Starting A Female Sorority

So I figured out what I want to do with my 29 gallon I cry every time I go into my local Walmart, seeing the poor bettas in cups neglected on the shelves. I’ve decided to buy as many females as I can fit into my new build safely! Also considering adding some Rasboras and Cory’s Here’s the beginnings of it. My dragon stone came in today.... I have some plants in cups floating while tank cycles and have others being shipped this week I’m so stoked!

 

I fully understand your desire to make a sorority tank. I always wanted a betta but was always looking at the males until I saw my beautiful new female. Now I look more at the girls and they're so pretty and so sad that I want do do a sorority tank so bad but I don't have room for a second tank right now so I cant.

But, I would so do a sorority tank if I could. Looking forward to see how yours does.

 

I fully understand your desire to make a sorority tank. I always wanted a betta but was always looking at the males until I saw my beautiful new female. Now I look more at the girls and they're so pretty and so sad that I want do do a sorority tank so bad but I don't have room for a second tank right now so I cant.

But, I would so do a sorority tank if I could. Looking forward to see how yours does.

Thanks Originally, I planned on moving my male betta, Filipe (Walmart rescue) and his tank compadres from their 12 gallon into this deluxe high rise in the sky, but on a sleepless night of watching YouTube videos, decided to do the sorority rescue

I will def post more pics as this transpires!

 

Yay! I love that idea

 

Yay! I love that idea

Thanks!! I’m going crazy waiting on the cycle process and such and such to arrive lol I just want my girls swimming happily in their sea of love

 

Well if they are from Walmart make sure they are healthy and strong enough to be in a sorority. And I do hope you plan to have that thickly planted.

 

Thanks!! I’m going crazy waiting on the cycle process and such and such to arrive lol I just want my girls swimming happily in their sea of love

Yeah, I'm on month two of cycling. I feel your pain

 

I did a community/sorority in my 29 gallon, and I kept the girls in that tank for a few months, but last month I moved the sorority out of the community tank and put them in their own 20 gallon tank. I ran into some problems at feeding time that forced me to separate the girls from the community fish. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't aggression, or anything like that. It was actually because the bettas would eat and eat nonstop, and whenever I tried to feed the other fish, the bettas would eat their food. And basically the only way for me to ensure my bottom feeders were eating was to overfeed my bettas. So, just my 2 cents, I'm all for you starting a sorority, but I would advise you to not put any bottom feeders in the tank, or better yet, keep the tank as bettas only.

 

Well if they are from Walmart make sure they are healthy and strong enough to be in a sorority. And I do hope you plan to have that thickly planted.

Oh most definitely!! I have so many plants coming in the mail it’s really not even funny lol I will make sure the females I bring home are good to go. If not, I will hospitalize and figure out other options

 

Yeah, I'm on month two of cycling. I feel your pain

Jeez Louise! Are you using anything to speed up the process?

 

Jeez Louise! Are you using anything to speed up the process?

Yes, but I went on vacation twice and have changed the filter media around some lol

 

Yes, but I went on vacation twice and have changed the filter media around some lol

Ahhh the stress and headache. It is a labor of love, that’s for sure!!!

 

I have a 10 gallon betta sorority. It has only 3 girls in and its planted and decorated. I strongly advise that you add them at the same time. They are territorial and it helps them from not being as aggressive over territories. They will establish a pecking order but it will be less aggressive if nobody already has territory. Also watch for any of them being overly aggressive because like males some females are more aggressive then others and will kill other females. In which case be prepared to either remove the overly aggressive one or the one being picked on. Good luck, soroities can work well, just always keep an eye on it. I check my girls several times a day to make sure nobody is harrassing anybody else and nobody has fin damage.

 

I have a 10 gallon betta sorority. It has only 3 girls in and its planted and decorated. I strongly advise that you add them at the same time. They are territorial and it helps them from not being as aggressive over territories. They will establish a pecking order but it will be less aggressive if nobody already has territory. Also watch for any of them being overly aggressive because like males some females are more aggressive then others and will kill other females. In which case be prepared to either remove the overly aggressive one or the one being picked on. Good luck, soroities can work well, just always keep an eye on it. I check my girls several times a day to make sure nobody is harrassing anybody else and nobody has fin damage.

Thanks for the advice! I was also thinking about adding them after I have the Rasboras and Cory’s in the tank. There will be more distractions that way, from what I hear!! I will definitely keep my eyes peeled!!! I would never want anything to get hurt. And yes, I have a couple back up options, if need be

Thank you for the advice! I was hoping to get other sorority members to chime in!!

 

Thanks for the advice! I was also thinking about adding them after I have the Rasboras and Cory’s in the tank. There will be more distractions that way, from what I hear!! I will definitely keep my eyes peeled!!! I would never want anything to get hurt. And yes, I have a couple back up options, if need be

Thank you for the advice! I was hoping to get other sorority members to chime in!!

Adding the cories and rasboras first will also allow the bettas to see them more as part of the tank. They would build territories around them, instead of adding them after the bettas and then the bettas would see them as invading their space

 

Adding the cories and rasboras first will also allow the bettas to see them more as part of the tank. They would build territories around them, instead of adding them after the bettas and then the bettas would see them as invading their space

That’s the thought process I was having, too. Thanks

 

YAY! so excited to see how it turns out for you. I was actually thinking of starting a betta sorority to

 

YAY! so excited to see how it turns out for you. I was actually thinking of starting a betta sorority to

Oohhh you should bettas are such cool fish !

 

I hope everything turns out well for you! and the Bettas

 

Oohhh you should bettas are such cool fish !

I would be overrun with bettas lol. I have 3 males right now (possibly getting a fourth) one is in a planted community 10 gallon and the other 2 are in a divided 10 gallon
I just love betta's WAY to much

 

I would be overrun with bettas lol. I have 3 males right now (possibly getting a fourth) one is in a planted community 10 gallon and the other 2 are in a divided 10 gallon
I just love betta's WAY to much

I'm soooo already there, lol. I own 16 bettas. 3 are female in a sorority. The rest are in 1 in a 5 gallon, 2 in a 5 gallon divided (temporarily) 1 in a 10 gallon, 2 in a divided 15 gallon show tank, 2 in a divided 10 gallon, 3 in a divided 20 gallon long, 1 in another 5 gallon and 1 in a 3 gallon hospital tank. I am going to take my 29 bow front down. It has sepera tetea in it who are going to a good home and then I'm having a special shelf built for 20 gallon long tanks. Itll hold three more tanks. So 9 more betta. I also have bought 7 of the 16 from a local girl who imports from Thailand. I'm soooo way past having to many but they are just so beautiful with such unique personalities. I can't help myself. Lol

 

Looks good to me. Make sure there are lots and lots of plants luckdown david1978 what do you guys have to say?

 

I'm soooo already there, lol. I own 16 bettas. 3 are female in a sorority. The rest are in 1 in a 5 gallon, 2 in a 5 gallon divided (temporarily) 1 in a 10 gallon, 2 in a divided 15 gallon show tank, 2 in a divided 10 gallon, 3 in a divided 20 gallon long, 1 in another 5 gallon and 1 in a 3 gallon hospital tank. I am going to take my 29 bow front down. It has sepera tetea in it who are going to a good home and then I'm having a special shelf built for 20 gallon long tanks. Itll hold three more tanks. So 9 more betta. I also have bought 7 of the 16 from a local girl who imports from Thailand. I'm soooo way past having to many but they are just so beautiful with such unique personalities. I can't help myself. Lol

Omg I feel like that what I’m going to end up with 20 betta’s lol

 

Its fun and time consuming but worth it. It relaxes me watching them. To OP, I just wanted to say your tank is very beautiful. I hope you enjoy it!

 

I have a 10 gallon betta sorority. It has only 3 girls in and its planted and decorated. I strongly advise that you add them at the same time. They are territorial and it helps them from not being as aggressive over territories. They will establish a pecking order but it will be less aggressive if nobody already has territory. Also watch for any of them being overly aggressive because like males some females are more aggressive then others and will kill other females. In which case be prepared to either remove the overly aggressive one or the one being picked on. Good luck, soroities can work well, just always keep an eye on it. I check my girls several times a day to make sure nobody is harrassing anybody else and nobody has fin damage.

I thought you were only supposed to have sorority's in a 20 because there's not enough space for the females to call their territory

 

I thought you were only supposed to have sorority's in a 20 because there's not enough space for the females to call their territory

You're confusing minimum size with preferred size. 10 gallons is the minimum. And territory is more about making sure there's a lot of stuff (plants, caves, etc) to break up the sight lines. You could have a 100 gallon tank, but if the only thing you put in it is a single fake plant, there are no territory lines.

 

I thought you were only supposed to have sorority's in a 20 because there's not enough space for the females to call their territory

There is a lot of debate about that. I can tell you that my girls live very peacefully together. I check them a lot and there are no problems. The tank is heavily planted and there is decorations in there as well. I also don't have any other fish in there. It works very well.

 

Okay thanks

 

Here's a few things I'd like to add.

Always quarantine them first regardless of how they look. 2-4 weeks depending on if issues pop up in the first 2 weeks. During this period try to have it so they can see the otherbettas. It'll help get them used to them and you'll get a good idea if they're safe for a sorority during their quarantine period this way. (Flaring is fine, obsessing is what's bad same with trying to attack even if it's not constantly)

Also every time you add new bettas to the sorority you need to rearrange or add things to the tank so that their boundaries need to be reestablished by the bettas already in the tank and it puts everyone on even ground. Pecking order will already have to be figured out again so this only helps to prevent them from thinking the new ones are entering their territory and they need to defend it as well as figure out the new rankings.

While you can have multiple bettas in a 10 gallon it's extremely risky. Also only having 3 is very dangerous. 5 females are the min of what you should do to keep aggression spread out. Though yes, the more heavily planted the easier the "impossible" is to do because that's part of how they define territories though tank size is also a factor cuz they will protect a certain range around their territory.

You can do a lot with bettas you just have to do it the right way so that it's safe.

But due to risk factors as well as people generally not having enough information these things are only recommend for those of us who are experienced, or not at all. 10 gallon sorority tanks are something I wouldn't recommend anyone do but it is something I have done successfully a few times and will be doing more research into. (More specially long term breeding tanks, I want to try to breed out the aggression to make more peaceful bettas so the bettas I would do this with would follow extremely strict guidelines)

 

Agree with luckdown on most of it. I always have to be different. Lol. But yea minimum recommended is a 20 gallon with 5 girls. The bigger and more heavily planted the higher the success rate. I find babies integrate quite well with nothing changed in the tank. Now I have never had a true sorority as I have always had atleast one male with them but its in a 75 gallon tank. The biggest mistake I see when trying a sorority is crowding the bettas or putting in tank mates that shouldn't be in there.

 

So I figured out what I want to do with my 29 gallon I cry every time I go into my local Walmart, seeing the poor bettas in cups neglected on the shelves. I’ve decided to buy as many females as I can fit into my new build safely! Also considering adding some Rasboras and Cory’s Here’s the beginnings of it. My dragon stone came in today.... I have some plants in cups floating while tank cycles and have others being shipped this week I’m so stoked! View attachment 456997View attachment 456998

Your tank is beautiful!
I have 3 female Bettas in my 55 gallon Community tank, 2 of which happen to be recent Walmart rescues, might I they’re babies. I have been blessed with three very mellow ladies and they all get along very well! Good luck!

 

When your babies come into maturity, kayla, their temperament may change.

-------

I agree with lockdown and david in their above posts. 20 gallons is what I, too, would recommend as the minimum tank size for a sorority (OP is using a 29 gallon), and as well with a minimum of 5 females. I know there are a couple of people who posted and said they have 3 and they're fine. Please understand, this is the exception. In my experience, betta sororities do better in larger numbers. I personally have 7 in a 20 gallon with no other fish. I used to have 8. The one that died did not die from aggression or fighting, but from having a weak immune system since the beginning. I do intend to add more. I'm waiting on a few breeders that are getting ready to sell some spawns. I know that on paper 10 gallons is listed as the minimum tank size for a sorority, but I agree that may be better suited for experienced sorority keepers.

The trick with a sorority is you need to purposefully overcrowd the tank. With bettas, with plants, with rocks, with wood, with floating plants (VERY IMPORTANT), with hides... if you can look at the tank from the side and see through it, add more stuff. You basically want to create a bunch of "rooms" in the tank. several more "rooms" than bettas. I'm using quotes because of course they won't have walls or anything, but they will be clearly defined zones with sight lines blocked. Also, more bettas is better than fewer. The more of them you have, the more spread out the aggression is. It's harder for one betta to single out another one. If they try to chase, they lose each other in the crowd.

You don't necessarily have to re-do the entire aquascape every time you add a new betta. Just move a few things around, or add a few plants. Just that little bit will be enough to reset the territories, and allow you to add a new fish. I started out with 5 females, and then I got more and put them in a month long qt before adding them, and then I got another.

Also, don't expect your bettas to have perfect, beautiful fins all the time. I'm going to break it to you now and tell you the hard cold truth. Nipped fins are part of keeping a sorority. It's part of how they establish and maintain their pecking order. So you're always going to have 1 or 2 fish in the tank who's fins don't look the best. If you want all your bettas to always have perfect gorgeous fins, a sorority isn't for you. Of course it's possible that you could end up with a group of perfect angels who immediately become the best of friends, but let's be real, that's probably not going to happen. To promote fin healing, and to prevent fin rot, you may need to do more water changes than a normal tank. I change 50% of the water in my betta tank every 5 days, and it seems like any new damage is always starting to heal within a couple days. Of course if it's daily occurrence to find new fin damage, or if the damage is severe or excessive, you should intervene and possibly separate one or more of the females. But if you see a couple of new nips every few weeks on one or two fish, that's absolutely normal. Aggression will be heightened (and fin nips more common) when first introducing the sorority, and whenever something changes in the tank, like moving things around, or adding or removing fish.

 

I strongly disagree on the you more bettas to spread out aggression thing. I only have 16 of them in a 75 gallon. That's the most I have ever had. Once I was over 7 the whole tank calmed immensely. Chases last 6-8 inches. They occasionally chase each but fin damage is very rare.

 

I'm soooo already there, lol. I own 16 bettas. 3 are female in a sorority. The rest are in 1 in a 5 gallon, 2 in a 5 gallon divided (temporarily) 1 in a 10 gallon, 2 in a divided 15 gallon show tank, 2 in a divided 10 gallon, 3 in a divided 20 gallon long, 1 in another 5 gallon and 1 in a 3 gallon hospital tank. I am going to take my 29 bow front down. It has sepera tetea in it who are going to a good home and then I'm having a special shelf built for 20 gallon long tanks. Itll hold three more tanks. So 9 more betta. I also have bought 7 of the 16 from a local girl who imports from Thailand. I'm soooo way past having to many but they are just so beautiful with such unique personalities. I can't help myself. Lol

Oohhh this entire comment makes me so happy!!! I would love to see pics! And I’d concur, bettas have the coolest unique personalities

I strongly disagree on the you more bettas to spread out aggression thing. I only have 16 of them in a 75 gallon. That's the most I have ever had. Once I was over 7 the whole tank calmed immensely. Chases last 6-8 inches. They occasionally chase each but fin damage is very rare.

Ohh little lover fishes lol so I was thinking 6 in a 29 gallon. Will be heavily planted what do you think?