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In the wild, male bettas typically claim a territory equivalent to 30-40 gallons. Most bowls fit less than 3 gallons. Maybe snails and shrimp can live in there. No fish.
Bettas sold in stores aren't raised in the wild. Even though they have genetic history, they haven't lived in anything other than a tiny cup and they deserve better.
@supremepeace. I would love to live somewhere that I could keep bettas outside. I live in North Carolina and our winters do get cold but it's still tropical for me because I'm from Buffalo NY !
This made me feel better about my tank, I’ve got my guy in a 3 gallon. I haven’t pulled the trigger on setting up a deep substrate, but I’ve got about an inch of sand and some live plants so far. He seems super happy, always active and interactive, eats well, flares at his reflection, and makes bubble nests every couple weeks. He loves swimming through the plants, sits on his betta hammock, picks at random roots, such a cool dude.
My bettas swim actively around the tank, some bettas are less active it all depends on its personality, if my betta wants to chill they can they got plenty of hiding spots, but I think to have an environment for them to explore, because my bettas swim around and explore when I’m not at the tanks glass.
I respect you and you have taught me a lot father fish, but this is something I’ll have to disagree on, I believe the absolute minimum should be a 5 gallon, especially for a newer keeper, however I’m sure you have the skills to keep a beta happy in a bowl.
The natural ecosystem of a betta comprises rice plants in a puddle ! I wanted to do a similar ecosystem in a tank ! Given rice plants have a short lifespan, i want to grow some similar plants with a longer lifespan , like some thick dense grass and see if the betta likes it !
My opinion may not be the popular one, but I think Father Fish is 100% correct. I’ve kept bettas for over 30 years and always in 1-2 gallon no filter glass jars. I recently set up an awesome 5 gallon for one of my prize males and he hated it. Water parameters were exactly the same and the new tank was cycled. He went pale and sat at the bottom so I moved him back to his jar. One day later, he’s back to normal. 🤷♀️ I really feel like the same thing has happened in the reptile world. I have hognoses and have had great success with them for 20+ years. All of the sudden, these huge bioactive enclosures are popping up with fancy lights and such. People are constantly on posts wondering why they won’t eat and have failing health. Again🤦♀️ The product manufacturers have figured out the sales angle of “if you care about your animals”-and we all do- then you need to buy all the gear. 😂 Beleive me. Sometimes less is more. 😊
You were severely mistreating your fish. Bettas are tropical fish so they need heated water and they need a VERY minimum of 3 gallons. They need places to rest, hide, and explore. They are not decorations, they are real live animals. You wouldn’t keep a dog in an empty 5 foot pen all it’s life, would you? Live plants and 5-10 gallons are amazing for bettas. They also need regulated water so they don’t die slow and painful deaths. Abusing animals for 30 years is not something to brag about.
i am from malaysia..we do put our betta or "ikan laga" in malay ,in very small tank..1-2 gallon water is enough for them..still can live 3 years.. we can find them many places here in the country..they really lives in cramped space.. father fish tank setup is EXACTLY the right environment for them to survive.. the only thing is, blue longtail betta is very aggressive and they can JUMP..i mean really jump out far and high..so, a lid is must..
I’ve been keeping fish with your method for months now! I’m almost to the rank of shark in the shoal! Revisiting this lovely video because tomorrow I’m taking my beautiful wife to buy her first betta fish! She is very excited to start!
He is very beautiful and vibrant. And that's awesome you have your family there it's a family affair😂 Father Fish you are leaving behind such a precious thing bringing nature back into the aquariums😂😂 God knows very well what he's doing and he knows very well the Wonders that can come from a handful of mud😂
Thanks! I finally got courage to bring a betta fish home. I collected some water plants like pennyworth, water cabbage and another planet that was close to water. Collected some soil and sand then made a around 3 inch laler substrate planted those plants in almost 3 litter vase. Then placed a halfmoon Betta and also attached a hob filter. The betta doesn't look unhappy like most of them say.
Thanks Father Fish for all your video about the betta. I prepare my 5 gallon tank long time ago for my son with gold fish,but eventually they die. After your videos I realized how wrong I was dealing with the set of my tank. So I followed your tips and now my tank have mud in the bottom covered with sand ,even from a stream close my house. Also I picked up couple of rocks and a good flat one. I also put 4 anubia plants and something else and a bunch of plant from a stream. Finally this week I had a courage to buy my female betta. I'm happy how she interact and how she hunting around the tank for small flies attracted by the light. She love a lot the fruit flies.thanks again
I have a fiddle leaf. It fell off a house plant that my mother owns. Fell off naturally after it died. It’s been a house plant for many years. Tap water only. Can I put that fiddle leave into my fish tank? Like others do with oak leafs, almond leafs etc. Thank you for the help.
Unrelated question i seem to have small clearish wormlike creatures living just above the waters surface in one of my tanks just curious if these would be of concern for my fishs wellbeing
There's a lot of minerals in my water too which is great because then I could add lots of plants and leaf material and I don't have to worry about the water getting too acidy
How often and how do you clean this type of habitat? Could you do a video on cleaning up this type of tank and replenishing the debris that provide the food?
To all those who are telling they cant live in small places , i have a betta , i have experimented with their behaviour and patterns... First i kept him in a small container smae as shown in the video which was very much established had micro organisms and had 100% of the substrate covered with plants big plants on one side and one side had carpeting plant .... The betta was there... It ate properly , it hid in the plants if he got spooked and also exhibited all types of natural behaviour namely foraging , flaring and many other things ! Now recently i have got a 15 gallon tank and i planted it walstad style and then after a month or so i let him in there .... He was not at all happy ... He didn't exhibit the natural behaviours , and he was stressed that he had to constantly had to come up to the top again and again where as in the small container it was easier for him ... He did not eat properly not as much as before ... So in conclusion i would say since bettas in fhe wild live in small ditches they are much more happy in a small container ... Its not cruel its what i have come to conclusion after this experiment ! He is way happier in that small container than in a huge water tank!
What do you recommend if you don't live near these natural resources (creek dirt and sand)? I live in a desert and bodies of water are few and far between.
So glad you are surrounded by love of all kinds! Sent a link to my o’l brother - the last one ‘all about bettas’ - sorry if I’m repeating myself but one of my fondest memories as a kid-o was Sonny telling me - when he was stationed in Saigon- walking the streets and in the puddles were these bettas! Hoping this may spur him to get a bowl and give it a try!
Thank you for linking me to this video. I was watching your other video about how to choose the fish. Another quick question, why every one of your fish tanks have the translucent light above it? I'm not a fan of them. What do you recommend instead?
I usually agree with him, and believe he is incredibly well versed on fish- but I disagree on bettas being kept in a bowl. My large female utilizes her 6 gallon, swims all throughout and is a healthy content fish. My large tailed male is in a 3.5 gallon and I can’t imagine him in anything smaller. Both have many real plants, drift wood, tannins and rests. Also, a heater with a set temperature is imperative (78-83*). I’ve heard him say he believes they’re good in bowls due to living in small puddles, but that’s not a full truth (said respectfully); bettas live in an array of areas, including streams. They are not solely confined to a small space, nor have any of my bettas ever acted as if they want to stay in some tiny space. If anything, they love stimulation, attention, new set ups and exploring. This makes me sad to see him taken out of a highly planted large tank and put into this…
4:23 A bit of a nit-pick, but the phrasing can lead people to misunderstand, including experienced fish keepers; I'm sure FatherFish knows this (I assume, even though he flat out said "they don't grow in dirt"), but for anyone reading, Anubias CAN grow without soil, but in nature they grow in soil (and out of the water) more often than naught, which is true with most amphibious plants.
Hello, I had my betta fish in a 3 gallow bowl I skipped out on putting dirt at the bottom I just added pothos plants and dwarf water lettuce with a sponge filter and heater but some days ago i noticed my betta had clamped fins and wasnt looking good he died. Id feed it bugbites by fluval and frozen bloodworms careful not to overfeed and id clean his bowl with a turkey baster. I wasnt doing waterchanges and i used testing strips his PHlevel was a little low 6.4 only the others were on point Do you have any idea what went wrong I think its cause i didnt include the dirt I brought some organic potting soil and i want to try at this again. Any suggestions? when I cleaned out his bowl at the bottom the sand was greyish light blue in color with a foul smell ? is that ammonia?
@ father fish. ???. I received the leaf system that you sent to me I put it in a jar and added water and sat in the Sun for a week or two. I've added some of the leaves and some of the juice from the jar. My question is how often do I add leaves and or the water from the jar. and do I leave the old leaves in and let them deteriorate or do I remove them over time? Father fish might be busy and unable to answer so if anyone else can chime in if they like if they have the answer thank you
hey father fish, i recently setup a 4 gallon aquarium with a little over 1 inch of dirt and 2 inches of sand. For some reason, I keep getting bubbles coming out from underneath every once in a while, and im not exactly sure why it's happening.
This is actually pretty good information. While I would prefer having my betta in a larger, shallower tank with room to explore and mimic the amount of space it would have in the wild, betta bowls also seem interesting and really nice looking, but maybe when I decide to sell them and have hundreds without proper tanks. Thanks, Father Fish!
Tip if you want to add extra water space for a betta if you must do a bowl, fill it to the top with water then add a netting small enough for the betta to not jump with some clips to stick it on
@@Slawsers or never mind the net 🧜♂️🧜🧜♀️ I think it is best to get the appropriate size that a swimming fish truly deserve!!! The bowl here is better suited for a Betta Retirement Home 🧞♂️
For people who argue about wanting to give bettas bigger tanks, please for the life of god, focus on longer shallow tanks. Bettas don't do well in deep water cos they have to go up to the surface a lot. Just make shallower tanks and use the rest of the 'air space' for surface plants that drinks from the tank
I don’t know why there aren’t more subscribers. Father Fish’s videos have literally helped me a newbie to the hobby create tanks for my mollies and they are thriving and having babies. He has a lot of amazing knowledge that we need to share with other fish keepers
What we saw here is a great Betta Splendin ecosphere where the use of pond soil innoculated with beneficial bacteria and microorganisms complimented with live plants. A food web will be established, which is great for the Betta. This is not the same as the little tubs you buy Bettas in at the big box stores. Betta Spledins are not huge swimmers, tgey are anatomically structured for short burst and rest. Betta Splendin do not need deep large tanks.
Deep tank no but they live in puddle streams long long shallow areas with black water lots of driftwood and leaf litter dirt,sand bottom. So they prefer all the horizontal space possible and certain types of betta fish should have more space like Splenden short fin bettas and most females, half moon and full moons longer finage can be kept in I recommend 3-5 gallons min while splenden short fins 5-10 gallons and up long
I honestly still think that 5 gallons is best so its more forgiving to new aquarists when dealing with parameters Controlling ammonia in a 1 gallon is harder than one in 5 Im currently custom building a 5 gallon shallow tank for my betta
Father Fish, Thank you for your wisdom and knowledge.. I will convert my 55 gal tank to a natural aquarium.. Quick question. can i build up from the rock substrate i already have in the tank? like put soil on top of the rocky substrate then sand on top of soil?
What do you mean by rocky substrate? Actual large rocks? Grevel? pebbles? Drain water if you are going to add dirt. Otherwise simply cvap with 3" of sand.
@@FatherFish rocky substrate meaning gravel sorry for not being clear.. My plan of action was to take out my aquarium water convert the tank to a natural eco system using your tactics .. I was thinking to add dirt on top of gravel that i already have an inch of .. Add 1 inch dirt and 2 inches of sand on top of dirt.. then reuse my aquarium water thats 2 months old back into the tank.. Would that work?
good evening,Father fish, first of all thank you for your good tips i have now redecorated my 900 liter tank with dirth&sand last month.for the rest I kept my previous 260L tank water and put it in my new tank supplemented with water from a stream. Now my question,Why do I never hear anything about filling a tank.with natural water. Is this wrong or.can you say something about it.Because I only hear the filling of aquariums with tap water or osmosis water. The water where I get it from, a stream near my house, obviously a lot of fish swim in. I have searched the internet for tank filler with river water/stream water but can't find anything about it. Thanks from sunny Netherlands.
@@FatherFish How many liters does this bowl hold? It really does look small. I just hope Brenda just bought a 10 gal tank, its cheap and its much better than a bowl. The fish can live better and you can apply the walstad method there properly.
@@Calebsfish23 We all transpose our sentience onto our fish. All I am saying is that a betta can be maintained in perfect condition in a tiny amount of water. It is done by the millions every day by breeders. What we do with one fish is not the same as what those whose lives are dependent upon bettas do with their fish. It is simply not appropriate to criticize someone for keeping a betta in a tiny container when they are guaranteeing its health, its growth, and its perfect condition, Face it, the number of bettas that are kept in large containers is miniscule. if you consider every betta miserable that is not in your care or the care of someone who agrees with you it would be better for you to never keep a betta and instead oppose the breeding of bettas for trade. Your position is, to be generous, extreme.
@@Calebsfish23 yes let’s argue with a fish expert, you are pretty much the same calibre of person that gets upset with us when they one of horses with a coat on in summer, it’s a cotton coat is scientifically designed to reduce heat and sweat, making the hot days a lot more bearable, perhaps do some research before trying to argue something you have no knowledge about
@@SubiKinubi never said i was upset and honestly have no clue what a cotton coat is or anything about a horse. All I’m saying is just cause one person dose it dont mean it correct or should be how it’s done. Thats like saying just cause people keep arowana’s in 30 gallons tanks when they get the size of a 75 gallon length wise is okay cause 1,000 other people do it. A proper diet dont make up for the lack of exercise. Father fish say’s betta are lucky to swim a certain amount distance in their life but mine never stop swimming. Just cause you breed betta and sell them outta cups fully healthy dont make what your doing correct. Betta come from more than rice paddies. Betta come from river system like the Mekong river. One the biggest fish farms in the world betta live in this highly important ecosystem that is 3,000 miles long. Now we are trying to justify a glass cup is all they need? Another issue is everyone scared to question the “Experts”
Once my little Casper passes away, I'm gonna redo the jar into Father Fish style. It's 2-3 gallons and tall. Plenty of room for a food web. Then I'm gonna buy a brand new baby betta.
One thing i do now is use a chopstik to push into the substrate and move around almost like a vibration. Just enough to move the soil without disturbing it. But it’s enough to allow the air pockets to rise. I’ve found that the larger the aquarium, the greater the need to “burp” the soil.
Hey father fish fam ❤️my only problem with this setup is the Anubias roots in the 🐚 shell 🤔that's not good for the Anubias even though the Anubias is epiphyte plant that plant has roots that need soil keep Anubias near by the substrate that helps to grow out roots in the substrate 🤔 but here Brenda's tank Anubias roots didn't get out from the shell 😥 🐚
I think you are probably correct. Good catch! The tendrils will probably grow out of the shell. Brenda has decided to move the plant in the round shell to a piece of driftwood.
Thankyou another question i asked my fish store for a apple snail and they said dont get them cos they make to much mess in your tank just want your expert advice ate they a good clean up crew?
Thank you for showing the quarantine jar system in the video, very useful for me, I'm at this stage of my tank's new setting. I just have a question concerning the microfauna taken in nature: if the parameters in the tank are the opposite, can they still survive in it?
@FatherFish my question is a little off topic... Can we use turf instead of soil (or mix turf with soil or an extra layer of turf between soil and sand) in the aquarium ? As far as I know turf is very rich in nutrients(for plants). Could it be a better substitution for soil layer? What are the pros and cons of having turf in the aquarium? If you could make a short video on turf I would be very grateful to you ❤
I would not use turf. The decaying grass will create a barrier between the sand and the soil. The deterioration of that much organic material at the earliest stage of the substrate's development will generate far more ammonia than is manageable.
Father Fish, you are very knowledgeable and I enjoy your channel (sometimes). I understand their ability to survive in extreme conditions in the wild but if we have the ability to provide them with a larger enclosure, why wouldn´t we? I´m pretty sure we could all survive in a 4ft x 6ft cage if fed and watered but not sure we would thrive. Would like to see small bowls abolished.
Abolishing small containers for bettas will also aboliish the species. It is impossible to keep a llarge collection of male bettas each in its own large tank. Are you suggesting fish keepers should be limited to no more than 1 male betta?
@@FatherFish Anybody can get a used fish tank for cheap/free, espescially with the walstad method. I can't think of any reason to put a living animal in an enclosure so small where it can barely move. It's just disrespecful towards the animal and nature in general when it takes so little effort to provide a more suitable habitat.
As someone who's mostly forced to be vegetarian (apart from fish & poultry, due to a severe allergy that's spread by ticks of all things...), I found that comment funny since it's so hard to find good vegetarian meals anyway. 😂 Love the cute, little set up. It's pretty much what I had for my bettas for years & people moaned about the smaller bowl instead of the tank, but my fish were healthy & happy. =)
Hi Father Fish, thanks for your videos! I'm going to set up a dirted betta tank for my daughter, I've only done small clear bowl before when I was a kid with weekly rinse. I'd love to know how often do I need to change water for a 20 litre dirted tank (I'm trying not to do it frequently so I chose a big tank). Do I clean up all the water and redo the tank every half year or a whole year, or do I use tube to suck out some of the old water from bottom? Many thanks!
Great idea, Father fish! I do share the opinion that bettas love small planted corners. My only concern is that without a filter this gonna get cloudy every fourth to fifth day and so it is going to need frequent water changes. I think in general that this is a common problem when especially we add water and organic material from wild ponds without putting a filter in the bowl. I need your help and knowledge at this point. So does walstad method require technical filtration?
Can dirt or sand be used from anywhere be used or from certain areas/locations? What if I only have "sand" or what is called "Betta Aquarium substrate" which has a smooth texture. Comes in a bag. Will this be enough for the nautral food to grow once plants are introduced? I live in a cold climate, so I have a 25QW heater and just got it. 2 1/2 gallon container. Any comment would be appreciated!
STEM PLANTS BUNDLE SALE - Over 75 plants - 15 Species for $59! Limited Time OFFER so HURRY!
father-fish-aquarium.myshopify.com/
For Special Soil Supplements, Plants, FIsh & Merch in your country:
fatherfish.fish/
In the wild, male bettas typically claim a territory equivalent to 30-40 gallons. Most bowls fit less than 3 gallons. Maybe snails and shrimp can live in there. No fish.
Not true! I ve seen Bettas survive in puddles less than 4ft in diameter in the wild. It seems they are masters of survival in minimal spaces.
Survive but not thrive.. we humans can live in 4 walls all day but I mean look what quarantine did to a lot of peoples mental health and development
@@rajeshbista2690A puddle?! That is survival as oppposed to living.
Bettas sold in stores aren't raised in the wild. Even though they have genetic history, they haven't lived in anything other than a tiny cup and they deserve better.
@supremepeace. I would love to live somewhere that I could keep bettas outside. I live in North Carolina and our winters do get cold but it's still tropical for me because I'm from Buffalo NY !
Would a beta do well in a larger tank of it had a shallow section for it to hang out in? Or is it better just to keep it small no matter what?
This made me feel better about my tank, I’ve got my guy in a 3 gallon.
I haven’t pulled the trigger on setting up a deep substrate, but I’ve got about an inch of sand and some live plants so far.
He seems super happy, always active and interactive, eats well, flares at his reflection, and makes bubble nests every couple weeks. He loves swimming through the plants, sits on his betta hammock, picks at random roots, such a cool dude.
Yes good on you. Dont let the betta fish hivemind community ever shame you.
@@nicholass.4224exactly the fish community is so stupidly toxic I keep my bettas in 1 gallon and there perfectly healthy
3 gallons is perfect for a regular sized betta. My guy did well in a 1 gallon but I got tired of it and upgraded to a 6
3 gal is a fantastic size
My bettas swim actively around the tank, some bettas are less active it all depends on its personality, if my betta wants to chill they can they got plenty of hiding spots, but I think to have an environment for them to explore, because my bettas swim around and explore when I’m not at the tanks glass.
I respect you and you have taught me a lot father fish, but this is something I’ll have to disagree on, I believe the absolute minimum should be a 5 gallon, especially for a newer keeper, however I’m sure you have the skills to keep a beta happy in a bowl.
The natural ecosystem of a betta comprises rice plants in a puddle ! I wanted to do a similar ecosystem in a tank ! Given rice plants have a short lifespan, i want to grow some similar plants with a longer lifespan , like some thick dense grass and see if the betta likes it !
rice fields are flooded only during the early phase of the rice plant after which they are drained and the plants grow terrestrially.
@@FatherFish yes for sure ! Do the bettas survive in the puddles after the rice plants are transferred to fields ?
Are often are you going to change water or are you going to top up only?
My opinion may not be the popular one, but I think Father Fish is 100% correct. I’ve kept bettas for over 30 years and always in 1-2 gallon no filter glass jars. I recently set up an awesome 5 gallon for one of my prize males and he hated it. Water parameters were exactly the same and the new tank was cycled. He went pale and sat at the bottom so I moved him back to his jar. One day later, he’s back to normal. 🤷♀️ I really feel like the same thing has happened in the reptile world. I have hognoses and have had great success with them for 20+ years. All of the sudden, these huge bioactive enclosures are popping up with fancy lights and such. People are constantly on posts wondering why they won’t eat and have failing health. Again🤦♀️ The product manufacturers have figured out the sales angle of “if you care about your animals”-and we all do- then you need to buy all the gear. 😂 Beleive me. Sometimes less is more. 😊
Thank you Holly. Absolutely true. I LOVE hognose but do not have one. Need to get on it.
You were severely mistreating your fish. Bettas are tropical fish so they need heated water and they need a VERY minimum of 3 gallons. They need places to rest, hide, and explore. They are not decorations, they are real live animals. You wouldn’t keep a dog in an empty 5 foot pen all it’s life, would you? Live plants and 5-10 gallons are amazing for bettas. They also need regulated water so they don’t die slow and painful deaths. Abusing animals for 30 years is not something to brag about.
i am from malaysia..we do put our betta or "ikan laga" in malay ,in very small tank..1-2 gallon water is enough for them..still can live 3 years..
we can find them many places here in the country..they really lives in cramped space..
father fish tank setup is EXACTLY the right environment for them to survive..
the only thing is, blue longtail betta is very aggressive and they can JUMP..i mean really jump out far and high..so, a lid is must..
I’ve been keeping fish with your method for months now! I’m almost to the rank of shark in the shoal! Revisiting this lovely video because tomorrow I’m taking my beautiful wife to buy her first betta fish! She is very excited to start!
If a Betta is in a dirted tank, do you need to do weekly water changes?
not unless there is a problem
Awe that's so precious❤ Thank you for getting her all set up. They look so happy!
No heater required?
He is very beautiful and vibrant. And that's awesome you have your family there it's a family affair😂 Father Fish you are leaving behind such a precious thing bringing nature back into the aquariums😂😂 God knows very well what he's doing and he knows very well the Wonders that can come from a handful of mud😂
Thanks! I finally got courage to bring a betta fish home. I collected some water plants like pennyworth, water cabbage and another planet that was close to water. Collected some soil and sand then made a around 3 inch laler substrate planted those plants in almost 3 litter vase. Then placed a halfmoon Betta and also attached a hob filter. The betta doesn't look unhappy like most of them say.
That is awesome!
Thanks
Thanks Father Fish for all your video about the betta. I prepare my 5 gallon tank long time ago for my son with gold fish,but eventually they die. After your videos I realized how wrong I was dealing with the set of my tank. So I followed your tips and now my tank have mud in the bottom covered with sand ,even from a stream close my house. Also I picked up couple of rocks and a good flat one. I also put 4 anubia plants and something else and a bunch of plant from a stream. Finally this week I had a courage to buy my female betta. I'm happy how she interact and how she hunting around the tank for small flies attracted by the light. She love a lot the fruit flies.thanks again
Do bettas normally jump out of the bowl? Should I put a screen on top?
They can jump about an inch. Just keep the water level an inch below the rim
LOVE FROM INDIA❤️
Bharath
He is a lovely man!!
This video is a lie bettas don't live in puddles they live in big rice ponds people just day that to justify fish abuse this is to small
betas like to have space to swim, like any fish
You know this how?
@@FatherFish ok sry, didnt wana sound like an asshole. but i think this because i see betas swim through all the space they have
@@jackisperu9766 check the way bettas live in the wild
Father Fish I’m so happy to have found your channel!! You and your knowledge of fish are well appreciated and relaxing to watch!!…Ra
Betta is just fine in a large tank. Along with other fish.. mines just as happy other fish are no problem
Can I put the dry up, feel off naturally on its own fiddle leave into my fish tank?
no idea what you are on about
I have a fiddle leaf. It fell off a house plant that my mother owns. Fell off naturally after it died. It’s been a house plant for many years. Tap water only. Can I put that fiddle leave into my fish tank? Like others do with oak leafs, almond leafs etc. Thank you for the help.
Hello Father, is it better to setup a betta bowl with just sand or the dirted method?
Thank you.
dirted is better
Hi father fish,can I use any type of sand and soil? I have my first Betta
discord.gg/father-fish-shoal
Unrelated question i seem to have small clearish wormlike creatures living just above the waters surface in one of my tanks just curious if these would be of concern for my fishs wellbeing
Sounds like fish food. Rinse them into the water.
@@FatherFishgreat thank you was doing this already the guppy's go nuts and even seem to jump for them
What kind of sand can I use?
any
I loved this! Thank you for showing your family and a little bit of your home life! 🐟
Glad you enjoyed it!
There's a lot of minerals in my water too which is great because then I could add lots of plants and leaf material and I don't have to worry about the water getting too acidy
Hi sir, I want to know why my plants dying. Pls let me know. Tq
Join us on the Father Fish Shoal discord.gg/vQJvcQge
we will help you figure it out.
How often and how do you clean this type of habitat? Could you do a video on cleaning up this type of tank and replenishing the debris that provide the food?
if done caringly, never.
I’m assuming you do water change on this bowl due to no filter. I’ve just set a bowl up, should I do a 10% water change every week.
Brenda is feeding natural food. She will not change the water for many months.
To all those who are telling they cant live in small places , i have a betta , i have experimented with their behaviour and patterns... First i kept him in a small container smae as shown in the video which was very much established had micro organisms and had 100% of the substrate covered with plants big plants on one side and one side had carpeting plant .... The betta was there... It ate properly , it hid in the plants if he got spooked and also exhibited all types of natural behaviour namely foraging , flaring and many other things ! Now recently i have got a 15 gallon tank and i planted it walstad style and then after a month or so i let him in there .... He was not at all happy ... He didn't exhibit the natural behaviours , and he was stressed that he had to constantly had to come up to the top again and again where as in the small container it was easier for him ... He did not eat properly not as much as before ... So in conclusion i would say since bettas in fhe wild live in small ditches they are much more happy in a small container ... Its not cruel its what i have come to conclusion after this experiment ! He is way happier in that small container than in a huge water tank!
They don’t all live in small ditches. Secondly, a 15g isn’t needed, but at the very least a 3 gallon is way more humane
@@Lbllrll yeah 3 gallons is good !
What do you recommend if you don't live near these natural resources (creek dirt and sand)? I live in a desert and bodies of water are few and far between.
Create your own outdoors.
@@FatherFish just organic potting soil and peat?
Ha ha ha, this was a fun video! Much love and skill in it!
So avesone❤ thank you Father Fish❤when I looking on you art I am relaxing ❤❤❤❤
since it got dirt in it, she wont be changing water?
correct
No filter or aeration 😮???
maybe I'm too soft but I couldn't bear to keep a fish in something this small
You do not understand the needs of the betta. They are a hiding, lyurking fish that only swims when necessary. they prefer tiny sheltered places.
I agree. 3-5 gallon would be minimums I think. I generally love this channel and agree with it but not on this one.
I couldn't bear it either...5 gallons is the smallest I'd go.
@@mimiru1995 1.5 gallon with a filter works just fine
@@HysteriaCraft-fp9mdexcuse me do you do any research on betta fishes?
Do betta bowls need a lid or is plant matter on top enough to stop them jumping? Thanks!
They can jump 1". Keep the level below that.
@@FatherFish oh only 1" ! Okay great ! Thank you so much!
@@FatherFishany any videos on your opinion of filter vs no filter for them? I know they live in puddles.. not very filtered I suppose !
So the water isn't harming the mud an beneficial bacteria???
Sand separates the water column fron the substrate.
Wen I bury plant do they go in the the sand or mud!!!? I'm looking to doing a natural tank, thanks to u an your videos.
So glad you are surrounded by love of all kinds! Sent a link to my o’l brother - the last one ‘all about bettas’ - sorry if I’m repeating myself but one of my fondest memories as a kid-o was Sonny telling me - when he was stationed in Saigon- walking the streets and in the puddles were these bettas! Hoping this may spur him to get a bowl and give it a try!
Baba 🖒Süper bilgiler .Sana sağlıklı uzun ömür diliyorum .İyiki seni tanıdım.❤
Teşekkür ederim. Kibarlığın için müteşekkirim.
Thank you for linking me to this video. I was watching your other video about how to choose the fish. Another quick question, why every one of your fish tanks have the translucent light above it? I'm not a fan of them. What do you recommend instead?
I usually agree with him, and believe he is incredibly well versed on fish- but I disagree on bettas being kept in a bowl.
My large female utilizes her 6 gallon, swims all throughout and is a healthy content fish.
My large tailed male is in a 3.5 gallon and I can’t imagine him in anything smaller.
Both have many real plants, drift wood, tannins and rests. Also, a heater with a set temperature is imperative (78-83*).
I’ve heard him say he believes they’re good in bowls due to living in small puddles, but that’s not a full truth (said respectfully); bettas live in an array of areas, including streams. They are not solely confined to a small space, nor have any of my bettas ever acted as if they want to stay in some tiny space. If anything, they love stimulation, attention, new set ups and exploring.
This makes me sad to see him taken out of a highly planted large tank and put into this…
How would you keep 25 male bettas?
4:23 A bit of a nit-pick, but the phrasing can lead people to misunderstand, including experienced fish keepers; I'm sure FatherFish knows this (I assume, even though he flat out said "they don't grow in dirt"), but for anyone reading, Anubias CAN grow without soil, but in nature they grow in soil (and out of the water) more often than naught, which is true with most amphibious plants.
Absolutely. Thanks Miso.
Hello, I had my betta fish in a 3 gallow bowl I skipped out on putting dirt at the bottom I just added pothos plants and dwarf water lettuce with a sponge filter and heater but some days ago i noticed my betta had clamped fins and wasnt looking good he died. Id feed it bugbites by fluval and frozen bloodworms careful not to overfeed and id clean his bowl with a turkey baster. I wasnt doing waterchanges and i used testing strips his PHlevel was a little low 6.4 only the others were on point Do you have any idea what went wrong I think its cause i didnt include the dirt I brought some organic potting soil and i want to try at this again. Any suggestions? when I cleaned out his bowl at the bottom the sand was greyish light blue in color with a foul smell ? is that ammonia?
It is the smell of death.
@ father fish. ???. I received the leaf system that you sent to me I put it in a jar and added water and sat in the Sun for a week or two. I've added some of the leaves and some of the juice from the jar. My question is how often do I add leaves and or the water from the jar. and do I leave the old leaves in and let them deteriorate or do I remove them over time? Father fish might be busy and unable to answer so if anyone else can chime in if they like if they have the answer thank you
the leaves will deteriorate from the activity of microfauna, continue adding dried leaves from your yard, a few a week.
hey father fish, i recently setup a 4 gallon aquarium with a little over 1 inch of dirt and 2 inches of sand. For some reason, I keep getting bubbles coming out from underneath every once in a while, and im not exactly sure why it's happening.
Air
nothing to worry about.
@@FatherFish just to confirm, it's been setup for about a month now with no fish in it yet, and i will still get bursts of bubbles all the sudden
mine kept belching and making bubbles for a few months it will stop
it's normal - all of my tanks bubble too
This is actually pretty good information. While I would prefer having my betta in a larger, shallower tank with room to explore and mimic the amount of space it would have in the wild, betta bowls also seem interesting and really nice looking, but maybe when I decide to sell them and have hundreds without proper tanks. Thanks, Father Fish!
Thank you!
Tip if you want to add extra water space for a betta if you must do a bowl, fill it to the top with water then add a netting small enough for the betta to not jump with some clips to stick it on
good idea. it is critical the net not be in the water or the fish will suffocate. It must breath at the surface.
@@FatherFish yes and with large enough holes, but not large so that the betta could get stuck is a good idea.
@@Slawsers or never mind the net 🧜♂️🧜🧜♀️ I think it is best to get the appropriate size that a swimming fish truly deserve!!! The bowl here is better suited for a Betta Retirement Home 🧞♂️
Lots of floating plants achieve the same result but also work to clean the water
For a fish with a natural habitat of 3 inch deep water that holds an 8 by 8 inch territory. This bowl is fine...
For people who argue about wanting to give bettas bigger tanks, please for the life of god, focus on longer shallow tanks. Bettas don't do well in deep water cos they have to go up to the surface a lot. Just make shallower tanks and use the rest of the 'air space' for surface plants that drinks from the tank
Sir, how to maintain a temperature in this bowl? Using heater in winter season?
I don’t know why there aren’t more subscribers. Father Fish’s videos have literally helped me a newbie to the hobby create tanks for my mollies and they are thriving and having babies. He has a lot of amazing knowledge that we need to share with other fish keepers
Mollys were the hardest fish for me.
Because we see videos like this where an old man with dementia thinks it’s ok to put a betta in a bowl. That’s why he doesn’t have more subs
Hello Father Fish, you make a good job! I'm come frome Germany. Habe deinen Kanal abonniert! Vielen Dank! Thank you very much. ❤❤❤
Du bist herzlich Willkommen!
What we saw here is a great Betta Splendin ecosphere where the use of pond soil innoculated with beneficial bacteria and microorganisms complimented with live plants. A food web will be established, which is great for the Betta. This is not the same as the little tubs you buy Bettas in at the big box stores. Betta Spledins are not huge swimmers, tgey are anatomically structured for short burst and rest. Betta Splendin do not need deep large tanks.
Deep tank no but they live in puddle streams long long shallow areas with black water lots of driftwood and leaf litter dirt,sand bottom. So they prefer all the horizontal space possible and certain types of betta fish should have more space like Splenden short fin bettas and most females, half moon and full moons longer finage can be kept in I recommend 3-5 gallons min while splenden short fins 5-10 gallons and up long
Thanks for sharing
Keep in mine every bettas sold has grown out in a tiny jar
the art of simplicity
loved it!!!!
I honestly still think that 5 gallons is best so its more forgiving to new aquarists when dealing with parameters
Controlling ammonia in a 1 gallon is harder than one in 5
Im currently custom building a 5 gallon shallow tank for my betta
agreed. If you are maintaining a breeding operation with many male bettas 5 gal tanks per fish is impractical.
Father Fish, Thank you for your wisdom and knowledge.. I will convert my 55 gal tank to a natural aquarium.. Quick question. can i build up from the rock substrate i already have in the tank? like put soil on top of the rocky substrate then sand on top of soil?
What do you mean by rocky substrate? Actual large rocks? Grevel? pebbles? Drain water if you are going to add dirt. Otherwise simply cvap with 3" of sand.
@@FatherFish rocky substrate meaning gravel sorry for not being clear.. My
plan of action was to take out my aquarium water convert the tank to a natural eco system using your tactics .. I was thinking to add dirt on top of gravel that i already have an inch of .. Add 1 inch dirt and 2 inches of sand on top of dirt.. then reuse my aquarium water thats 2 months old back into the tank.. Would that work?
Can I use black sand over aqua soil to mentain the same color ?
yes
Oh I know that beta is going to enjoy that well water for sure
would duckweed cause any issues in a bowl that small? Like, would there still be enough space for oxygen to dissolve into the water and everything?
Duckweed does not prevent exchange at the surface. It enhances it.
Should I add water conditioner?
What is food web? I'd like to do that for my betta
th-cam.com/video/7GT-BItFHiI/w-d-xo.html
Thank you!!!
I argued on a reddit forum that a large planted bowl is fine for a betta. They lost their minds and banned me
Reddit is home to the most self righteous "experts" you will ever come across. They love the anonymous nature and being able to cosplay as smart.
Reddit people act like an expert yet their sub is full of dying bettas
good evening,Father fish, first of all thank you for your good tips i have now redecorated my 900 liter tank with dirth&sand last month.for the rest I kept my previous 260L tank water and put it in my new tank supplemented with water from a stream. Now my question,Why do I never hear anything about filling a tank.with natural water. Is this wrong or.can you say something about it.Because I only hear the filling of aquariums with tap water or osmosis water. The water where I get it from, a stream near my house, obviously a lot of fish swim in. I have searched the internet for tank filler with river water/stream water but can't find anything about it. Thanks from sunny Netherlands.
You are absolutely correct. Natural water is always best. I use well water, a good alternative.
Hi father fish, Isnt that bowl too small for a betta?
No the bowl is larger than anything the bettas has ever experienced.
@@FatherFish How many liters does this bowl hold? It really does look small. I just hope Brenda just bought a 10 gal tank, its cheap and its much better than a bowl. The fish can live better and you can apply the walstad method there properly.
@@Calebsfish23 We all transpose our sentience onto our fish. All I am saying is that a betta can be maintained in perfect condition in a tiny amount of water. It is done by the millions every day by breeders. What we do with one fish is not the same as what those whose lives are dependent upon bettas do with their fish. It is simply not appropriate to criticize someone for keeping a betta in a tiny container when they are guaranteeing its health, its growth, and its perfect condition, Face it, the number of bettas that are kept in large containers is miniscule. if you consider every betta miserable that is not in your care or the care of someone who agrees with you it would be better for you to never keep a betta and instead oppose the breeding of bettas for trade. Your position is, to be generous, extreme.
@@Calebsfish23 yes let’s argue with a fish expert, you are pretty much the same calibre of person that gets upset with us when they one of horses with a coat on in summer, it’s a cotton coat is scientifically designed to reduce heat and sweat, making the hot days a lot more bearable, perhaps do some research before trying to argue something you have no knowledge about
@@SubiKinubi never said i was upset and honestly have no clue what a cotton coat is or anything about a horse.
All I’m saying is just cause one person dose it dont mean it correct or should be how it’s done. Thats like saying just cause people keep arowana’s in 30 gallons tanks when they get the size of a 75 gallon length wise is okay cause 1,000 other people do it. A proper diet dont make up for the lack of exercise. Father fish say’s betta are lucky to swim a certain amount distance in their life but mine never stop swimming. Just cause you breed betta and sell them outta cups fully healthy dont make what your doing correct. Betta come from more than rice paddies. Betta come from river system like the Mekong river. One the biggest fish farms in the world betta live in this highly important ecosystem that is 3,000 miles long. Now we are trying to justify a glass cup is all they need? Another issue is everyone scared to question the “Experts”
Question can you use leaves from your yard for your aquarium
yes but not picked off a tree.
I have a lot of old magnolia leaves and oak leaves off the ground can I use that for my aquarium
I only have one betta fish in a 10 gallon tank. Yeah, too big for one LOL What other fish can I add to the tank for the space? Good video btw!
Tetrass, cories, pleco, live bearers, and lots of plants.
@@FatherFish Perfect, thank you!!
what do the fish like this eat ?
Hi fatherfish, don't these bettas need heater ?
they need warm water, yes.
Idk... Im a big fan of father fish but I don't really agree with keeping betta like this...
Once my little Casper passes away, I'm gonna redo the jar into Father Fish style. It's 2-3 gallons and tall. Plenty of room for a food web. Then I'm gonna buy a brand new baby betta.
How often does this require water change
Maybe 10% in 6 months
One thing i do now is use a chopstik to push into the substrate and move around almost like a vibration. Just enough to move the soil without disturbing it. But it’s enough to allow the air pockets to rise. I’ve found that the larger the aquarium, the greater the need to “burp” the soil.
I do not feel the need to do so although I am certain it does no harm.
Isnt the tap water have clorine and i thought u needed water conditioner
Some does. It will gas off quickly. Chloramine requires treatment.
Sea Shells as anibus anchors, okay that is pretty genius and avoids super glue.
Should we use sponge filter for betta bowl??
really not necessary. bettas [prefer perfectly still water/
I need to see part 2 of this video.
I like this approach for new fish hobbyists. Show it and don't just say it 👌🏾
We will do that!
Yes! Part 2 let’s go!
Hey father fish fam ❤️my only problem with this setup is the Anubias roots in the 🐚 shell 🤔that's not good for the Anubias even though the Anubias is epiphyte plant that plant has roots that need soil keep Anubias near by the substrate that helps to grow out roots in the substrate 🤔 but here Brenda's tank Anubias roots didn't get out from the shell 😥 🐚
I think you are probably correct. Good catch! The tendrils will probably grow out of the shell. Brenda has decided to move the plant in the round shell to a piece of driftwood.
@@FatherFish yes 😉 nice
Thankyou another question i asked my fish store for a apple snail and they said dont get them cos they make to much mess in your tank just want your expert advice ate they a good clean up crew?
Hi how do you keep bowl warm i wouldnt mind doing same thing can you put small heater in the bowl?
You can or you can place it in a warm place
Hey, where do you typically get sand... a beach, a lake or somewhere else?
pool filter sand works and is inexpensive.
or a beacvh, lake, or somewhere else. Yes!
Thank you for showing the quarantine jar system in the video, very useful for me, I'm at this stage of my tank's new setting.
I just have a question concerning the microfauna taken in nature: if the parameters in the tank are the opposite, can they still survive in it?
Yes. They are extremely hardy. You can add tank water to your resurrection jar to help acclimate.
@@FatherFish Thank you, I needed some advice.
@FatherFish my question is a little off topic... Can we use turf instead of soil (or mix turf with soil or an extra layer of turf between soil and sand) in the aquarium ? As far as I know turf is very rich in nutrients(for plants). Could it be a better substitution for soil layer? What are the pros and cons of having turf in the aquarium? If you could make a short video on turf I would be very grateful to you ❤
I would not use turf. The decaying grass will create a barrier between the sand and the soil. The deterioration of that much organic material at the earliest stage of the substrate's development will generate far more ammonia than is manageable.
@FatherFish thank you Sir for a fast feedback 🙏 Your opinion is very valuable for us 👍
What kind of sand do you use? Where is it available?
I recommend pool filter sand. It is available from Lowes or Home Depot.
Father Fish, you are very knowledgeable and I enjoy your channel (sometimes). I understand their ability to survive in extreme conditions in the wild but if we have the ability to provide them with a larger enclosure, why wouldn´t we? I´m pretty sure we could all survive in a 4ft x 6ft cage if fed and watered but not sure we would thrive. Would like to see small bowls abolished.
Abolishing small containers for bettas will also aboliish the species. It is impossible to keep a llarge collection of male bettas each in its own large tank. Are you suggesting fish keepers should be limited to no more than 1 male betta?
@@FatherFish Thanks for your reply and I respect your view.
there is absolutley no reason to keep a fish in a bowl. Anybody can get at least a 10 gallon tank.
Nonselse. There are countless reasons.
@@FatherFish Anybody can get a used fish tank for cheap/free, espescially with the walstad method. I can't think of any reason to put a living animal in an enclosure so small where it can barely move. It's just disrespecful towards the animal and nature in general when it takes so little effort to provide a more suitable habitat.
Why you didn't do the cicle and you put the fish already???
That would not have worked as well!
As tropical fish, do bettas do better in a heated tank?
prefer stable 78-82
As someone who's mostly forced to be vegetarian (apart from fish & poultry, due to a severe allergy that's spread by ticks of all things...), I found that comment funny since it's so hard to find good vegetarian meals anyway. 😂
Love the cute, little set up. It's pretty much what I had for my bettas for years & people moaned about the smaller bowl instead of the tank, but my fish were healthy & happy. =)
Just in time for me to get my first betta haha
You're right, my betta lived in 120 liters aquarium and moved just to catch guppy fries! He mostly hided between plants. I called him Ghost. 🙂
Happy for Brenda 🙂 Such a kind heart you are Father Fish
....good to see good people, eh ?
This is the sweetest video ever!!!! , thank you ror showing uw how to do this !!!! What are some good fish to keep in a 2-3 gallon tank 🙏🏻💙💙💙💙💙
small tetras, shrimp, snails, and more tiny critters.
Hi Father Fish, thanks for your videos! I'm going to set up a dirted betta tank for my daughter, I've only done small clear bowl before when I was a kid with weekly rinse. I'd love to know how often do I need to change water for a 20 litre dirted tank (I'm trying not to do it frequently so I chose a big tank). Do I clean up all the water and redo the tank every half year or a whole year, or do I use tube to suck out some of the old water from bottom? Many thanks!
You have a heavily planted tank and you don’t need to change water at all
@@FatherFish thank you so much for the reply!
You don t use rain water? Notice water from tap.
Great idea, Father fish! I do share the opinion that bettas love small planted corners. My only concern is that without a filter this gonna get cloudy every fourth to fifth day and so it is going to need frequent water changes. I think in general that this is a common problem when especially we add water and organic material from wild ponds without putting a filter in the bowl. I need your help and knowledge at this point. So does walstad method require technical filtration?
sand capped dirted substrate overcomes cloudiness and pollution.
Can dirt or sand be used from anywhere be used or from certain areas/locations? What if I only have "sand" or what is called "Betta Aquarium substrate" which has a smooth texture. Comes in a bag. Will this be enough for the nautral food to grow once plants are introduced? I live in a cold climate, so I have a 25QW heater and just got it. 2 1/2 gallon container. Any comment would be appreciated!
Please join me in the Shoal for a deeper look at your tank. discord.gg/father-fish-shoal