DrK

Hi
Yesterday I bought a couple of Blue Gouramis (male and female) and a betta. Yesterday he was so quite and gouramis started playing and chasing around. Today the betta is after the female gourami and drives away the male one.
Have you ever observed like this.
Also in the same tank I have a school of white cloud minnows. But betta does not care about them at all.
DrK

Allie

The Betta shouldn't be kept with the gouramis...they will fight a lot. Not worth the headache. As long as the WC minnows don't bug him he shouldn't bother them. I had a male who recently ate at least 3 of my 5 WC minnows and died a day later. To be safe I'd put the betta in at least a 3g tank with heater alone, maybe an oto if you have enough room. Just from my experience.

Barbrella

Allie is right. Please give your betta his own tank.

Bettas and gouramis are both territorial bubblenesters and cannot be kept in the same tank.

Dino

I agree.

Kevin

i also agree

COBettaCouple

welcome to fishlore. it would definitely be good to get a tank for the betta, left in the same tank, it's pretty much guaranteed that at least 1 of them will be dead soon.

sirdarksol

An explanation for this: Bettas are what are known as labyrinth fish (they possess labyrinth organs, which is what allows them to breath air). They are semi-aggressive normally, but when they realize that there's another betta in the area, they attack it ferociously, probably to protect exclusive breeding rights in the area.
It seems that, at least part of the way they identify another betta has something to do with the labyrinth organ, because they will react the same to other fish with a labyrinth organ, whether or not that fish looks anything like a betta.
I'm sure by now you get where I am going with this. Guoramis also have labyrinth organs.

Out of curiosity, where did you get these fish? I would think that any fish store employee would immediately become concerned if a person bought guoramis and a betta at the same time.

Barbrella

The pet store employees you see must be much better than those around here who would say "Oh that's fine!" if you told them you wanted 3 goldfish for your 2.5 gallon tank.

COBettaCouple

how true! the Deathco back in St. Augustine would probably suggest that to someone, along with a 2g tank or a bowl.

sirdarksol

It might be because I avoid going to places that don't take care of their fish, and any place that takes care of their fish is likely to produce employees who know about fish.
Of course, I'm also lucky to live in a major metropolitan area that includes two large cities, so I have my choice of something like seven fish-specific pet stores, as well as a dozen or more others.

pamd

Of all small aquarium freshwater fish you could have put with a betta (male or female), a Gourami would be the worst possible candidate other than another betta (male or female)! Bettas and Gouramis are closely related species, and their territorial instincts will literally cause them to fight to death. Most other fish are not compatible with your betta, but a Gourami?!!! And you actually got out of the pet shop without somebody saying, "Whoa! You're not planning to put these fish in the same tank, are you?" If that's the case, that's disgusting on the part of the pet shop and on the poor flunkie who works there and who is very obviously ill-trained for the job!!!

I, too, want to know the name of the pet shop from which you bought these precious little creatures. If you have some answers to my questions below, I'll write e-mail. If I get an answer from you and no response from them, I'll boycott the whole chain and ask others to do the same if they didn't warn you.

We need facts, please. From what pet store or chain did you buy these fish? What city? Exactly what were you told, did you buy the three fish at once at the same place at the same time, did one employee help you, what is the size of your tank, is it cycled, is it heavily planted? Did they tell you a betta can live in a big community tank with other fish, including Gouramis, as long as it's got plants? What else did they tell you?

By the way, a betta is a particularly precious character. Despite his reputation for not getting along with other fish -- which is very very true in most cases except for a few compatible other species, such as some types of catfish, it might be true that some of a betta's "people" orientation (and therefore what we interpret as "personality") is because of this very trait.

DrK

Hi All,

Thanks for all your responses and really a good learning for me.

First coming to the pet store, yes! they did ask when I choose Bettas and Gouramis. I had plan to put my betta at my office desk. It is my mistake to put in the same tank thinking that it will feel comfortable till Monday (of course I am a novice). Now I realize my fault. After reading Allies response, first thing I threw him in his own 2.5 g tank. Now the tank is peaceful. Tomorrow I will be taking him with me to my office.

I set my 20g tank 2 months back with only 4 WC minnows and a lot of artificial plants and hideout spaces. Also have planted Devil's Ivy



Also I am happy with my Gouramis as they have started bubbling at the top again.

Here afterwards, before buying any fish for my community tank, I will ask this forum.
It is really wonderful to be part of this community.

Again thanks for all your responses

sirdarksol

Alright, so not as bad as it could have been. They did ask. And it's an understandable mistake if you don't realize just how badly bettas hate guoramis. With some fish "incompatible" means that they'll be a bit stressed, so a weekend wouldn't be the end of the world.

I'm glad everyone is okay and happy now.

Now, I have to say this:
Hopefully you have the right setup for a betta at your office. They require filtration, a heater (especially if your office's furnace is turned down overnight or over the weekend), and at least 2.5 gallons, though 5 or 10 is better. Many fishstores will tell you that they can live indefinitely in a little bowl "because they live in mud puddles in the wild". I've even seen a "tank" that held about two cups of water and was made to be split so you can have two bettas in it. "Now with transparent separator to enhance flaring."
Most of us on fishlore aren't sure why this myth continues, since petstores would sell more equipment if they pushed the proper care for bettas.

DrK

Yep! I got a small heater so the temperature is always constant (Though in my lab, the temperature always remains the same...day or night 24/7).
But my new worry is how to feed on weekends.
Rightnow I am just feeding 5 blood worms twice a day...
Can I have a devils ivy in this tank. Can it help in removing the nitrites?
Any advice please.

capekate

Sounds like you have most down on your bettas care. You shouldnt have any problem fasting him for two days ( the weekends). Feed him before you leave for the day on friday and first thing on monday morning when you get in. Do you have anyone that works overtime there that may be able to do it at least once on saturday or sunday?
It is my opinion that you are feeding your guy too much food. Everyone has their ideal amount to feed our bettas, but IMO 10 bloodworms a day may be too much food for that betta and esp. too many bloodworms at one feeding. You may like to try feeding it three times a day, with the last feeding just before you leave work. I would only give it two bloodworms a meal. I would also mix up the food with a meal of for instance, Hakiri BioGold Betta sm pellets, feeding two meals a day on the pellets and one meal a day with the bloodworms.
That is just my opinion, and others have favorite foods for their bettas as well as how much per meal. Maybe if you see your guy get awfully bloated after a meal, then possibly you have given him too much at a time.



~ kate

capekate

You dont mention a filter, so may be why you are having high nitrite readings. Only sollution with that, is doing regular water changes to keep the nitrite down. But you will also need to clean up the waste from the bottom of the tank as well. Plant is always nice in the tank so that the Betta has something to sleep and rest on near the surface.

~ kate

DrK

I just set the tank yesterday with water and gravel from my old tank. So really I do not have high nitrites or ammonia right now. But - in case- I get high nitrites in future....even after a 20% weekly water change... I will get a filter for him. Is it ok or tonight itself should I run to get a filter....
I love him very much...
Can anybody suggest a name for him....He really flares very well and I enjoyed his flaring and slow and robatic movement of his head towards other fish when he was in a community tank for a day...

capekate

Sure your guy will be fine for a day or two til you get the filter.
Do you have any photos of your new guy?

~ kate