Marine Betta Space

[csababubbles]

Hello,

I was hoping to get some clarity on the appropriate tank size for a marine betta. The printed reference materials are all over the place and even after raising one for a few years now I don't think I can think of a minimum size tank recommendation.

I have seen them in 6 ft long tanks and they will just stick to a single cave and never come out except to eat.

But I have seen one in an 8 ft long tank and he swam throughout the entire tank even though he still spent much time in caves acting like an eel.


So I am confused. It seems like some would be fine in a 2x2x2 glass box as long as it had a cave large enough for him to make his home base, while other specimans seem to enjoy using the additional space of a large tank.

 

[leebca]

Thanks for posting. The Marine Beta (Calloplesiops altivelis) is an amazing fish. Not one of the 'active' aquarium fishes, however. As you've noted, it doesn't usually go into much action (unless there is food nearby). I've seen them in captivity over 10", when fed well and properly.

Although large and bulky and producing large one-shot loads of wastes they are not generally swimmers. So they are high in bio-load but requiring little space. There are those that do a lot of swimming, but they may be the ones looking for food (hunting), or are feeling the pains of space confinement.

I have never kept one to full size, but if I did, I would want to have at least a 60 gallon tank available for it, providing it is in the tank alone. This should be a minimum tank size for this fish, with the standard 75 gallon tank being the preferred size.

 

[csababubbles]

Thanks for the information, Lee!

 

[thefishguy77]

I have 2 in a 155, one is 10 inches and the other is about 6-7. They get along fine and usually swim when ever somebody is in front of the tank.

They have been together for about 6-8 months. I added the large one in after the small one had been in the tank for over 5 years. One of my favorite fish. I know I probably broke a lot of rules but after 19 years in the hobby you are probably going to break 1 or 2 along the way.

I am by no way recommending people try this but felt I wanted to share my experience.

 

[Naso2]

I had a friend who kept one in his 200g and it spent lots of its time swimming with the baby panther grouper. So they can be very active fish.

 

[swifter]

so I absolutely love this fish but I'm timid because I heard they will eat smaller fish... what other types of fish can we put together in this with a marine beta and are they reef friendly?

Currently I have a 60 gallon (the 200 gallon is being set up as we speak) there currently is 2 clowns (standard), a Koran Angel, Orange Shoulder Tang, 2 blue green Chromis, a chocolate chip starfish (probably gone when we start moving towards a reef). there will be plenty of cave structure for him to hide in. Rob from Red C is going to help me aquascape a healthy structure to make the most of this large tank.

thanks for your input.

 

[IPisces]

You will not have a problem with the current stock.
I would be more concerned about the beta getting food. They are timid around aggressive eaters like tangs. I am actually surprised I still have an assessors basslet in my 90 with my beta. They have been in the tank together now for 8 months or so.
I love the beta. They are a beautiful fish.

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

 

[swifter]

good to know, I may try to get one after I get the 200g up and running

 

[IPisces]

Oh, wow, I was looking back at pics and realized I got this guy back in november 2011. I've had him longer than I thought.
I think he has doubled in size too.

Just wanted to share

 

[swifter]

he is a spectacular fish. what do you feed him and is it difficult to get him to eat? If at all possible I would love to have one eat primarily pellets with some frozen food periodically but i'm not sure if that is possible fr this guy

 

[IPisces]

Well, not to be lecturing, but pellets are not good to feed any fish anyway!
They should all be feed frozen raw meaty foods and seaweed.
I would say, if kept with the fish you mentioned, he is not going to get much to eat being fed pellets.
I target feed mine good size chunks of shrimp and scallops and nori/seaweed soaked in vitamins. I feed the tank the same thing first, so the tang and wrasse and clown are preoccupied with the free floating food, and then target feed the chunks with tongs to my beta. He knows where to be when feeding time comes around. If I dont target feed him, he might go hungry. The other fish are so fast to snatch up the food that they seem to intimidate him and he goes and hides in his space. The tang especially will push him back into his cave.
They are not a fast moving fish and don't see small pellets all that well from my experience. So dumping a dozen big or small pellets into the tank, it might only get a couple of them. I have fed those new pellets that I got from Barrier a couple times. I dropped them right in front of him and he didn't even acknowledge them. With mine, I have found that the food really needs to be bigger pieces or it just floats right on by him. Or like I said I target feed him. He eats right out of the tongs. I give him a good 3-4 mouth fulls with the tongs every night.