Bettas are appealing fish for small places because they come from areas where the water is oxygen poor and they evolved to have a breathing apparatus that allows them to take atmospheric air, as opposed to that which is dissolved in water. They survive in small bowls, without aeration and/or filtration, but they don't thrive. They still need frequent water changes, since they will also need to have their wasteproducts removed. It would be better if you had could provide a small tank, with a filter and air pump. They do make 2.5 gallon tanks. The more surface area the better, so a low vessel would be better.

Just a followup.. I checked out the store today and saw a 1 gallon tank that could fit on my desk. I also saw some snails. Could I put a betta in the 1 gallon with a snail for company? Would that be enough room? What about just having only snails in there as pets, like 2 or so? How much water do they need?

I wouldn't put snails with the betta. They can mess up the tank pretty good... and breed worse than humans! I would have a separate home for snails if you really want them. And I would strongly recommend providing aeration / filtration.

I am often at my local fish store, with many people coming in re their dead bettas that were kept at work. Work places often turn off heat/air conditioner after workers leave and during weekends. Bettas need to be kept at a constant temperature, and those small heaters are NOT realiable and you can not use any heater of reliability in such a small space.

What if something goes wrong while you are not there? Cleaners accidently bump it, or chemicals in it. Fire or some such (happened here in nyc with black out, many pets died at most pet stores, or cats left at store for finding mice died when there was a fire.)

They need as much care as any other fish, and are kept in small spaces though misinformation. Get any good book on bettas and none are found in small puddles, but rather large systems where fresh water is incoming and waste is outgoing. Some wild types are in streams so on.

Smaller environments need more care then larger, sunlight or heat or lack of in room temp can flucuate (esp at offices where I worke shift and 1/2 late into night, all sorts of things go on not conducive to keeping any living thing in a office mho) Bio loads get off kilter in smaler spaces, you absolutely need one of those small fiters (little ones that suction to side) with it raised up so as not to create to much water flow, and I use the valves to reduce flow as well. Bettas love live plants which they hide in, sleep in, and which furnish vegetable and small things to nibble on, matter to them. Plants like java fern on a suitable driftwood piece or java moss with another taller plant with leaves, live java fern or Anubias (can't be killed and all do well with low light (which bettas prefer anyway, and need occasional fertilzers. (no plant is a scary thing for a fish, feels like it has no security and that creates stress which leads to disease, which today's bettas readily get)

You still need your fish 'supplies' like water conditioner, ph test kit, thermomtor to make sure all water changes are done properly. You need to cylcle this as you would any tank.

Here is a great site from a breeder. Perhaps read up first then decide. Best Sherry (there are a great many other good sites as well)

http://bettatalk.com/betta_care.htm

http://bettatalk.com/learn_about_bettas.htm

You might look at something like a white cloud mountain minnow for your desk. They are much smaller than a betta, but far more active so I think more entertaining. Just an alternative to think about.