How Long Female/male Safe Together?

[Larkspur]

How long can I safely keep a male and female betta together before my male decides to dispose of her? Is it at all possible to have a more docile couple that can live together harmoniously at least for a short period of time?

I put my cellophane/white/spotted female in the 5.5 divided tank on one side with my blue/white HM butterfly. I don't really have any intentions of actually breeding and raising young. My female has been in a small half gallon container being bored for 3 weeks. She's absolutely the happiest thing in the world now following around my male, Mad Hatter.

I put her in the tank mainly for a photo op because the tank lighting is better for photos. I don't really plan on her staying in there long with my male though she looks so happy, but back in the day I had a male/female in a bowl together and the male attacked the female after breeding. Will they be okay until he decides to breed in which case I can scoop her out?

She's supposed to be living in a 37 gallon community tank. Looks like it won't be a problem. She's curious and appears to get along fine with others.

 

[Larkspur]

Well, I already have my answer. It's about 5 minutes tops. Enough to snap photos then the male gets mad and just decides to take a nice chunk out the girls tail and eat it in front of me. It's a good thing I don't have plans for breeding Mad Hatter cause he is definitely living up to his name. The girl was happy in the tank, but Hatter could only take it for so long! He had no breeding plans. Just some feasting ones. Crazy fish.

Is there anything I should do for my females tail or just leave it be? I've seen tails regrow and pretty quickly too. I don't know if its recommended to put an antibiotic or something in her little bowl or not? I'll definitely make sure she lives with peaceful fish so this doesn't happen to her again. She's just so innocent!

 

[Assaye]

A little bit of aquarium salt and very clean water. How often are you doing water changes?

When can she move into the community tank? Those tiny bowls are only suitable for hospital tanks/temp housing when doing water changes or maintainence, IMO.

 

[Larkspur]

She's actually going over to my boyfriends house tonight and being put with guppies. So hopefully she doesn't decide she likes the taste of guppy.

She just finished her 3 week quarantine. That's the significance of her little 1 gallon bowl. I do weekly water changes and for her bowl take out at least half the water and vaccine any accumulated poo off her container floor.

She should be a happy little fish, but we shall see! I'm kind of sad taking her to my bf's because I don't live there yet, but she should be happier in the next temporary holding area (10 gallon aquarium)

 

[Assaye]

She's actually going over to my boyfriends house tonight and being put with guppies. So hopefully she doesn't decide she likes the taste of guppy.

She just finished her 3 week quarantine. That's the significance of her little 1 gallon bowl. I do weekly water changes and for her bowl take out at least half the water and vaccine any accumulated poo off her container floor.

She should be a happy little fish, but we shall see! I'm kind of sad taking her to my bf's because I don't live there yet, but she should be happier in the next temporary holding area (10 gallon aquarium)

In a small bowl I would change the water more often - ideally 100% every 2 days if the fish is healthy (maybe more, but only testing will tell), and I'd do daily 50% and 100% water changes alternated if she needs to repair her fins.

Ammonia builds up really fast in those little bowls.

 

[Larkspur]

Thanks for the tip. She's no longer in the bowl as of this evening. I'll have to take some photos!

Strawberry is now rooming with 4 guppies and 2 goldfish in a 10 gallon. She gets along great with the fish, but seems spooked of the large goldfish and also a bit frightened of how fast the water circulates in the tank. It has a 30 gallon rated filter on it. I'm cutting my java fern in my betta tank and taking some of it over to my bf's to give the fish a place to hide tomorrow


Note: I know goldfish are cold water and 10 gallons is way too small. They were the 2 remaining fish left in the turtle tank, but my parents released their turtles over the past weekend and wanted the tank and two fish out the house. I wasn't about to let them flush them. They were living with the turtles since August and despite their friends being eaten somehow survived and have grown fat and happy though they look a bit battered from being clawed by the turtles. To be honest we don't know what to do with them yet! Not many people want a 13 cent goldfish who is missing scales and still regrowing their tail fin.

 

[Assaye]

Try and find a larger tank for them. Are they fancies or feeder fish? Maybe someone local with a filtered pond would take them, if they are common types? If they are fancies you could get away with a 30 gallon tank, although the size they need really depends on how large they get.

Even though a tropical 10 gallon is better than being turtle food, they will outgrow it (or get stunted) and will potentially cause damage to the guppies and betta (as they can be quite boisterous). Bettas are well known for being fairly shy and can get stressed by larger fish. The massive difference in water flow needs also makes them incompatible. Goldies like heavily filtered, fast flowing water and bettas like a very gentle flow.

 

[Larkspur]

yep. They're feeder goldfish. Not the fancy ones. Comets I think?

Well, we don't intend on buying anymore tanks. We have a 55 for the adult cichlids to go into that needs to be set up still. A 37 currently inhabited by cichlids and a 10 gallon stocked with the younger/smaller cichlids. We're doing massive water changes and feeding them a ton as instructed to help them grow quicker.

The 3rd tank we have is the 10 gallon with the goldies/guppy/and betta. Going to have to find someone who will take the goldies. We really don't want them. Just don't want them dead either.

We may try switching out the pumps so the larger pump is on the cichlid 10 gallon and the smaller one with the others. My parents bought the larger filter because of the mess the turtles made. Well, no more turtles so...it can go. Also adding plants so the betta will be able to hide if she wants

 

[Larkspur]

Here is the 10 gallon with guppies/betta/and goldfish.

Strawberry has actually settled in the last 24 hours. She is still a tad spooked if the bigger goldfish swims too fast near her, but she's acclimated to the rough water and is now showing off her true betta behavior so to speak. I saw her chasing guppies if they got too close. They're fast enough to avoid being bitten. She didn't look frustrated. More so curious.

Poor thing has such a silly tail now!

The filter keeps the water SPARKLING clean as you may very well notice. It's amusing to look at this tank then over at the cichlid grow out tank (previously a quarantine tank)The other 10 gallon is cloudy.

Still have no idea what to do with the goldfish. They're too big to be with the other fish because they do stress them out. Plus they are rambunctious and never settle down. They're worse than the guppies who chase one another 24-7 attempting to breed. Need more plants and stuff. Cut my java fern in half for it though so at least one plant is in there. Also will have to buy a fluorescent light.

 

[Tolak]

Look for a local club, many members either have a pond or know someone who does. This would give the comets a nice home.