The beauty of betta fish lies in their gorgeous tails and unique colors irrespective of their type. One of the distinct advantages of this ornamental fish, the betta, is that you can keep it in low-volume containers such as bowls and cube tanks. Having a betta in a bowl with some great decor and aesthetic additions, and placing it next to your desk or gifting it to your loved ones, can provide a unique vibe and experience.
However, when looking for a guide for setting up, caring for, or maintaining betta bowls, there are no proper guides or write-ups available. So, I thought it would be great to write a post on the care and maintenance of betta fish in bowls.
Everything from choosing the perfect bowl and setup guide to care tips and things to inspect will be covered exclusively for you.
Hi, I’m Thaha, welcome to angryfishes.com. Let’s get started!
Things required for setting up a perfect betta bowl:
Like in school labs, practicals require materials 😉 LOL! Before purchasing items for the bowl setup, you should pay attention to buying perfect accessories for your betta’s well-being.
Some people may comment that bettas cannot live in bowls, but my suggestion is that as long as you provide a good volume of water and maintain good water quality, bettas can survive in bowls without a problem. The things you should buy for the betta bowl setup are:
- Aquarium Bowl (Minimum 2 gallons),
- Gravel or pebbles,
- Aquarium sand (optional),
- Decoratives (optional and based on personal interest),
- Aquarium light (circular),
- Aquarium heater, and filter.
Now let’s move on to the setup guide and start arranging the betta bowl.
How to set up betta bowl:
Choose a bowl with the highest water volume possible, as this will provide your betta with ample space to swim around and maintain water quality for a longer period. If you plan to add any decorative elements or plant your betta bowl, opt for larger bowls with a good-sized opening.
The addition of substrates in the betta bowl is good for the accumulation of betta fish waste (feces), preventing these substances from quickly dissolving and mixing with the water. This helps maintain somewhat good water quality in the bowl, and gravels or pebbles can act as a biofilter and provide a place for beneficial bacteria growth. We addressed the use of substrates for betta fish in a previous post on betta fish in vases, so be sure to check that out too.
Follow these key points to set up your betta bowl in minutes without any errors:
- Ensure that you place the bowl on a soft surface or on top of cotton cloths or stands at all times.
- Add the gravel or pebbles slowly.
- Incorporate decorative accessories such as driftwood, stones, toys, etc.
- Carefully root the aquarium plant inside the bowl.
- Slowly add water without disturbing the other elements.
Decorative suggestions in betta bowls:
When planning decorations for the bowl, try to go for a theme-based decoration. Simply placing random items or items listed on Amazon and adding everything into the bowl is not good for aesthetics.
Plan a theme and create a mesmerizing look. There are many decorative accessories available in the market for betta fish, such as the ones shown in the image below.
My suggestion is to opt for wooden decorations and avoid using plastic decor. Plastics submerged in water for a longer period may release chemicals that could endanger your lovely betta kept in bowls. So, try to avoid plastic accessories.
How to care for betta fish in a bowl:
Caring for betta bowls is the next section that every betta owner should pay attention to. It is not like caring for a betta tank, where you can leave the tank for longer periods without any care.
Since the bowl contains less water volume, one should regularly take care of the bowl to keep the betta alive and healthy. A few care tips for betta bowls that can help in both aesthetic and health aspects for your betta are listed here.
Betta fish bowl cleaning:
- Always try to replace 10-20% of the water every week.
- Do not replace 100% of the water, as this might cause bacteria blooms or water shock.
- Wipe off any algae or dust on the bowl walls using a tissue.
- Refill with conditioned water without disturbing the bowl setup.
Lighting setup for betta bowl:
- Lighting is one of the important things in betta bowls. Having a light can elevate the aesthetic aspect of your bowl setup to the next level.
- When choosing an aquarium light or LED, opt for one with a circular shape, as it is well-suited for betta bowls and causes zero loss in light.
Betta fish bowl decoratives:
Give a try to add any decorations to the betta bowl so that it won’t be plain or a newbie tank. Even though you can use plastic accessories, you can always upgrade the accessories sooner or later, but it’s worth giving it a try.
How often should you change the betta bowl water?
Good question! The best interval to change the betta bowl water is once a week, replacing 10-20% of the water. Take out 10-20% of the existing water from the bowl and replace it with an equal amount of new conditioned water.
Things to Monitor:
Here are a few things to monitor in the betta bowl setup: Betta fish glass surfing, Sharp-edged decors, Water quality checking, and Stress.
Betta glass surfing: It is the habit or condition of bettas jumping out of the tank, often due to unsuitable water conditions. If you experience this situation, you should change the setup and make sure to always keep the bowl top closed with a lid.
Water quality: Since it’s a bowl setup with a limited volume of water, it’s necessary to regularly check the water parameters because small contaminations can disrupt the entire aquarium bowl environment.
Stress: This is one of the issues many betta fish owners may experience with their betta fish, often due to lack of activities and loneliness. Try adding some toys and spending time playing with the betta to alleviate stress
Sharp-edged decors: Since betta bowls have limited space compared to 5-gallon betta tanks, placing sharp-edged decors can harm the betta fish’s tails or body organs when they interact with them. Promptly avoid making this mistake.
Wrapping Up
I hope that this care and setup guide on betta fish bowls is valuable to you. I noticed there were fewer results available on this topic, so I took the initiative to spread the love for betta fish bowls, especially since many betta fish beginners start their setup with a bowl.
I believe this post is worth sharing. Please consider sharing it with your family and friends, and I appreciate any suggestions based on your own experiences with betta bowls.
Feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you so much for staying till the end. Signing off, Thaha.
Featured Image: Pexels – Arkhod