Readers Respond: Would you keep a Betta in a vase?

Responses: 165

By Shirlie Sharpe, About.com Guide

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Depends, large vase, right temps, clean water, wholesome food, yeah it can be humane.
—Guest python134r

I hate how people think they know what their fish is thinking. Give a living thing as much room as you can and it will thrive. Plus no one that is for keeping a fish in a vase has remembered that these fish eat meat NOT PLANTS. Really guys?
—Guest hairbear17

The idea of a flower vase for a fish is ridiculous, they need to swim, breath, have water circulation, and most importantly be fed properly! but it all comes down to how you set everything up though,cause tecnically my betta is kept in a "vase" but lets be honnest this is a vase that holds over 7 gallons of water and set on the floor comes way past my knee, i also have a bubbler that runs right to the bottom aerateing the water to prevent it from getting stagnet so in all reality this is a tall round aquarium not a"FLOWER VASE"the idea of keeping then in anything less then a 5 gallons is terrible! especially those little betta tanks that are barley a gallon poor fish i couldn't imagine living my hole life in the same room, thats like JAIL! and those poor betta fish never committed any crimes why are they being punished?so all in all a flower vase no(way too small,and theres no proper breathing cause how the neck is designed to suport the flowers)but a large decritive vase convert yes
—Guest kristina

About 2 years ago a friend of mine recieved a beta fish as a party favor from a wedding. She has a lovely green tumb and is guite the gardener so when she put the beta in a vase with a plant I assumed it was her own unique idea. I visit every 2 weeks and each time I comment on how beautiful active is the beta. It seems to me that the beta is no different than us. As long as the space is clean, organized and everything works, we adapt.
—maidnatural

As long as he is safe,the water is normal room temperature, the water is clean, and the vase is 1/2 gallon or bigger your fish should be fine.
—Guest Diana

I got my betta three months ago. He's gone from a small half gallon tank, to a small vase that my mother liked, to a much bigger vase. He is doing perfectly fine; he's incredibly healthy with weekly water changes, and he spends less time staring at corners. It's only cruel to keep one in a vase that is too small and without the proper care. I've known a betta to live in a vase for five years before he died.
—Guest James

personally i feel that keeping a betta fish in a bigger "VASE" isnt that big of a deal, its one fish, and i wouldnt want to put him in a huge tank that i cant have more fish in with him, i understand taht they are intellegent and need their space, but if you care for the fish properly it should be no big deal. My fish is in a one gallon tank with a lucky bamboo plant and he loves it. i had just got him from a friend who had him in like a .25 gallon tank and boy he was so sad all the time, now he is active and loves it. He stays warm cause there isnt enough water to get to cold, and i clean his tank every week. he eats twice a day as well, but i think its your own personal opinion, if the fish is happy stick to what you are doing, if he is sad change it, that means there is something wrong. Oh and truth about peace lilys... I asked a professional, They dont poision the fish, only if the fishs water isnt being changed and thats the only source of food they need betta food driedbloodworm
—Guest Rachel

My take on the matter, is that as long as its a big vase, with a large opening at the top, you'll be fine. Bettas live in rice patties as well as animal footprints. (seriously! Look it up!) they hop from footprint to footprint, and sometimes rice patty to rice patty.
—sondonttouchthatcactus

I have a red betta inside of a vase and he's doing fine. I've had him for 2 days and he's swimming and eating like a normal fish. There's some real plants in it that's causing algie but that's fine because then I can just clean it off. I don't see what's wrong with keeping any fish, not just Bettas inside a vase. I've had other Bettas that lived in a tank and they all died one after the other on different days. My longest living one (zeeps his name) lived in a small round glass bowl with a small light and he lived for about 4-5 years! I still consider the small round glass bowl as a vase. Yeah. I really don't see any point in why not to but Bettas in a vase.
—Guest MartinaB.

I have 1 Betta in a 5gallon tank, with NO other fish. They need a heater, lots of air surface to come up and breathe, which is difficult in a tall vase. Sure, a Betta may survive in a vase given water is changed daily, but odds are it will lose its pretty color and sit on the bottom. It will survive, but it will be a miserable existance. Just because they are in rice paddies in the wild doesn't mean they can be kept in vases/small bowls. Think about it, rice paddies may be shallow, but they are very long and wide giving the fish a lot of room to swim. So here's what you'll need; -At LEAST 2.5 gallons for 1 fish -A heater (Betta's need water temp. of about 78F ideally) -Filter isn't necessary, but you'll need to do water changes frequently depending on size of tank -If you choose to use fake plants or decorations, do the ''pantyhose test''. Lightly drag a pantyhose over decorations. If the pantyhose snags, your Betta's fins will too.
—Guest Alyssa

Please keep bettas in at least 2.5 GALLON tanks; 5 GALLON is better. They need a HEATER and possibly a LIGHT FILTER (if you don't use this you will need more frequent water changes). They need HIGH PROTEIN FOOD and NEVER KEEP TWO MALES TOGETHER. Also, remember to DO WATER CHANGES FREQUENTLY; every few days depending on how big your tank is, if you have a filter etc. Would you like to like in a tiny cell covered in your own waste with a violent cellmate!?
—Guest Catfish Billy

I cannot believe how outright ignorant people can be, especially when they want to justify their own lack of care for a living thing. Small living space or not -- for God's sake, learn about water chemistry and basic care for TROPICAL fish. It's not hard. 'Google' can help you, it's quite magical how it works really, if you can be bothered taking 10 mins to give it a shot. Warm, clean water + room to swim = healthy betta. How hard is it? Really?
—Guest Aussie

if you had to spend your life in a room the size of a bathroom, would YOU be happy??
—Guest Tikibirds

Shirlie Sharpe
Freshwater Aquariums Guide