I'd be very interested to know what people think about
this.
> >
>
> You're not wrong at all.
> People (years ago) used to know how to take proper care of these fish.
> Then the doo doo hit the fan. Some dimwit thought it would be a great idea
to
> make a gift. One that would cost almost nothing to make, and they could
charge
> $50 bucks for!
> They stick a Betta in a small vase and stick a Lily plant on top of it.
Tell
> them that they don't even need to feed the fish, as it would eat algae off
the
> Lily's roots.
> That's when Bettas (and the mispronunciation as "bait-uh" instead of
"bet-uh")
> started being kept so poorly.
> I've been keeping them for close to 26 yrs now. I specialize in them and
it
> makes me sad/mad/crazy/ angry/happy all at the same time. I like that they
have
> become popular, in the way that more folks can know what great fish these
> are..personalities to each of them, knowing who you are is a pretty cool
thing
> for a fish to do with it's keeper. Also, it has brought the better fin
> varieties to the general public, such as Delta, Comb and Crowntails.
Better
> coloring has come too.
> However, there's always a price to be paid.
> The Bettas are paying for it bigtime.
>
>

[MartinOsirus]

I have a betta in a 2 1/2 gallon tank with a heater. Is there any other fish I
could add to the tank??

[Eric Schreiber]

(TYNK 7) wrote:

>People (years ago) used to know how to take proper care of these fish.
>Then the doo doo hit the fan. Some dimwit thought it would be a great idea to
>make a gift. One that would cost almost nothing to make, and they could charge
>$50 bucks for!

<excellent post snipped>

Thanks for the great rant - the more I look into bettas, the more I
share your frustration with how they're marketed. I've just finished
converting a ten gallon into a 4-way divided tank, so that the next
time I see some gorgeous specimen that needs to be rescued from a
store, I've got a decent place to put him. 1.3 gallons is a far cry
from a rice paddy, but being heated and filtered, it'll be much better
than the tiny cups that stores keep them in.

You mention that you specialize in bettas... got any pictures online
anywhere?


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Donald Kerns]

TYNK 7 wrote:

> This is why they developed their labyrinth organ. So they could
> survive until the rains came again and everyting went back to normal.
> http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html
> Check out the link above. It'll show what a rice paddy looks like.
> Not a little mud puddle

Cool, I'd seen that link before but didn't save it. Thanks Tynk!

-D
--
"When you've lost your ability to laugh, you've lost your ability to
think straight." -To Inherit the Wind

[Donald Kerns]

wrote:

> My beta lives in a 29 high community tank.
>

I'm currently down to 4 bettas. :-(

2 sisters in a heavily planted community 30 gal.
1 male with a bristlenose pl3co in a 10 gal. (A bit small for the pl*co)
1 male in a 2 gal eclispse at work

When the motivation hits me I'll probably get some from Wilma Duncan or
rescue. (Both are good causes.)

-D
--
"When you've lost your ability to laugh, you've lost your ability to
think straight." -To Inherit the Wind

[TYNK 7]

>Subject: Re: Why are bettas typically kept in room-tempature water?
>From: (MartinOsirus)
>Date: 12/2/2003 9:21 PM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>I have a betta in a 2 1/2 gallon tank with a heater. Is there any other fish
>I
>could add to the tank??

A 2 1/2g tank is really only big enough for the Betta.
You could probably get away with adding a Mystery snail.

[TYNK 7]

(snipped)
>From: Eric Schreiber

>You mention that you specialize in bettas... got any pictures online
>anywhere?
>

Hi Eric.
I have one of the most spectacular Crowntail Bettas from the PetLand that you
turned me onto.
Email me directly for some pics and I'll send ya some. = )

[Jim Morcombe]

As you know, the Siamese Fighter comes from Siam (Thailand) not China.

The average rice paddy in Thailand is on flat land and is like an olympic
sized smimming pool that is calf deep most of the time. There are many rice
fields adjacent to each other, but I can't remember how they were fenced off
from each other.
I think they had low fences of chicken wire.

The water was completely still - no current.

I spent quite a lot of time in Keday, which is in Malaysia and 20 minutes
away from the Thai border.

That was before I was interested in fish, so I didn't spend any time
investigating them.

The locals used to catch quite large edible fish in the Paddies with their
hands towards the end of the season, but these obviously weren't betta's.

I never saw a Betta in Thailand or Malaysia, except in an aquarium.

Jim



Donald Kerns > wrote in message
...
> TYNK 7 wrote:
>
> > This is why they developed their labyrinth organ. So they could
> > survive until the rains came again and everyting went back to normal.
> > http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html
> > Check out the link above. It'll show what a rice paddy looks like.
> > Not a little mud puddle
>
> Cool, I'd seen that link before but didn't save it. Thanks Tynk!
>
> -D
> --
> "When you've lost your ability to laugh, you've lost your ability to
> think straight." -To Inherit the Wind