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I bought a few baby Bettas, the person at the Petco counter TOLD ME that these fish CAN STAY in the tubs they came in (NOT BAGS) until they get too big! If they can live in these tubs at the store cant they live in the tubs in my loving home?? How big is too big? I have bee told they have to be moved to a BIG tank, like, 2 or 3 gallons, is there any way I can get cheap ones?? If I properly clean, add sulfrate and healthy water could I make a DIY tank out of a food container? HELP ME SAVE DUSTIN

I bought a few baby Bettas, the person at the Petco counter TOLD ME that these fish CAN STAY in the tubs they came in (NOT BAGS) until they get too big! If they can live in these tubs at the store cant they live in the tubs in my loving home?? How big is too big? I have bee told they have to be moved to a BIG tank, like, 2 or 3 gallons, is there any way I can get cheap ones?? If I properly clean, add sulfrate and healthy water could I make a DIY tank out of a food container? HELP ME SAVE DUSTIN

Updated On November 3rd, 2018

Pet's info: Fish | Betta | Male | unneutered

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Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

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Hi, and thanks for your question. There is a general rule about it which is a rough estimate not to overcrowd your aquarium and avoid excessive production of feces and organic debris. The rule is one Inch per gallon, so in 10 gallons there should be ideally 10 inches of fishes in total. You should consider as well the presence of plants and gravel and any other sort of things, which decrease the water volume of 5-10% (so 10 liters are actually 9-9.5). This rule does not consider modern filtration systems. Food containers can be used effectively as hospital temporary aquarium but not for normal ones.

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