Females

[Loko17]

Ok I'm lookin to get some female bettas soon and I need to know if 2 crowntail females will do fine in a 5 gallon tank. And do they need a filter or can they live fine like male bettas as long as there are regular water changes and everything. Give me some help

 

[Roxxy]

I would recommend more than two because females have a sort of pecking order. Bettas are known to be rather aggressive, even the females, and they take out this aggression on the other fish. Rather than one fish be picked on constantly, several females would distribute this venting of anger better.

I've never owned female bettas, so don't live by this info. But this is what I've heard, and if I get females I will get at least four. I would love to hear a second opinion on this issue.

I have no idea on the space, but 1 gallon per female betta sounds good. Five gallons sounds good for four fish. Make sure your filter isn't on too strong, bettas like little to no current.

I didn't know if you've owned bettas before, so just ignore the info you already know.

 

[Loko17]

Oh yes I've owned bettas before just not females, also anyone else out there with a second opinion, I would go with the 4 females but i just want to hear it from more than one person, also is it ok to keep the tank filterless as long as I keep it pretty clean or will 4 fish(or however many recommended) produce too much waste? Thanks for any help

 

[Wisperian]

1. the usual recommendation is 3-4 females / 10 gallons
2. doesn't matter how many there are as long it isnt overcrowded give them space.
3. don't add one girl, wait a while then add another one because the one/s that were added first will see the tank as their's and will attack
4. i would recommend a filter. sometimes the only reason why males don't have filters is because their fins make it hard to swim around

 

[Taridan]

If you're gonna do that make sure you have some silk or live plants in there for the less dominant females to escape behind, and try to get females all the same size.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

5 gallons really is a little on the small side for a group of females. I keep my girls in a 44g along with some of my catfish, cories and a female angel. So saying I currently have only 2 girls, who disliked each other previously but now get along quite well. Previously the group consisted of around 9 girls and they had a firm hierarchy in place that was rarely challenged. If a new girl was introduced she was generally sorted out by the tank boss and slotted in wherever she fit. Some of the girls had firm friendships and tended to swim and play together (yes, they really did play!). I've also found the girls are less worried by some surface current then the males (Possibly due to the much smaller finnage making swimming easier) and have watched them play in the current at times. So long as their are places where the current is little or non existent for escape. Also they love sleeping in floating plants and having hidey holes if they want some privacy, which would be difficult, if not impossible, in a 5 gallon.
They can live without a filter. Squidge, my blind girl, who lives on her own in a 3g, has no filter. But the extra waste of having more than one in that size tank is something to be careful of and would warrent more frequent water changes then you would need for a single male.
Personally I would say use the 5g for a male and get a bigger tank for the females and have a reasonable size group. That way you can watch their interaction with each other and see some very distinctive personalities within the group.
Before I lost the majority of my girls I spawned with the tank boss, Teelie, and during her absence from the tank, she was missed by many of the group. When she returned to the tank she immediately returned to her role of tank boss with no issues from any of them.
It truly is a wonderful sight to watch the interaction of a group of females and can recommend it to anyone. In a big enough tank with a big enough group even the most aggressive of girls will calm and find her place in the society.
P.

 

[samyboy]

if possible buy them from the same tank thus in theory they will be ok with each other

 

[jarmado]

i got 3 females in the same tank...
no problems at all - touch wood..

 

[lisie]

5 gallons is too small. In fact, I think 10 gallons is too small, but that's just from my own experience.

 

[Loko17]

Would five gallons be ok for just 1 female. I dont want to know how much better it will be if there are more i just want to know if one will live fine on its own. Thanks for all the help

 

[fuman_chica]

One girl would be fine in a 5g. I have two girls all by themselves and they both are very happy and playful. They act like the boys do when it comes time for feeding or when I just walk in the room. All of them go to the edge of the tanks and sit there wiggling their butts at me.

So yeah, a girl is fine by herself in a 5 gallon.

 

[Loko17]

One girl would be fine in a 5g. I have two girls all by themselves and they both are very happy and playful. They act like the boys do when it comes time for feeding or when I just walk in the room. All of them go to the edge of the tanks and sit there wiggling their butts at me.

So yeah, a girl is fine by herself in a 5 gallon.

thank you, lol, now my question is will 2 do ok together or does it depend on the fish. Any help would be appreciated

 

[fuman_chica]

From what I've heard, you can either have one girl by herself, or you need to have at least 4 girls if you are putting them together. Because they do the dominance thing... If you only have two, then one will constently be picking on the other and most likely will end up hurting or killing the other. If you have 4 or more it will spread out the aggression.

But if you are keeping more than one, you will need at least a 10 gallon tank...with lots of hiding spots/plants. So when they do pick on each other, the weaker ones have a place to get away from the stronger ones.

 

[Loko17]

oh ok well in a few weeks I'm probably going to go out and get my first female betta after I get the tank and filter and heater and let it cycle a little bit. Now to go shopping for tank equipment.