Are Bettas Compatible?

[balapickerel]

ok, so the title says it, i need to transfer my betta into another tank, but the ten gallon one i got for him is still cycleing, the only tank available for him is my 25 gallon tank, but is has other fish in it, one male common golfish, 3 inches in length, two male guppies and three female guppies, each about an 1.5 inches in length, i need to know if my betta can go in with them ASAP please!!!

 

[Netty]

Not a good idea at all with those fish. Is the tank heated as goldfish are coldwater? Bettas need to be kept at at least 26c. If it is heated, could you divide off a section for the Betta until his tank is ready. Or if it's not for a long period of time you could put him in a breeder net temporarily.

 

[balapickerel]

ok, the tank is heated, but i'm not sure how i would didvide it off, any more info would be great!

ps. what are the risks of having him with the other fish, i thought bettas only atacked other male bettas?

 

[Netty]

Guppies are a big no no.....because of their bright colours and flowy fins.

How long do you think before your Bettas tank will be ready?

If it's just for a week you could get a breeding net and pop him in there or if it's going to be longer try to get a divider. You can get penplax dividers in different sizes on ebay sometimes. Just make sure it's fitted tightly so no one can get through.





This is tank we have divided using them. They have holes all over so that the water can flow through easily.

 

[balapickerel]

ok, thanks, umm i have a large net that i could rest on the sides of the tank, it's about 6x6x9 inches, so it's bigger than those crappy small containers that they are often sold in, would this work?

 

[balapickerel]

so now the question is; could anything else go in my ten gallon tank with Brook? (i've decided to name him brook after my favorite type of fish, brook trout)

 

[Netty]

It's always best to go with peaceful fish like a small group of Cories or if you prefer a more mid level fish then a group of Rasboras should be fine. Always bear in mind though that some Bettas wont tolerate any tankmates, so always be prepared to remove them or the Betta if there are problems and have somewhere else to put them.

Alot of people have had success with Cories but you have to be careful with temps as Cories prefer cooler water and more flow which the Bettas generally don't like. If you can get the balance just right then they should be fine.

Any pics of Brook for us to see yet?

The net you described should be fine for a temporary solution...just make sure it's secure and that he can get to the surface easily for air

 

[balapickerel]

yeah it's at the surface of the tank, and he is doing fine so far, and i posted a picture of him in another post, sadly it makes him look a lot less colourful than he really is, here is the link http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=287993

 

[balapickerel]

well, it looks like things are gonna have to wait for a while longer, poor brook got a case of fungus i sure hope he gets better, i'm treating him with medicin in the hospital tank

 

[balapickerel]

sadly poor brook died in the night, i guess he was just too stressed from the fungus...

 

[bae1994]

sorry to hear that mate

 

[WhiteDevil]

they will be fine together, they are community fish, its just people dont care to educate themselves on the indepth aspect of betta keeping, they dont fight to the death,ever. I kept mine with guppies and angels not one single problem ever. It will be fine.

 

[balapickerel]

thanks whitedevil, that's still good to know as i will be replacing him once the tank has cycled

 

[Netty]

Sorry to hear you lost him.

You'd really be better off having a heater for the next one. Cooler temps will weaken their immune systems and leave them open to illness. Nothing less than 26/27 degrees is recommended.

WhiteDevil......that's quite a sweeping statement to say they NEVER fight to the death. Even if the fight doesn't kill them, the resulting injuries and stress will!!!! I think I'm educated enough in Betta keeping to state that to be the case.

 

[balapickerel]

i think whitedevil is talking about bettas fighting with other fish, not other bettas