Keeping a betta

I have a question for all betta keepers / previous keepers

I have never kept a betta personally but I hear a lot of comments on why they are kept in their own tanks due to aggression etc.. in my lfs stores most are kept in community tanks with various fish including gourami, cichlids, tetras and many others with no aggression from either parties.

Look at my scenario for instance I have honey gourami, dwarf cichlids and tetras in a 33g, this is similar stocking to the fish stores I have witnessed. So from all the info I have read that should be like a No No.

Why does or can it work?

 

Personally I have probably the strangest and biggest no in my stocking but it has worked for a few years now so I don't really know what is fact and what is myth anymore. 3 males and 16 females shouldn't be able to be kept together but they are.

 

Personally I have probably the strangest and biggest no in my stocking but it has worked for a few years now so I don't really know what is fact and what is myth anymore. 3 males and 16 females shouldn't be able to be kept together but they are.

Wow that must be a very colourful/beautiful setup

 

Saimese fighter was the name years ago, they are sometimes tolerent of other fish but to males of the same species not usually, there is always the exception to the rule.

 

It's an unusual occurrence but it can happen. Not sure what makes situations like these happen. I've kept bettas for 9 years and almost all of my community tanks over those years have had a single or multiple bettas (females) in them. The only time you won't see a betta in one of my communities are if they're temperature, size, or current/flow incompatible. I can't say I've kept anything together quite as unusual as yours or david1978's setups. But personally I think bettas do quite well in communities, and in my experience do enjoy the company of other fish. I've currently got a giant betta, 8 java loaches and a bristlenose pleco together in a 30 gallon and the betta mimics the loachy dance and plays with them without so much as a nip. I also have a betta sorority in which I've had no biting aggression with, just the occassional body slam wrestle lol, they even had a school of pygmy cories living with them for a while during an emergency situation and they cohabited completely peacefully. But then again, I do have some males that will not tolerate any other fish or inverts too.

 

Craig_84

I'd love to see what this looks like! Any chance you could upload a photo?

 

Craig_84

I'd love to see what this looks like! Any chance you could upload a photo?

I don’t have a betta in my personal tank, it’s just tanks I have seen in fish stores in general. I don’t think personally I would take the risk as I only have a single tank running, If I was to have more tanks running I would definitely give it a go.

The question was just because I have seen them in other tanks with community fish but the general answer is “bad idea” when you talk to most people. I just wanted to know why as I have never kept a betta

But I would also love to see pictures of Bettas in community tanks

( next time I visit fish store I will take photo)

 

I've kept a betta in my 10 gallon community but I've only ever done it with peaceful fish like neon tetras and cories. Both times I had a betta in there they did great no issues with the other fish. I will say though that if you want to do that, either buy the betta that is in a community at the fish store or do what I did. I would take the betta I liked and hold its cup up to other fish and if it didn't flare/wasn't aggressive then that's the one. Good luck! I love seeing bettas in communities

 

I've kept a betta in my 10 gallon community but I've only ever done it with peaceful fish like neon tetras and cories. Both times I had a betta in there they did great no issues with the other fish. I will say though that if you want to do that, either buy the betta that is in a community at the fish store or do what I did. I would take the betta I liked and hold its cup up to other fish and if it didn't flare/wasn't aggressive then that's the one. Good luck! I love seeing bettas in communities

Yes that would be the best idea. Its not something I’d do in the near future but I think it would worth a shot when I move to a bigger place that I can expand my collection. Won’t know if it works until you try I guess.

 

You can keep different species of Bettas in pairs or in groups.

 

I don’t have a betta in my personal tank, it’s just tanks I have seen in fish stores in general. I don’t think personally I would take the risk as I only have a single tank running, If I was to have more tanks running I would definitely give it a go.

The question was just because I have seen them in other tanks with community fish but the general answer is “bad idea” when you talk to most people. I just wanted to know why as I have never kept a betta

But I would also love to see pictures of Bettas in community tanks

( next time I visit fish store I will take photo)

I tagged the wrong member, I was meant to tag david1978 he's the one with 3 males and 16 females!

Feel free to show us your single tank set up! Always interested to see other members tanks

 

Hey guys was in a pets store today and here are some betta in with odd balls this is not my lfs but it’s where I buy my plants from. Where do I start naming all the different fish thrown in there lol



Another tank

 

Cool!