bettas and boxes

[Angelfish12]

Does a betta have to go up to get air. I saw this box you can put a betta or a small fish inside the tank. Can you put it on the bottom of the aquarium? Could it survive?

[piggy4]

No, it needs to reach the surface to breath ! I once had a Snakehead that got stuck in a ceramic ornament and drowned

[Angelfish12]

Thanks, i had that question in my head for so long!

Kelly

[Pywakyt]

Heres the thing about betta's to my knowledge at any rate. They only need to go up for air if the oxygen in the water is insufficient. But I am NOT positive on that so please don't quote me lol.

[Angelfish12]

Wellll, what if you keep the lid open? But not the cover so it wont jump out?

[starsplitter7]

Why would you put the betta in the box? I have bettas in my community tanks, and they are happy fish. Some plants to hide in and they are they are good to go as long as the tank inhabitants are gentle, and none of them have long fins. The bettas have to have access to the surface to breath. They are designed to breath from the water of puddles, and then the oxygen reduces, they can breath oxygen from the air.

[Angelfish12]

I was just thinking of the idea. I wouldn't do that to my betta.

[Martin Thoene]

http://watershed3.tripod.com/anatomy.html

Martin.

[starsplitter7]

Hi Angelfish,

I am so happy to hear you wouldn't put your betta in a box.

[Angelfish12]

Thank you! It makes me really sad though that lots of breeders and other people would do that to their bettas. They have to live in the boxes .

[Angelfish12]

How would you say betta? Would it be bait-a or bet-a? Also do bettas have to use both; their lybrinth organ and their gills to breath?

Thanks, Kelly

[ruthcatrin]

yes bettas require access to air, not just the oxygen in the water, a betta CAN drown, as can gourami's and other such fish.

Many breeders do use plastic beanie baby storage containers (turned upside down with holes punched in the "lid") as male betta containers, it may not be the ideal conditions for the fish, but as long as the water is changed properly (1 100% water change a day) the fish will be fine. Some breeders float these containers in their larger tanks, others just set them up on a shelf. As for why.....most breeders, even hobbiest's who breed one pair a year, are dealing with large numbers of male bettas that have to be seperated but cannot yet be sold. Most do not have the space to set up individual tanks for each male (can you imagine the space required to set up even a 5g for 20 or 50 or more male bettas, never mind the weight stress on the floor structure!). They do generally keep the males that they KEEP in larger spaces and a good breeder will tell you to keep the fish you are buying from them in a larger space as well.