males and females sorority tank

OK, I've found that link again, but I think you have to be a member to view it, so I'll copy/paste it.

So to credit the guy's work, his name is Csaba Godo.

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Csaba Godó's tank






Dimensions
20" x 16" x 24"/50 x 40 x 60 cm

Volume
120 l./26 gal./32 US gal.

Aquarium details
This aquarium is a true biotope aquarium modelling a small rainforest creeck in the Malay-Peninsula. I modell it from photos taken on fish capturing expeditions in that area. The extended gravel filtration system works so fine, that I have really nothing to do with the thank except the monthly-water-refresing procedure (changing the about 1/3 part of the water) and the feeding the fishes. The lighting automated to modell two sunny periods and between these periods has no direct lighting, just the natural light from the room, because the fishes come from heavily shadowed areas.

Fish
20 TRigonostigma (Rasbora) espeI 12 Trigonostigma (Rasbora) heteromorpha) 10 Rasbora pauciperforata 9 Puntius (Barbus) tetrazona 2 Trichogaster trichopterus var. sumatranus 5 Crossocheilus oblongus 3 Pangio kuhliI Comming later: 3 Trichogaster leerI 2 Trichogaster microlepis 15 Boraras (Rasbora) maculatus 5 Botia shidthimunkI 3 Betta splendens

Plants/Invertebrates
Microsorium pteropus Microsorium pteropus var. nana Cryptocoryne wendtiI Riccia fluitans Pistia stratoides Vesicularia dubiyana

Filtration
Most cheaper chinese substrate filtration equipment extended with some geotextile

Lighting
2 × 30 W common lighting rows

Substrate
Mixed gravel

Decor
Driftwood and cooked oak leaves

Background
Back To Nature's Amazonas

Water parameters
DH 15, pH 6,5, 24°C

Uploaded by
Csaba Godó (Hungary) on
13 June 2007 05:24:57 pm

 

I would not encourage anyone to try having males and females living in the same tank even if a few people have done it. Just because it was working for him at the time he posted this does not mean it will continue.
IMO, I don't think we should be encouraging Betta owners, especially newbies, to try putting Bettas together, whether they are females, males or mixed.
I'm just really worried about the safety of these Bettas because some people will try it just because they read online that someone else did it. The fact that thousands of others have tried and failed seems to get ignored.

 

did I miss it?

where does it say the splendens are male and female? I just see that it says 3 of them.. not even if the natural splendens or the ones we find at stores.

 

I'm with ya CoBetta!

 

Oh am not encouraging it. Am just saying it is not 100% impossible.

Although I would really discourage anyone from trying it, it is an interesting piece of information. I realise it's controversial, but I hope the newbies can handle this info and know that it's best left to the pros.

He's posted this a while ago, and not reported failure.

Maybe the male/female was on a post when I was chatting to him (rather than in the article). But basically he's got 3 couples in there. He was saying that as long as they have somewhere to escape out of sight, and enough plants/volume to each have their own territories, then that worked for him.

Personally, I think his tank looks great. But yeah, to clarify, pleeeeeeeeeeease don't try this at home.

 

I definitely wouldn't have males & females together. I know that sometimes a male can be docile enough.

 

1) I don't see anything that says males and females are living together. I would never recommend that.

2) If it's females together, which I suspect, they'll be fine. My girlfriend has a 29 gallon tank, with 5 females in it. And, aside from the occasional argument and constant egginess...the girls are fine. LOL Honestly, they act EXACTLY like the barb tank I have. They argue and chase, but no fins are nipped or anything.

I'm not saying that it will work for everyone, but it works well for us.

 

I guess that another way in which animals differ from humans. With animals, a group of women can actually live together peaceably!!!

;D

 

I will not recommend it as one of the most painful experiences of the whole of my fishkeeping hobby life was the loss of my females because I listened to the what the "books" said and followed the instructions on how to have a "female only tank". Their deaths were unnecessary and cruel but totally my fault for being so dumb to listen to the "experts". It is not an experience that I would repeat and I would really encourage those starting in the betta experience NOT to do it.

Rose

 

fortunately, we seperated the females before they could tear each other up, but our sorority tank only lasted a day.. and it just took the one trigger to start the war after things seemed happy. our wild mahachaI bettas do well together, but they're a pretty unique species.

 

I guess that another way in which animals differ from humans. With animals, a group of women can actually live together peaceably!!!

;D

So sad, so true!

 

So sad, so true!

LoL, Actually, I just learned there is yet another way in which they differ... LOOK!

fortunately, we separated the females before they could tear each other up, but our sorority tank only lasted a day.. and it just took the one trigger to start the war after things seemed happy. our wild mahachaI bettas do well together, but they're a pretty unique species.

See the bold print? Unfortunately that isn't possible with our species. Has anyone ever tried to split up a cat fight?... Exactly!

 

Yeah, like I said, I would definitely not recommend it unless you're home 24/7, constantly watching your tank, and are very experienced.

There's also the false sense of security brought about by the fact that juvenile females may get along, until one hits adulthood, and then bang!

 

Yeah, like I said, I would definitely not recommend it unless you're home 24/7, constantly watching your tank, and are very experienced.

You DO know I was talking about human beings, right?

 

Yes, so was I, LOL!

Erm, in case it wasn't clear, I was talking of bettas.

 

;D

 

I wouldn't recommend it even to experienced fish owners. Unless you can literally sit in front of the tank and watch 24 hours a day (that means no sleeping) you will eventually have injuries. Even when they are not fighting they are under stress, constantly "on guard" feeling the need to defend themselves and their space. This is not a fun or relaxing way to live. I want my fish to be calm and peaceful and secure. I want them to spend their time exploring and making up silly little games to play, not always watching her back. Just because they are not fighting does not mean they are not paranoid and suspicious of each other. They do not get lonely by themselves. As long as they have things to explore and plants to swim around they will be happy and calm.

I thought when putting my females together they might become friends. They did not. To the untrained eye it might "seem" that way, but if you really watch closely you can see even when they swim together they seem to be watching each other, waiting for something bad to happen... always on edge... they don't want to be caught unaware.

 

Bettas are so great, it's a tempting thought to have more than 1 in a tank, but the only bettas i'd keep together would be mahachaI bettas and they need different conditions and care than splendens.

 

Well it's one of those things that can be so rewarding if it actually works. The point of posting was more to point out a huge exception in the hobby.

I really would not do this myself, and wouldn't encourage anyone to do this, unless they really know what they're doing and can watch the fish 24/7 which, frankly, is a near-impossible criterion.

Still, I found it fascinating to see.

 

yea, i'd just be so on edge waiting for the war to start that I wouldn't enjoy it any.. but with the mahachaI I can have the tank full of bettas. ;D

Well it's one of those things that can be so rewarding if it actually works. The point of posting was more to point out a huge exception in the hobby.

I really would not do this myself, and wouldn't encourage anyone to do this, unless they really know what they're doing and can watch the fish 24/7 which, frankly, is a near-impossible criterion.

Still, I found it fascinating to see.