Bettas

[Guinness]

Hi

Fairly new to this forum - so hello.

I am an avid E bayer, but should I be concerned that a new (tropical fish) seller is advocating keeping betas is a small (5-10g tank) & alone ??

Surely most fish could do with company (albeit as long as they are compatable)

I have one betta (Leonard) who is an absolute dear, but still lives with a couple of corys & a few tetras in a my second 20G tank.

This to me seems wrong , but I am no expert .

Should they be kept on their own ??

 

[devon_charm]

Hi there and welcome

Due to their nature and background, yes bettas are better off, and do actually prefer, to live alone. A 5gal is a good size to house them in as alot of bettas, again due to background and how they are brought up, get stressed in a tank that is large.

I have a betta that freeks out and hides even in a 5gal yet i stick him in a one or two and he is happy as larry making nests and showing off.

Each betta is different you are lucky as you have one that is sociable but most are not

Hope that about covers it

Edit: out of interest what listing is it you are talking of?

 

[CrashingWaves]

I find it interesting how most people will argue that a betta does better on his own. I currently have a male betta in a 55 gallon community tank, and he's doing amazing. I've done this before with my 55 gallon tank years ago, and a couple times before with a 10 gallon tank. I've only had one betta out of six not take well to it.

God Bless,
Joshua

 

[dmarie04]

Bettas are not "typically" social fish. It is the exception, rather than the rule, that a betta will thrive in a community set up. And watch the betta with those tetras. They might get along just fine (it's all up to the individual fish), but most tetras can get pretty nippy and might nip up your bettas beautiful tail, so just keep an eye out for that.

 

[*Bethie*]

Just my two cents...

I keep all my males alone in 2.5 or 5 gallon tanks. My females I have together in a 29 gallon sorority tank. Yeah there are some squabbles from time to time, but overall they get along and are pretty happy on there. I personally think it's better to keep males alone than in a community. Femailes are easier to keep together, but even then you have to be careful. I'm forever keeping a watchful eye on mine!

*Bethie*

 

[bordercollie05]

My bettas always have their own tanks or I keep them in a divided ten gallon alone. I've attempted a female sorority, but it didn't work out. They're much happier by themselves.

 

[Bubblenester]

Mixing male bettas with other fish is complicated, mostly because their fins are such great targets for fin nippers and they can be intimidated by a large tank, so it's easier to just keep them by themselves and not worry about it. They seem to do just fine in their own tank, and 5 gallons is a generous size for a betta, in fact most are perfectly happy in a 1 gallon tank.

That being said, I have a male with huge fins that has been living in a 40 gallon tank with tetras for six months, and he's doing great. He's never been nipped- he ignores the tetras, and they ignore him- and he's always bright and active. Sounds like your betta is also doing well in his community.

Female bettas usually do well in community tanks with either all female bettas, or other smaller semiaggressive fish or larger nonaggressive fish. But they also are fine alone.

 

[Booboo puppy]

Until recently, I have always kept my male bettas in individual tanks. I moved Aladdin into a heated, filtered 10 gallon along with 5 albino cories recently. He is thriving in that environment. Previously I had a different betta in the 10 gallon tank by himself, but he seemed to be stressed by so much room. Still another betta was very content to be alone in a six gallon tank and lived there for three years. Each fish seems to be different, just like us!