Betta, Cory, & a bowl

Question
Hi,
I was given a 2 gallon bowl with a betta, a cory cat, and a lily plant on top. I've read your site's suggestions, so I feel strongly that the lily needs to be removed. I've read conflicting opinions about whether the 2 fish can live peacefully together-but I'm especially concerned about what might happen when the betta reaches maturity.

But my immediate concerns are:
1) Can a cory live in a bowl without a filter? Or should I give it to someone with a tank?
2) A 2-gallon bowl is too small for these 2 fish to live together, right?

Thanks in advance...

Answer
Hi Kendall;

A 2 gallon is pretty small for both to survive in on a long-term basis. Your betta is already mature so don't worry about that part. He may get longer fins and grow a bit larger, but he's mature. Male bettas are almost a year old when we buy them in stores. He really isn't any danger to the cory cat because cories have a natural "body armor" and are actually referred to as Armored Cats. Cory cats can live in tanks with low oxygen because they have a way of storing air similar to how bettas do. You probably noticed that he darts to the top from time to time. That's when he gets air to store. It's not an ideal situation for either of them though. They are also both tropicals so unless your home is 78f all the time, the little 2 gallon isn't going to be able to stay a consistent temperature in the long run. A heated filtered tank of 5 gallons or more would be a good choice for both. Cories are actually schooling fish so if you have a ten gallon and get two or three more cories once it breaks in, he would be a happy little fella!

Bettas are mostly only aggressive to their own kind. They can actually be kept in community tanks as long there are no fin nippers to hurt the betta or other fish in their family such as gouramis, or male guppies and other fish with long fins that they think might be another male betta.

You could remove the lily and add add genuine aquatic plants instead. Anacharis, Java Fern, and Java Moss are all good choices. Plants with leaves submerged provide oxygen in the water, and all plants use some of the fish waste as fertilizer.

If you decide to get a larger tank, here is a link to may article on the "Break-In Period" to help you with that;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

Have Fun!

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins