Betta Compatibility

[McCool]

Okay, so I have a medium sized male betta who currently lives in a one gallon by himself. I will soon be setting up a thirty gallon tank, and would love to move him into the larger tank. But I don't want him to be killed or kill anybody. I am not to sure if he will mix with what I want the new tank to include. The only thing I am absolutely set on putting in my tank is a blue crayfish. My Betta is a pretty active fish, so I would think that he would be fast enough to get away, but I would love another opinion. Also, would angels nip at his fins?
Thanks!

 

[Fishy friend2]

Here is a link to a good thread http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/382234-betta-fish-compatibility/page__pid__3206884#entry3206884 and a blue crayfish would be a really bad idea

 

[McCool]

Yeah, I actually read through that thread earlier. Thank you though! And when you say the Cray fish would be a bad idea, do you mean in general or just with the betta?

 

[Fishy friend2]

Well, they usually aren't compatible with most fish, including bettas. Because they are pretty quick and can easily catch most fish

 

[McCool]

Then I may just keep my Betta in his own tank. Wouldn't want anything to happen to him! Thanks for the help!

 

[Fishy friend2]

Your welcome

 

[MrCashew]

I know i just posted this on another thread but i've heard that putting bettas in tanks that are too big with too many other fish can be detrimental because they have trouble establishing their territory and die of stress. this happened to a betta my uncle had. its 'betta' to keep them in a slightly smaller tank 30 gallons is a lot

 

[McCool]

Wow! Haven't ever heard that before! I plan on filling the tank with plants and rock, so there will be plenty if hiding places.

 

[MrCashew]

well i hope it goes well for you. if anything i'd put him in the tank first on his own so he knows he's king, and slowly add other fish within a few days. i think my uncle just put his into an established pecking order and the fish couldn't deal with it.

 

[onidrase]

Fins and claws don't mix. If you get a crayfish, no matter how fast the fish is, don't throw in any fishes with it.

(I feel like I tell this story on here way too much.)

When I was a little kid, I got some baby crawdads from a lake when I went camping one year. Even though the crawdads live in pretty dang cold water out here, and I threw them in a tank where they'd be fed tropical fish flakes and be subjects to tropical temperatures, it actually thrived in said tank. I had zebra danios, angelfish, and bleeding heart tetras, and a pleco, just to name a few.

Long story short, that crawdad grew. When it was about 2 inches long, fish started disappearing. Ultimately, the crawdad was the culprit. In a matter of about 3 nights, our entire stock was obliterated. And that included zebra danios, and fish don't get too much faster than those little guys. I'd say a betta wouldn't stand a chance.

 

[McCool]

Well, I guess no crayfish for me maybe I'll just get some angels and a few clown loaches....
Thanks for the help!

 

[onidrase]

Well, I guess no crayfish for me maybe I'll just get some angels and a few clown loaches....
Thanks for the help!

Angels would be alright, clown loaches however, get well over a foot long throughout their lifespan and need to be kept in groups of 6 or more. So they need a 75 gallon tank as juveniles and a 6'x2'x2' as adults. There are plenty of other loaches out there that will work great, though. I'd suggest khuli loaches or yoyo loaches.

 

[McCool]

Wow. I didn't know they got that big. In our last tank we had a few of them, but it was also a 150 gallon. They got pretty big, but never that big! Thank you for informing me!

 

[lilfishie]

How tall is your 30gal? Angels need very tall tanks, and Bettas can work in tanks this size, i've done it before, also have you considered a group of female bettas in your 30gal?

 

[McCool]

No, I didn't think you could really mix female and male bettas together other than when your breeding them. I'm not sure the exact height, but it is fairly tall.