What's the best tank size and setup for a happy, healthy betta?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

  Licensed Veterinary Technician

  Published on January 24th, 2018

  A 6 gallon tank is fine for one Betta. You don't want to go any smaller than 5 gallons unless you want to perform frequent maintenance. Be sure to provide adequate filtration, low current and proper temperature (78F to 80F).

  

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• Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

  Veterinarian

  Published on January 1st, 2017

  I would recommend to house your betta(s) in an aquarium of at least 5 gallons. 2,5 gallons could be okish, but it is always possible your Mr.Fishy will suffer from lack of space. Betta bowls are usually not suitable and appropriate for Betta fishes.

  

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• Answered By Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM

  Veterinarian

  Published on June 17th, 2018

  To safely mix fish species together, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.
  First, you want to choose fish that have similar temperature requirements as your betta. Otherwise the fish can be stressed. Second, you want to get species that have similar oxygen requirements - bettas don’t need a lot of bubblers in their tanks, but not all species are like that, so unless you want to do some adjustments to you betta tank, it is a good idea to get other species that don’t need a lot of oxygen. Third, it depends on how many gallons your tank is. Overcrowding is a common problem for many fish owners, and it can make it very difficult to keep up on the water quality. The general rule of thumb you can use is one square inch of fish per gallon. When using this rule, go based on the adult size of fish, because often people get fish that are young and small and don’t anticipate that they will get bigger!
  I would advise getting your thoughts together about the parameters above, and then visiting your local pet store to see what options are available within those parameters, because species availability can vary by area. Good luck!

  

  2Pet Parents found this answer helpful