Can 2 Male Bettas Live In The Same Tank?

[Pixietina]

when i used to breed (back in the day) i had a betta who would jump over the divider each night and swim happily with his neighbour. so i left them too it..
i think as it goes with how domesticatedly bred theyre becoming theyre getting softer.
the true "fighter fish" is the plekat they are bred to be fast muscular and killers.
whereas halfmoons etc are bred for beauty and big fins, if you put them together you'll find normally yes they would attack but more likely in a heavily planted tank just hide from eachother to save themselves dragging those huge fins around
not condoling it thats just how i have observed things.

however veiltails are normally farm bred for big shop chains and still have the killing instint more so than the home bred HM,CT,SD's etc
x7chrissy

 

[BettaCrazy7]

If I ever got a large tank (probably 100+ gal.) I might try having 2 males but lots more would go into it than just plopping them both in there. They would be gradually introduced (separate ends of the tank?) with tons of hiding places. Then again, if I had a large tank I would want large fish also . Now, if we were talking 2 males in, let's say, a 10 gallon that should be frowned upon as they don't have enough room to have a safe distance from each other.

 

[BethK]

If I ever got a large tank (probably 100+ gal.) I might try having 2 males but lots more would go into it than just plopping them both in there. They would be gradually introduced (separate ends of the tank?) with tons of hiding places. Then again, if I had a large tank I would want large fish also . Now, if we were talking 2 males in, let's say, a 10 gallon that should be frowned upon as they don't have enough room to have a safe distance from each other.

This I agree on, time is the key but in a 10gal, you're asking for trouble. Bettas are territorial and 10gals isn't big enough to share territory.

I wouldn't suggest placing 2 males or mixing sexes in anything smaller than a 125ltr and even then, if there is nipping involved, I would remove a male.

 

[mmjisawesome]

Sadly.....no

 

[lilfishie]

i will get some pictures of my definate male and the other 4 he lives with next week and pop up a tank shot too, its not what you call heavily planted but they all know where they stand in the pecking order, no flaring or nipping what so ever


p.s. may i add that the male is a DTPK so not all PKs are as agressive as has been stated

 

[guppybreeder45]

Tried that once and one of the ended up with a terribly scarred fish but at least there weren't any mortalities

 

[Gill]

As stated It Really depends on the temperament of the fish. And being siblings helps.
With Splendens it is hit and miss.

The only Bettas i have kept in mixed groups together successfully were imbellis.

 

[lilfishie]

sorry to bring this back up, but this is my tank with my mixed group in

 

[AnastasiaRain]

I know this thread is really old. But I actually debunked this myth years ago had 2 males in a 35 or 40 deep tank they both kept to themselves with their daily flare ups but never harmed the other they were tank mates for several years..
So as long as you have an exceptionally large tank with a good current... yes it is possible