Let me just start that upgrading was ALWAYS the plan.
But I started out with a 3 gallon because I was worried about my betta’s health at the time I got him (I was working at this shitty pet store and you know how that goes). Anyways he’s doing great and it’s time to upgrade cause he’s starting to show behaviors that he’s, understandably, not pleased with the 3 gallons.
But as I measure out his current tank and compare it to a 5g tank I can’t help but wonder if the five gallons won’t be enough? So I guess I wanted to ask the more experienced people here, if he’s already unhappy with a 3 gallon- is it fair to assume he would not be satisfied with a 5 gallon either?
I’m considering a rimless 6g cube, fluval flex 9, and just a straight up 10 gallon tank. But if you guys think I’m over thinking this and that a five gallon tank would be fine then that works out too because it’ll cost wayyy less money to setup a 5 gallon tank since what’s on/in his tank now will pretty much work.
I just do not need a bunch of tempting empty tanks around my house. I want to upgrade him to his forever tank!
https://i.redd.it/gtcfd0dyt4yg1.jpeg
Posted by TatorThot999
6 Comments
If you’ve got the funds to go bigger than a 5, go bigger than a 5. Your fish is gorgeous btw!
Bettas generally use more horizontal swimming space than vertical swimming space, so I’d forget about a cube at all.
I’m not a fan of the Fluval Flex 9 because the flow from the filter is definitely too strong for a betta, meaning you then need to do modifications to reduce the flow. It’s not hard to do, but why go all-in-one if it’s not gonna work out of the box?
So yeah, jumping to a 10 probably makes sense here if you’re already upgrading
What about finding a 5 ish shallow tank if that exists? Since from what I know they prefer horizontal space rather then vertical, especially long finned ones.
Seems happy.
I recently got a light that simulates the sun rising and setting. Highly recommend.
5g laid out like you have is honestly a lot better than bettas get so don’t fret on that front. This sub tells you its the bare minimum, and in some respects it is, but relatively speaking he’s already has it better than probably 90% of the bettas that get sold unfortunately.
If anything i’d always argue that for tanks going bigger is typically better. If a 10g is already in your mind, i guarantee you it’ll be in your mind 6 months, a year, whatever from now. Might as well get it over with.
A 10g also opens up some other options in fish a 5g just can’t take. If your betta is open to roomates you could do pygmy corys, CPDs, amanos, etc… You’d struggle to do all that in a 5g.
I don’t know about how unhappy your betta is, but if you are already this invested and have interest in a 10 gallon, I am assuming that you, like me, will eventually spring for the 10 gallon and curse yourself for not doing it to start with because now you have to transfer everything over and worry about cycling again.