Mission Impossible, Is Possible

[BethK]

I have a confession to make

I thought i would try the impossible with my bettas, 9 females and 1 male..........i've put them in the same tank together.

Now, before people start criticizing, hear me out

My male did have a sectioned part of my 60ltr for him, occasionally 1 or 2 girls would do their impression of Houdini and magically appear in his side or vice versa. Eventually, there was no flaring from either sex. So, when I set my 125ltr up, i put my male betta in a breeder's trap (not to be recommended to anyone for keeping a betta in), girls were curious at first and then lost interest, bar 1 female. I would let him out for an hour in the morning and 1 hr in the evening, I watched them all carefully but there was no fighting, barely any flaring.

Then on Monday, i came down one morning to see him out of his breeder's trap and happily swimming around. He did manage to put himself back in the trap, how? Not sure

I decided to go for it on that monday and let him free, the girls don't bother him and vice versa. Feeding time comes round, he is up top, in the middle of the girls.

There has been no stress lines, fighting, fin nipping.

My tank is a well planted, 125ltr. I was against the 'male and female' together but if it's done correctly and with knowledge/experience and works, then why can it not happen.

Yes, it won't work for everyone, i've kept bettas for a while and agree it's about their personalities. I wouldn't try it with any other male but i thought i should share my experience.

I accept people will not agree but sometimes, we have to try things, in this case, it's worked. I wouldn't advise novice keepers and i wouldn't advice a small tank, this thread isn't giving people the 'ok' to run out and try it, either.

 

[LilyRose Tank]

thankyou for sharing your positive experience, one thing i will say though is that sometimes a few weeks later one or other of them may turn hostile for no known reason, so you may need to cotinue to keep an eye on them, but congratulations all the same x

 

[BethK]

thanks x

yeah, i still have m tank divider, all set to go back in, if anything happened. With all the hiding places and plants, breaks up the line of sight i think. He likes to sit in the anubius on the bogwood and chill lol

 

[ellena]

What if they breed?

 

[BethK]

What if they breed?

they won't, my bettas are not conditioned and the tank isn't in a stress-free environment for them to be relaxed enough to do so.

 

[Deek]

Congrats i've got a male in with my girls with no problems either, I've got a heavy planted 200L i did notice though the females have coloured up in his presence.

 

[loraxchick]

thats great! id like to see the set up please. im sure others are interested to see as well.
enjoy your fish
cheers

 

[BethK]

Hes behind that big plant, to the right of my hm

The bogwood anubuis seems to have been a godsend for my bettas, 2 big pieces there and he often dwells within the anubuis roots. To the far left corner, it is surrounded but comb. (some cut offs that need to grow taller) and i have 2 coconut buts, the slate cave and a pot. I'm adding a couple more things over the next month too.

125ltr set up and I personally wouldn't advise this to be done in a small set up.

 

[Tolak]

What if they breed?

they won't, my bettas are not conditioned and the tank isn't in a stress-free environment for them to be relaxed enough to do so.

Actually, being properly conditioned, as well as packing that tank so full of plants that you have a hard time finding the fish I see no reason why they would not breed. Breaking up lines of sight with various decorations is a common way of keeping NW cichlids together that in a more spartan tank would end up in mayhem. If the fish can't see each other they have no reason to be aggressive.

In a more natural environment the water would not be as clear as it is in that tank, and you would have about four times the amount of plants. This means the fish are less likely to see each other, and in the chance encounter the less aggressive fish can easily flee and be more difficult to find by the more aggressive fish.

 

[BethK]

i think my male is under lock and key with 1 female, no nooky for him

 

[aly_starh]

My male betta is in with the 4 females i have currently. And they are still ok after being together in the same tank for around 2 months now. Touch wood. No fin nipping or aggression. The tank is packed with plants and hiding places.

As stated it defos wont work for everyone.

 

[Curiosity101]

This will become more and more common in future. It's not natural for the fish to have as much agression as the betta splenden was bred to have. Over time as people breed more and more for colour rather than temprement then they will edge towards being calmer fish.

It's definitely not a selective advantage to be really agressive anymore... back in asia it was. Cause the least agressive one ended up dead!

It's interesting to see, and although I'd never recommend anyone do this. If they seem a bright receptive person then I'm quite happy advising that they just keep and eye on things and make sure they can seperate if neccessary.

 

[BethK]

This will become more and more common in future. It's not natural for the fish to have as much agression as the betta splenden was bred to have. Over time as people breed more and more for colour rather than temprement then they will edge towards being calmer fish.

It's definitely not a selective advantage to be really agressive anymore... back in asia it was. Cause the least agressive one ended up dead!

It's interesting to see, and although I'd never recommend anyone do this. If they seem a bright receptive person then I'm quite happy advising that they just keep and eye on things and make sure they can seperate if neccessary.

This will be interesting, he's started bubblenesting under one of the big plant leafs

 

[Curiosity101]

Be interesting to see if he tries to attract a female over, or if a female comes over of her own accord, or if he gets completely ignored. lol

 

[BethK]

At the moment, he is being ignored but the is 1 specific female that he has spawned with once before (unsuccessfully), who tends to bar up every day for him. She usually chases off the other females, if they show interest but today, she is totally ignoring him