Why

[SailfinGirl]

Why do people think it is ok to put Siamese Fighters in tiny .5 gallon jars, but not gouramis, especially dwarfs? They have the same labyrinth organ, are pretty much the same size, and are should be perfectly capable of surviving in the same conditions. So why do people use such small containers? I am genuinely interested, and have posted it here to get a wider range of reasons.

 

[WILDER]

It's weird as some fish get more gallons to others, I think goldfish get the worst deal in gallons.

 

[plecoperson]

IME, gouramis swim about much more. plus, id much rather give my water and tankspace to a gourami than a betta.

 

[MAM]

hmmm, i was alway under the impression that it was because gouramis are more sensitive to water conditions. but what do i know, i'm no gourami expert. and of course the large gourami varieties need more space.

 

[sylvia]

I think it isn't fair but I can also see the reasons. personaly I don't agree with keeping any fish in a tank under 5 gallons. Ofcourse this doesn't apply to temporary housing which may sometimes be necessary.

For a start, the more common small gouramies: namely dwarfs, croakers, sparklers and honeys (though not to the same extent), are rather sensitive to water conditions and have not been bred for centuries like bettas to live in these conditions. They also aren't as aggressive so there is no real need to seperate the fish which requires more tanks, in which case people would naturaly go for small tanks because it's cheaper. Considering the number of bettas in a spawn and the number of males that need to be seperated, it is only to be expected that some small-tank solution will be utilised to save both money and space. Bettas are also less suited to community tanks due to finnage and aggression. They also genuinly dislike currents and aren't very active swimmers. If you've owned gouramies before you'll know that they do like to swim around and can dart from one corner of the tank to the other at surprising speed. They also often require a little more care regarding water quality and they always require a heater which makes them less economic to house seperately. Why keep 3 gouramies in 3 seperate tanks with 3 seperate heaters if you can put them altogether in a 10 gallon with just one heater when it'll cost less over-all anyway and the fish won't kill each other like bettas are inclined to do? Besides cost and the money that makes the world go round , I also think it simply has to do with reputation. I have to say that I think it would be possible to keep a single honey gourami in a 1 gallon tank for example. I wouldn't reccomend it (then again I wouldn't for a betta either) as gouramies are quite social and, being peaceful, are excellent for community tanks or larger species set-ups. Having said that, if you want just a single fish and can't afford any more than 2 gallons say, I think a honey gourami would be an option - not the best option but an option. The ideas surounding bettas have always suggested they be kept in small tanks - while gouramies are almost always given more space than they realy require. New people entering the hobby would naturaly see this and it gets transferred on to the next generation of hobbyists so that I suppose it has developed into a kind of tradition - bettas kept in bowls and gouramies in huge tanks. That doesn't mean it's right though

 

[jflowers]

Personally IMO I dont like to see any fish kept in a jar. I have three dwarf gourami in a 200l tank and I have to admit its not big enough. They constantly chase each other and this must stress them to some degree, although they never injure each other or bother the other fish.

Jon

 

[Discomafia]

Must be due to the fact that bettas don't exactly like a current in their tank. And people never keep 2 bettas in a same tank, but you can for dwarf gouramis. Also, dwarf gouramis are more sociable, so a tank just for themselves, and a small one at that, isn't recommended. But I'm just guessing here, please feel free to correct me if I'm wong anyone!

 

[SailfinGirl]

Good points! However, I'm talking about when people purposely buy tiny jars and keep bettas in them permenantly. It seems to me that they buy bettas and jars so they can cram their houses with them. I don't think its fair to exploit the bettas in this way.

 

[bkk_group]

it's funny how you purposely posted this outside of the betta forum.

 

[cometcattle]

it's funny how you purposely posted this outside of the betta forum.

I'm glad someone said it.

 

[G_Sharky]

Most gouramis get really big compare to a betta some could reach up to 6 inches....the only type of gourami i could think of going into a 1 gallon tank are paradise gouramis.....

 

[Synirr]

Well, most of my bettas wouldn't even be happy in bigger tanks! I try to give them all at least a gallon, but some mope around and sulk with even that much space... they prefer a .5 gallon. I've tried putting a single male betta in a 10 gallon by himself before, and he seemed like he was overwhelmed by the space. I've heard, too, that giving them too much space can lower their life spans because they feel like they have to patrol the entire tank and tire themselves out (not sure of the truth of that one, though.) I think the main point is that bettas prefer being kept solitary or with only a few other peaceful fish (like cories,) so it's more economical to keep them in smaller bowls/tanks. I can't imagine giving all 20+ of my bettas their own 5 gallon!

 

[Sorrell]

it's funny how you purposely posted this outside of the betta forum.

I'm glad someone said it.

Ditto

I have many many bettas in 1 gallons, and some in jars. I wouldn't be surprised if my betta tanks are cleaner then most community tanks that gourami's are in. My bettas get 100% water changes every two days and are fed almost entirely on live and frozen foods. Not treated too shabby if you ask me

 

[Apache]

Good points! However, I'm talking about when people purposely buy tiny jars and keep bettas in them permenantly. It seems to me that they buy bettas and jars so they can cram their houses with them. I don't think its fair to exploit the bettas in this way.

Agreed! I think, unfortunately, that alot of people think of Bettas as decoration. (Need I remind everyone of the "Betta Purse" that you can buy? Yes, that's right, you can go out on the town and have your Betta in your purse, where all your friends can view him through a small plastic window in the side of the purse... UGH! but, I digress...)

And because you have to separate the males, and that, yes, in drought in natural conditions, they MIGHT be stuck in a small puddle for a short while (not their whole lives!), that people think it's OK... It is very wrong to exploit a living creature this way, but alot of people don't know any better...