It's a common myth
that bettas can live well in the base of a flower vase and feed off the
roots.
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Bettas need warm clean water and access
to the surface where they breathe from the atmosphere.
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Article:
Betta Vases | HTML
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Betta Vases
by Christie Fournier
March 4, 2005
The set up generally consists of a clear glass vase stuffed with a
Peace Lily and a Betta splenden. The lily’s roots hang down into the
water below where the Betta is kept. Sometimes the vase will contain
marbles or gravel on the bottom. Often the arrangement contains
instructions stating that the fish can live by chewing on the roots of
the plant and only requires weekly water changes with de-chlorinated
water.
I wasn’t going to write an article about the horrific dangers
associated with keeping a Betta in a Peace Lily vase because I felt it
was already so well documented. There are websites, magazine
publications and even petitions circulating to stop the selling of
these vases. I myself haven’t even seen a Betta vase in operation since
2001. I thought by now everyone knew better… Well at least everyone
with some experience in Betta keeping.
Then this morning I stumbled onto one of the many online aquarium
forums I frequent and discovered someone had posted a website selling
Bettas in vases. That alone didn’t shock me. I’ve seen people selling a
lot worse online including Bettas kept in acrylic (5 x 7) picture
frames and Bettas dropped into clear vinyl bubbles sewn into the front
of a purse as a live fashion accessory. What surprised me was that
experienced Betta keepers and even breeders were endorsing this set up
as a legitimate fish habitat. Sure, the majority involved with
the discussion were renouncing the use of the vases but still there
remains folks out there who are not only misinformed but defending and
encouraging the arrangement. The danger of this is not to the average
Betta keeper who knows better but to the new hobbyist who takes a
breeder’s word as gospel. Worse yet, it sends a message to
manufacturers that there is still demand for these vases. As long as
there is a public desire to own them, there will be some store that
will provide them.
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Why Betta Vases are Dangerous
A basic understanding of environmental science and Betta
splenden biology will quickly make apparent the dangers of using a
Peace Lily vase (or equivalent) as a Betta home.
First and foremost, the labyrinth organ is essential to survival of all
Bettas and is one of the defining characteristics that make them unique
and interesting to breed. The labyrinth organ allows Bettas and other
Anabantoids to gulp air from the water’s surface. This is essential to
their survival and a product of evolution. In the wild they often
inhabit shallow rice paddies where dissolved oxygen levels are low.
Gills alone wouldn’t allow them to get the oxygen they need so they
surface to take it directly from the atmosphere. Bettas always use
their labyrinth organ even when the water they inhabit is rich with
oxygen. To deny a Betta direct access to the atmosphere is certain
death and will be quickly hastened in a vase situation where there is
no aeration in place. Essentially, the lily blocking the water’s
surface will drown the fish. This reason alone is enough to condemn the
use of Betta vases but if you need more reasons; I’ve got them.
Let’s talk about water quality and proper tank size. Generally, a Betta
home should contain no less then one gallon of water but 3 gallons or
greater is preferred. Small volumes of water quickly build
concentrations of toxic ammonia caused by fish defecation, normal gill
function and rotting plant matter. Even at low concentrations of .25
ppm or less, irreversible damage to Bettas’ gills and fin tissue can
occur. Some may argue that plants can remove these harmful byproducts
but it’s important to understand that aquatic plants remove nitrate
(the final byproduct of nitrifying bacteria) and do little for ammonia.
Additionally, it should be mentioned that Peace Lilies are terrestrial
plants and cannot survive well when their roots are fully submerged.
Over a period of time these roots will breakdown in the water and
increase the rate ammonia is produced. *
Occasionally, you’ll hear a small bowl or lily vase compared to the
rice paddies where wild Bettas are naturally found. There’s no doubt
many of us have been told stories of the dreadfully shallow and muddy
puddles that wild Bettas endure their tortured existence. Those poor
wild ones could only be so lucky as to be housed in such lavish
conditions as lily vase, right? Sorry, this is just another story
steeped deep in misconceptions. It’s true that the rice paddies of
Southeast Asia can get quite shallow and yes, even muddy but it’s
important to understand that this environment consists of a complete
ecosystem. During parts of the year rice paddies contain a small
quantity of water but is fed from a much larger body. It is teaming
with nitrifying bacteria and is constantly being refreshed and
replaced. Aquarists strive to recreate these conditions in their home
aquariums but are never able to fully reproduce what nature has
supplied. Vases and other small bowls are nearly impossible to
maintain. They frequently experience fluctuations in temperature and pH
and may contain toxins like ammonia, nitrite and nitrates that in
nature would otherwise be stable.
Temperature is another factor contributing to the dangers of keeping
your Betta in a Peace Lily vase. Bettas are fully tropical and require
water heated between 76˚F – 80˚F [24.4˚C – 26.6˚C]. These temperatures
must be kept stable at all times and shouldn’t fluctuate more then 2˚F
or 1˚C in a 24-hour period. These restrictions are nearly impossible,
not to mention impractical, to maintain in a vase. Few people keep
their homes heated to nearly 80˚F day and night so usually an aquarium
heater is necessary unless there is a place in your home that meets the
temperature requirements.
What about feeding on the Peace Lily roots? Suggesting a Betta can
survive on plant roots is ridiculous. Bettas are carnivores and they
require a diet high in protein complete with a variety of vitamins and
minerals. They cannot survive on plant roots nor can they survive on
microbial bacteria living on the roots of these plants; not even if the
little pamphlet that came with the vase says they can. Bettas require a
varied diet the best of which include insects, insect larvae, worms and
small crustaceans like brine shrimp and mysis shrimp.
I know this has been a lot of information to digest at once but I know
it more then disproves the myth that a Peace Lily vase is a suitable
home for a Betta. Heck, it’s not even a suitable home for the lily. Put
your lily in soil and your Betta in an aquarium and enjoy them both.
They will both be healthier for it.
* Further research has taught me that many aquatic plants do utilize
ammonium from the water and in some cases convert nitrate into
ammonium. These plants generally take in the ammonium or nitrate
through their leaves instead of roots. It is unclear to me at this time
if Peace Lilies utilize ammonium at all or if they are capable of
removing it from the water through their roots. My findings regarding
the removal of ammonia are inconclusive until further notice.
Regardless, decaying plant matter will contribute to the ammonia build
up in the vase.
* For information on maintaining safe water see All
About Water.
* For more information on how to recreate a complete
ecosystem at home see The
Nitrogen Cycle.
* For more information on providing your Betta with
a proper diet, see Feeding.
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