Your set up seems to contradict every rule in the book, and like everyone else, I'm interested in seeing pictures. But I also had an aquarium situation that had broken rules and gotten a lot of flack that didn't seem fair, so don't be discouraged from posting. The point of a forum is for people of contrasting opinions to express their ideas and for others to learn from them. Having been insulted and driven out of a forum or two because of my koi, whose environment doesn't live up to other's high standards, though I've had him for a long time and he's healthy, I can sympathize with you, eventhough I may not necessarily agree with your practices. That was a run-on.
I also have more than one male betta in an aquarium, but there is a clear partition dividing the tank. They get the mental stimulation of seeing eachother, which I think is a good thing, but the partition saves them from the traumas associated with fighting (fin tears, injuries, etc). I have kept bettas in this condition before and find that they do far better and live much longer than the ones I've kept in singly.
Fassolt, one of my bettas, also enjoys the company of three bridget barbs (Very small cyprinids, like 2/3 inch long, very fast, and non-nippy). The barbs were used to cycle the tank. They are about 2 years old now, so I doubt they'll live much longer, and I've not seen them in a store since, so I have to find another fish to fit the bill. Fassolt chases them, but he can never catch them. I would like to add a small school of a kind of smallish fish like that for Fafner, but I'm buying my time, until I find a fish that I like that fits that description well. I've abandoned the livebearer idea. The livebearers look terrible in the stores I go to anyway.
I want Fassolt and Faffner used to other fish in their tank, because I plan on setting them up in a larger tank when I move back to Florida. I have a 20-gallon over there that's not being used.
Keep me posted on what's going on with your tank, I'm keenly interested.
I also have more than one male betta in an aquarium, but there is a clear partition dividing the tank. They get the mental stimulation of seeing eachother, which I think is a good thing, but the partition saves them from the traumas associated with fighting (fin tears, injuries, etc). I have kept bettas in this condition before and find that they do far better and live much longer than the ones I've kept in singly.
Fassolt, one of my bettas, also enjoys the company of three bridget barbs (Very small cyprinids, like 2/3 inch long, very fast, and non-nippy). The barbs were used to cycle the tank. They are about 2 years old now, so I doubt they'll live much longer, and I've not seen them in a store since, so I have to find another fish to fit the bill. Fassolt chases them, but he can never catch them. I would like to add a small school of a kind of smallish fish like that for Fafner, but I'm buying my time, until I find a fish that I like that fits that description well. I've abandoned the livebearer idea. The livebearers look terrible in the stores I go to anyway.
I want Fassolt and Faffner used to other fish in their tank, because I plan on setting them up in a larger tank when I move back to Florida. I have a 20-gallon over there that's not being used.
Keep me posted on what's going on with your tank, I'm keenly interested.
