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"Jars O Fish" by kapshure. (Also, this is horrible, keeping bettas in tiny little jars. Please don't do this. Bettas do not belong on your desk in, you know, a little glass or mug. They need room to swim around, be pretty, blow bubbles, etc.)
Update: Commenters are saying the small space isn't all that bad after all. A dramatic turn of events!
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what's the better alternative? Throw 'em all into a big tank and watch the carnage?
Actually, Brock, apparently Bettas do like to be in close containments - I've been told that they feel more in control of their environment and its less stressful for them.
But I guess I should say for the record that my Betta, Philip, is in a goldfish bowl at home. :)
I used to hear that, too. (I'm a huge aquarium nerd, btw.) But then I heard that pet stores say that so that they can keep bettas in inexpensive holdings, as they'll kill each other if they're kept in a tank together.
Then again, I could be wrong. Any fish experts want to chime in?
I've had my betta for almost 3 years now and I keep it in a goldfish bowl too. Bettas originate from rice paddies in Thailand so they are used to small (and shallow) spaces. They breathe from the surface which is why they don't need oxygen/air pumps.
When I was younger, I bought two male bettas and put them together and yes, they did fight all the time and eventually one of them died (the other died soon after). Just put a mirror next to it and it'll go crazy! When ready for mating (lots of bubble-blowing), you can put a male and female together with no problem, but I've read that males will also fight females too if they're not ready.
HappyDonut is correct, Betta's are native to rice paddies which are small and dirty. They thrive in small environments with a little bit of vegetation--they're slow swimmers who like to rest on the plants--notice how many are in the photo--and they breathe from the surface so a shallow enclosure prevents stressing them by forcing them to swim a long way to the top.
Nothing wrong with giving them more space than a mason jar, but anything larger than a small fish bowl is unnecessary and could provide unneeded stress.
Calling all ichthyologists!
Bread 'em and fry 'em; that's what I'm chiming in.