Keeping Betta Fish in a Glass Bowl – The Complete Guide

Betta Fish in a Glass Bowl

If you are an aquarium hobbyist, you should know that Betta fish can withstand a lot because they are hardy aquatic animals. From time immemorial, these spectacular fish have been kept in tanks although there are instances where aquarists use bowls to keep them. So, what kind of fishbowl is ideal for keeping your Betta fish?

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by Fabian

Updated: July 5, 2019 / 8 mins read

Fabian is the dedicated Chief Editor at Aquarium Nexus. From a young age, he was captivated by the vibrant world of aquatic life, leading him to accumulate over 20 years of experience in keeping and breeding various fish species. The fulfillment derived from the aquarium hobby has remained a constant throughout Fabian's life. As an expert in the field, he finds great pleasure in imparting his extensive knowledge and personal experiences to both seasoned aficionados and budding enthusiasts.

This is not an ordinary bowl that you can pick and decide to place your fish there. The fishbowl in this regard has a completely different structure compared to fish tanks. Also, it can be placed in different places in your home or office due to its size and shape.

Do you think that it is a good idea to keep your Betta fish in a glass bowl? The answer to this question depends on how long you are going to keep your fish in the fishbowl. It is advisable not to keep your Betta fish in the glass bowl for long.

If you exceed the right time frame, it is likely that you will experience some challenges pertaining to the maintenance of your fish. At the same time, you will be putting these lovely aquatic creatures at the risk of harming them in the long run. This is due to the fact that the glass lacks basic equipment to provide the fish with the right parameters that dictate its survival in captivity.

For instance, it will be extremely difficult to carry out water filtration as it is the case with the tank. Instead, you will resort to changing water constantly and that needs a lot of commitment on your side. Apart from that, the water temperature will have to be right to keep your fish comfortable and less stressed.

A Glass bowl may also limit the movement of your Betta fish because of its small size, causing it to become restless or get trapped. Does it mean that you cannot successfully keep your Betta fish in the glass bowl? To help you answer this question, follow this guide and learn how you can achieve your dream of keeping your Betta fish in a glass bowl.

Ideal Setup for Your Betta Fish Glass Bowl

Even though there are some concerns on keeping your Betta fish in a glass bowl, you can still make it a reality. To achieve this feat, you need to come up with the ideal setup to make your fish comfortable in such a confined environment.

There are a number of steps you need to put into consideration in order to create a perfect and conducive environment for your Betta fish. Setting up the glass bowl in readiness for your Betta fish is as simple as preparing the fish tank to keep the fish. What you need is just a few steps and caveats, and you are good to go.

First of all, you need to look for water. This is the most important factor to consider before moving to take further steps on this type of project. As you know, fish cannot survive outside water and that is why it becomes an essential part of this whole setup. Of course with the absence of water, your Betta fish will not survive, hence the need to find the right source of this valuable commodity.

There are numerous sources of water including tap water, bottled water, and ice water among others. Quite a number of aquarium hobbyists consider tap water to be the best for the fish tank, or rather the glass bowl where you are going to keep your fish.

Even if this is the most preferred source of water, you should not rush to take into the bowl and introduce your Betta fish there. Instead, you will need a water conditioner to make the water safe for your fish. In most cases, tap water has been found to be somewhat dangerous for keeping aquarium fish when it is not conditioned. This is because it contains some of the harmful chemicals that can become a potential threat to the survival of your fish.

For that reason, you will consider using a conditioner to get rid of those harmful chemicals by neutralizing them. Once neutralized, those chemicals in tap water will become harmless and that is when you can think of keeping your fish there.

But before you even transfer your fish in a glass bowl full of water, you must make sure that water is warm enough for the survival of your Betta fish. Room temperature is recommended but keep in mind that Betta fish thrive in warm waters at a temperature ranging between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Before filling your fishbowl with water, ensure that it is clean. It doesn’t matter whether it is brand new or already used as long as you do the cleaning by yourself. This way, you will be pretty sure that you are subjecting your Betta fish to a clean water environment.

A quick rinse will even be better because you may never be certain about what was in the bowl prior to acquiring it. Once washed, dry it using a clean towel or paper towel. Then pour enough water into your glass bowl in preparation for introducing your fish to its new environment. Add a few decorations to make it a little bit colorful for the fish.

How to Clean Your Betta Fish Glass Bowl?

There is a need to keep clean the glass bowl where your Betta fish is kept. This is a simple task that should not consume much of your time. You can do it by changing the water in the glass bowl from time to time. While undertaking this project, try to get rid of algae from the glass bowl as a way of avoiding contamination of water.

Changing water frequently is out of the question, especially for a fish owner. This is also true when you have a fish bowl. In this case, you will have to change the water in the bowl every few days.

But changing water does not necessarily mean that you empty everything from the glass bowl. If you do so, it might pose some risks to the fish because fluctuations in the quality of water can be harmful to your fish. Therefore, it is advisable to change a certain percentage of water in the bowl with fresh clean water in order to maintain the right conditions in the glass bowl for your Betta fish.

One of the best and easiest ways of changing the water in a glass bowl is by scooping using a clean cup. Ensure that you scoop out a small percentage of water from the bowl and replace it with the new clean water. The new water should be conditioned to eliminate any harmful chemicals. In addition to that, check for other parameters such as the pH and hardness in water as a way of ensuring that everything is running normally.

Add some little amount of aquarium salt to keep your fish healthy and active throughout. Aquarium salt is known to have a lot of health benefits to the fish and one of those is preventing them from getting ill all the time. Just a small amount of this salt is enough to bring a big difference to the well-being of your Betta fish while it is in a glass bowl.

For How Long Can the Betta Fish Stay in a Glass Bowl?

Are you worried about the time your Betta fish is supposed to live in the glass bowl? You are not alone because nearly every aquarist asks the same question day in day out. Anyway, there is nothing wrong in knowing the exact time you need to be transferring your fish to the main tank. After all, the glass bowl serves as a temporary home to you Betta fish before moving it to the main tank.

Remember that as the days go by, your fish is growing and sooner or later, it will grow to the point of not being comfortable staying in the glass bowl. That being said, for how should your Betta fish live in the glass bowl before transferring it?

Your fish need to stay in the glass bowl for several days or a few weeks before taking it to the aquarium. During this period, you should be preparing to acquire a new home or aquarium that is large enough to accommodate your already grown fish. But from the time your fish is living in the glass bowl to when you will transfer it to its new home in the tank, you must ensure that you check all the parameters. This is important, especially the quality of water, temperature and all underlying factors that your Betta fish needs to thrive.

Final Thought

It is possible to keep your Betta fish in a glass bowl. But before you undertake such a project, ensure that all the conditions in the bowl are perfect for the survival of the fish. These may include water, temperature, the acidity in water and its hardness.

Once you get everything right, you can rest assured that your fish will stay comfortably in its new living space until it is big enough to be transferred to the main fish tank.