BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish How Many Air Holes Needed in Betta Tank Lid

The Tetra Whisper Aquarium I bought for my Bettas has a plastic lid. There is one hole about 1" square at the front for feeding fish and there are two small holes at the back to run the electrical cords through.

How much ventilation do the Bettas need? I noticed that the little bowls the stores keep the Bettas in have really tiny holes around the outter edge of the lid and about 4 slightly larger ones right in the middle.

I can punch holes in the plastic lid I have, but don't know how many I would need to do. It's not the easiest thing in the world to punch the holes so that's why I'm asking.

TIA for any help anyone can give me on this.

The recommended guideline is to leave about an inch and a half of space between the lid and the water.

Hmmm. 1/2". I might try that, but I would think that would kinda defeat keeping the heat in. I don't know. I've been leaving the lid on at night, 'cause that's when the temp in the tanks would drop. In the morning, I take the lids off and turn all the lights on, including the lamp that I have about 16" above the tanks. So far, the fish seem to be loving it. The water gets up to about 81-82 deg at night and drops down during the day to 78-79. The one tank was getting up to above 83 when I had the lid on day and night.

I wipe the condensation off the lids every morning, too. I read on another forum where someone had a fungus buildup from so much condensation so I didn't want that to happpen.

I have never seen my Bettas this active since I got them. The two tanks are pushed together so they can see each other and they "play" with each other like crazy now, especially first thing in the morning and after meals. The red one has even started jumping around. So funny. Just love them to death and could sit for hours watching them.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't get sick again. It's really wonderful having them over whatever was wrong with them. It really worried me that both of them were going to die. They were that sick acting.

Thanks to all the help I've gotten reading this forum, they are full of the old nick now!

How many gallons of water are in your Tetra Whisper aquarium?

Can you post of photo of the aquarium here on this forum thread?

Lorindaleigh should be right about just having space between the lid and the water, so I'm wondering about your response to her. I think she means to leave at least that much space, so did you mean that you leave less or more than that amount of space? It's not clear.

You probably don't need to punch holes in this case, but maybe I have to see what you're talking about because there must be a reason you're asking that question.

Forget about the little bowls and cups they keep them in at the store - that's criminal.