Can Betta's Breed With Other Fish In Tank?

[girl4God81]

I have some platies and molly's along with 3 pregnant bettas and 1 male. The male hasn't shown any aggression towards the other fish so far (I'm watching him, it's been close to a week). They are all in a 10 gallon. I believe my girls are more than ready and sometimes flare at each other in front of him as if to say "back off! he's MINE!". He will swim up to them but hasn't done anything else. If anything, the girls flare at him practically begging him to spawn, he just looks and swims past. He also doesn't seem to be making a bubble nest, but acts fine otherwise. My question is this:

Will they breed with other fish in the tank?

I don't really see why not, and while I could take them out, they seem so happy in there. I have just bought 4 new tanks within the past 3 months so I don't see hub letting me get more anytime soon. If I seperate them into a seperate tank it will just be a 2.5 gallon with no filter and a heater that only seems to go up to about 75 F. I put him with one of my girls in a breeding net once for about 10 hours and he nipped at her and did nothing else. He doesn't nip in the larger tank. So what do you think?

 

[zoekin8yg]

No is the simple answer, the females should not be in the same tank as the male! and the male will become very agressive and protect his nest and the babies. The nest usually needs to be left alone no fish once the fry have hatched. Bettas don't become pregnant they lay eggs so they arent pregnant

 

[girl4God81]

You're right, they aren't "pregnant", wrong choice of words I guess. I do know they lay eggs though

I know it is normally a horrible idea to have a male betta with any female betta, not to mention platies and mollies. One the other hand, he hasn't shown any aggressions whatsoever, and I have (embarrasingly enough) sat there and watched my fish for 3 or 4 hours on end and I have never seen him even flare at the other fish. I have had tons of bettas in the past and of them all, he's the second that's been able to be in a tank with these kind of fish (or that I've let with any others actually). The first was a little older than him and lived in there for over a year with no problems. You're right about the eggs though. I wasn't thinking about how he will want to protect the bubble nest and she (as well as every single one of the other fish) will want to eat them, and then he will defintely be aggressive at that point. Thanks for the reply!

 

[zoekin8yg]

It probably ok to have him in there is hes not misbehaving, but he could easily turn

 

[girl4God81]

Yeah, I'll watch him.

 

[zoekin8yg]

good luck

 

[Amunet]

I personally would not keep him in there.
There is just too much of a risk that he or the others would become too aggressive or nippy.
Why wait until something happens when you could prevent it all together by just seperating now.. ya know?

Good luck with them all though!

 

[Dorkhedeos]

well, he might not be flaring because hes scared of the females or something like that. im pretty sure either the females or the male is getting really stressed out

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

I personally would not keep him in there.
There is just too much of a risk that he or the others would become too aggressive or nippy.
Why wait until something happens when you could prevent it all together by just seperating now.. ya know?

i agree. i'd get him out of there.

well, he might not be flaring because hes scared of the females or something like that. im pretty sure either the females or the male is getting really stressed out

once again, i agree. i wouldn't keep males/females together or males in a community tank.

 

[Jaded12]

They could be getting along now but things could very quickly go wrong... it would be best to take him out and put him in his own home.

 

[Tessla]

I wouldn't keep a male in with three females in a community tank. I've had great success with males in community tanks (takes some doing to find suitable tank mates first though) but having the females in there is asking for aggression. Another thing I'd be careful with is keeping mollys in a ten gallon tank, they really ought to be in something 20 gallons or larger, maybe 15 at an absolute minimum. They're also much better off in brackish water.

I've noticed that previously aggressive bettas will also tone it down if there are larger fish present in the tank, this may be the case with the mollys if you've got one of the larger varieties. Be very careful if you ever lose or rehose the mollys. The male may wreak havoc in the tank or the females may gang up on the male, it can go either way.

 

[liz2]

in my experience if fish are going to get grumpy and start fighting it is when you are in bed..you get up next day and chewed up fish!

 

[stang1]

I agree with others on this one.
Bettas in a community may work out but to have a male in with females is a definite no no.
They may all be fine now but it doesn't always happen straight away. I've had fish that have been fine for 4 months and then they've suddenly turned. It really isn't worth the risk, in my opinion.
I'd take him out and put him in another tank on his own where he will be perfectly happy.