The greater majority of Betta sellers and breeders across the world house these gorgeous fish in small cups, bags, or jars while they wait to sell or breed. Most US Pet stores also choose this cheap “easy” method of housing for their Betta for sale. You will hear many reasons why this is done, everything from its better for the fish to be housed this way to avoid cross contamination to there is no way possible to house the dozens of Betta fish for sale/breeding in tanks due to space and costs. We are here to say that is NOT entirely true.

Housing fish in cups at stores has lead to rampant abuse of these gorgeous fish. People see these fish in these tiny cups and think ANYTHING they provide that is slightly bigger is better than the cup. Store employees tell people that they do not need heaters or filters or anything more than a vase or bowl. Often the concept of water conditioner or even water changes was not even mentioned or understood. For so incredibly long Betta have sold with these falsehoods, languishing in unheated vases and bowls, and inevitably dying from these conditions.

Breeders will profuse to love the species make content on social media with them in small cups or “jars” and then tell YOU that you should keep them in tanks. But they cannot do that of course, that would be crazy they have so many to breed of course so they cannot do that. But you should totally do as they say not as they do. Some even make you fill out questionnaires saying you will NOT do the very things they are literally videoed doing. But house all their fish in the very tanks they insist you have? You are crazy that would be so expensive and require so much space! Only they, the Betta Fish gurus should be housing Betta like that. It seems to us that breeders should be held to the same standards in housing as they hold others too and using “it costs too much” as an excuse whilst selling fish for 3x what a pet store charges is absolutely ridiculous.

In 2021 we went fully tank for the housing of our fish with the following exceptions:

• During a 14 day QT period after arriving to us.
• During treatment for an illness or injury.
• Young Betta (babies) that would be difficult to properly house in a tank safely due to size but are too aggressive with their siblings to remain in the grow out tanks.

Aside from those specific conditions of our fish are housed in tanks not less than 2.5 gallons. Sale fish are housed in tanks that are bare bottom so they can be sterilized if needed. Breeding fish are housed in tanks with substrate and plants. Our facility is kept at 78 degrees for the fish’s comfort. Our fish are fed a diet of live, frozen, and pelleted food daily.

Since swapping to this all tank system we no longer have to stress our fish on a daily basis to change water in cups. We test our tank water regularly and usually only need to perform a water change once or twice a month. Resulting in far more time to do other things. With less water changes means less water change accidents. Tanks do mean housing less fish in the same space. We could house 1000 fish in the space of a living room closet in cups. We do not have to waste as much time and effort with water changes and maintaining water quality (matching ph and chem profiles) for daily water changes. Our fish are happier, healthier, in our opinion more fertile, and when we make social media content now our facility reflects a do as we do not do as we say vibe. Lead by example.

We will never go back to cups.