Betta_dude

everyone knows you can't keep male bettas with females, but what about the females? I've heard you can keep females together. Is it true, and if so how much space does each of them need?

luna

sirdarksol

As Luna said, it can be done, it's just tough. If you do this, I would suggest being prepared to separate them all into their own tanks should violence erupt.

Pandora

If females are separated for any length of time they become territorial. If you really want to try it, as sirkarksol said, be prepared to separate if necessary. Also, if at all possible avoid females that are housed individually, and only try it with girls who are already living together. If you can find females raised together the chance of it working out is better (though still depends on the individual fish involved and their temperaments, levels of aggression, etc.)
Also be aware that even if there isn't a lot of visible aggression there can be latent stress from territorial fish being housed together that can show up later as illnesses that appear seemingly out of nowhere.
The one time I attempted grouping unrelated females I had one killed outright, and the rest seemed to get along for several months till they started coming down with dropsy out of the blue and I lost most of my females. However, I have housed females that have been in the same tank since birth for fairly long periods of time with no problems (though have never tried it as a permanent set-up, just for grow-out and housing until they go to either their permanent homes or into individual housing if keeping them as breeders).

COBettaCouple

Mostly, the sorority tanks end in disaster. I'd not recommend one but if you were to try it, I'd say at least a 40g that's heavily planted and a backup plan for if/when they got aggressive.

Allie

I wouldn't recommend it. I tried it and they all died of illness...as Pandora said. They make each other sick thru stress. I know I don't want to deal with that stress for myself again.

sirdarksol

Perhaps the most difficult part of doing this. It's easy to tell if the fish are physically attacking each other, but it's harder to be in tune with your fish to the point that you can tell if they're stressing each other.

Allie

I suppose so.
Not all people have the luxury I do of sitting around my tanks whenever I feel like it...which is most of the day.
I love studying their behavior and how they interact. I get to know my fish pretty well...which is how I discovered my betta are just like my cats in many ways.

Betta_dude

I was not going to try it. I just read that and wanted to know if it was true. Too bad bettas are so territorial, a tank full of them would be so pretty.

Pandora

It really is! When they're still in growout, I've gotten the odd really peaceful batch that's gotten to the point where they have relatively long fins before too much aggression starts happening. A whole tank of mixed boys and girls is a lovely sight for the brief time it lasts, fins rippling away. My sister described my green marbles as 'shimmering' up and down the glass whenever anyone walked into the room (the whole people = food thing lol)
Sometimes it seems a shame they can't stay together, but at the same time if they could be, most people who keep them would never get to know their individual personalities and how unique each of them is in disposition. That's something you really notice best when they each have their own space. One of the benefits of them being mean lil guys!