Have You Ever Kept A Betta In A Community Tank?

[mark.w.jones]

This question seems to be coming up frequently in the new to the hobby forum. My personal experince has been poor but other members have had no problems. I'm just wondering what the ratio is of people who think it's fine to people who would never do it again in a million years.

 

[smurfyy_2k3]

ive had two in a community tank (not at the same time) and ther only problem was the first betta didn't like my mollys which is odd because he left my fan tail guppys alone

 

[Amunet]

We have a single female betta in a community tank right now. I THINK she might've nipped the guppies that used to be in there, but I'm not sure.

I'd do it again though but only with another female betta. I'd be too paranoid to have a male betta in a community tank. Afraid that the other fish would nibble on its long fins.

 

[timmystood]

Providing you don't keep them with any long-finned fish (guppies etc.) or any fin-nipping fish (tiger barbs etc.) you'll be fine!

 

[Yazan]

i never tryed that, but not thinking i'll do it.

 

[lilfishie]

inthe past i have kept 2 males in community tanks not together, but one was with angels fish and barbs guppies etc the other was in my fry tank with platys guppies mollies no problem, however i would never try it with the two males i have now, but i have 3 females with guppies and neons

 

[OohFeeshy]

Bit of an ambiguous question, don't you think? After all, females are *generally* fine, and you haven't specified the sex, nor does this take into account what other fish are being used.

I would say, it's better to be safe than sorry- bettas are in no way social fish, so even if you get lucky and get one that will tollerate other fish, you are in no way improving quality of life, and thus there are no benefits. It's only your own desire to have a 'pretty fish' in your tank that leads people to keep them with other fish.

 

[The-Wolf]

I have in the past kept a pair (M+F) in the same tank, for me it worked due to the tank size
but i'd not recomend it.

 

[atmmachine816]

I also happen to do it but would not recommend it either. You would also need to watch what type of filtration you have and that it doesn't agitate the surface too much since that's where the male spends a lot of his time. I keep my male now with angels and guppies but the angels are laid back and don't mind it and there's only two guppies and their occupied with the females and don't go near the surface much and when they do as long as they don't go near the betta he won't bother them.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I did it once in the past many years ago, had a male betta in a community tank (can't remember the exact stocking, but there were platys, guppys, neon tetras, corys, a pleco and mollys i think). There was no fin nipping from any of the fish in the tank, but the betta did not seem to enjoy being in the community tank- the other fish in the tank were too competetive and fast over food, so the betta often didn't get a chance to eat much, and the current in the tank was often too strong for his liking. He just seemed to look under the weather a lot of the time, so i wouldn't recommend keeping male bettas in community tanks.
When had my next betta, i kept him in a 2gal tank of his own and he did a lot better, always fatter and more active and just seemed to look more perky having a tank of his own all to himself .

 

[lljdma06]

I kept a male betta with harlequin rasboras and pygmy corydoras. But these are pretty drab, non-offensive little fish, so thinks worked great.

llj

 

[Arimus]

His inmates where some danio's, platys and cory's. Not a single problem between any of them. He's only on his own now as his friends moved into a bigger tank and the tank he was in got taken over by my wife's fish so he's now in a 21l tank on his own.

 

[kribensis12]

my betta did fine. But it also depends, females are always fine, but males all have different personalitys, so it depends on the fish.

 

[lilfishie]

its the same with females, i had 4 in my community but 1 was always showing stress stripes so i put her in a 1.5 gallon bowl and she's much happier and no longer stressed but the other 3 love the community

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I think some of this depends on what type of community tank you have, "community tank" can have any number and types of fish in it. There are definately some community fish out there that are advised you don't mix with bettas, either because they have been known not to get along, or they simply do best in completely different types of habitats/environments etc.