How Long Till We Can Get A Betta?

[LouiseRat]

well , we went out and bought a new fluval tank for a betta and a little family of swordtails .

it is 8.2 uk gallons and has 4 swordtails in it .

we have had it 10 days from new , and stats are

ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 12.5 mg/l
ph - 8.5

it cycled very fast , as we put a used cotton pad from the main tank in there , with water from the main tank too.

could we get a betta now , or is it safer to give it a few weeks , and keep checking the water stats?

 

[OohFeeshy]

I wouldn't say swordtails and bettas are the best combination....

 

[LouiseRat]

the swordtails were fine with our first betta (he died after a few days due to bad water and bad advice )

they dont tend to be nippy , they lived with 5 guppys for a while

 

[OohFeeshy]

Yes, but each betta is different. Swordtails= colouful, long fins (ish), occasionally nippy, large and can be aggressive. Bettas like none of those traits.

 

[Betta5]

Also 4 swordtails in a 8 gallon tank is way 2 overcrowded each one can reach 5-7 inches. I would say a betta and maby a few corys in an 8 gallon tank!

Betta5

 

[Wisperian]

Also 4 swordtails in a 8 gallon tank is way 2 overcrowded each one can reach 5-7 inches. I would say a betta and maby a few corys in an 8 gallon tank!

Betta5

agreed

 

[SPLiSH]

Yep, the swords grow too big for an 8g anyway, even without having a betta.

Maybe upgrade the swords to a bigger tank and give the betta the 8g? They are often so much happier in bigger tanks. An 8g would be heaven for one betta, and think how good you could make it look!

 

[BigIan]

Our lasses betta "Binky" lives in an 8. something gallon tank on his own and he loves it, he may well soon have some shrimpy friends. but other than that he will live alone.

My betta rinsewind lives in a 5.5 gallon tank with some ammano shrimp and an apple snail.

I wouldn`t house a betta with anything of a similar body shape to it or anything that it could possibly see as a threat, as the betta will try attacking it, win or lose you then have a poorly fiwsh on your hands,

and judging that your swordtails didn`t atack your last betta in the few days before it died is nothing to go by

 

[BWBettas]

I totally agree with BigIan. If they havnt started on eachother YET, they will do so i would NOT risk it

Bret