Possible ?

[-=Joel=-]

Hiya folks,

Is it possible to keep 1 male and 1 female in a very well planted tank 5ft (400l) tank without troubles ?

I know it can be problematic is smaller tanks but you dont hear much about the bigger tanks here Lol.

Joel

 

[BWBettas]

Hmm, now this is where people get divided. Im going to stay out of it and see what is suggested

Bret

 

[-=Joel=-]

Thought it might be like this Lol ..

Sit back and enjoy the ride


Bret please pm me with what you think ... I know you know your stuff mate B)

 

[BWBettas]

Aaah, thank you my friend. I like to think i know my stuff anyway lol. I'll PM you tomorow if anything pops into my mind

Bret

 

[RandomWiktor]

Could I just ask why you'd want to, since there really isn't any good reason to keep males and females together and it is risky? It is so much safer and so much better for them to just be kept singly... I really don't see any logic in trying it aside from curiosity, which isn't exactly a good reason to endanger your fish's lives.
Honestly, unless he's a PK, I think a male would exhaust himself to death trying to cope with a tank that big, esp. since it probably needs pretty good filtration and aeration to stay in good condition. In a tank that huge, I'll admit, they probably wouldn't even see each other, but it really isn't an ideal set-up for bettas; they are a highly solitary species from a shallow (though not necesarrily small), stillwater environment. Putting them in such a large tank with tankmates, a current, and aerator is taking them out of their ideal element, which of course is bad for any fish.
Also, what other inhabitants are in this tank, as I kinda doubt you're buying a 5ft tank just for two bettas - if you are, you're a saint for wanting to give your fish that much space, but uh... wanna gimme some of that money instead?

 

[demonmagus]

if its just the aggression issue then probably yes, but don't forget, like random said, bettas patrol everywhere, what tankmates, and also, with his patrolling he might see the female

 

[-=Joel=-]

As you can guess I know nothing about bettas, not on this scale anyways.

Main reason why ... I really like the look of some of the male bettas around recently and its very tempting. However setting up a 5 gallon tank is a waste of space in my opinion. Not to mention I already have 10 tanks including a marine tank to look after Lol.

Reason for a pair is to see them in action occasionally. I can always take the female out if things get rough as my other tanks have room for her.

The tank wont have a big current since Im using spray bars and with the plants in the way this will reduce flow further.

This is mainly a planted tank for plants Lol. I dont plan to stock it with many fish

I didnt know about the patrolling thing, why however would they get tired ? Are they that weak from inbreeding ??

I DONT plan to buy one from the lfs ... I plan on buying from a good online dealer where hopefully the fish will have been raised to a good standard.

 

[starrynightxxi]

one male and one female, no, probably not a good idea, but there is someone around here - i forget who so i don't know if they come around anymore - who used to keep a male and several females in a large heavily planted tank community and did so successfully. The reason i say no to one male and one female is because even if it's heavily planted your guy might bang up your girl (or vice versa) pretty bad, whereas with several females the aggression will be spread out more.

 

[OohFeeshy]

At the end of the day, it's your choice, but if you want bettas I'd be much more tempted to go for a large number of females. Just as personable as males, generally slightly less squabbly but still plenty of 'action' between them, and they come in as huge a range of colours as males, but with no heavy fins to drag around.

 

[RandomWiktor]

Males with large finnage get stressed patrolling because they've been bred to have unnaturally huge fins, which weigh them down and put an immense stress on their bodies. I've seen OHMs with fins so big they swim at an angle because they're so weighed down - its depressing.
"Seeing them in action" wouldn't be anything pleasant... in action for bettas means ripping one another apart, and it really isn't fair to let your fish harm one another like that just for entertainment or curiosity. My suggestion would be to buy a group of related females from a breeder, or a single male Plakat (they have small fins and would do fine) - but only if the other fish in the tank are peaceful, not fin nippers, and have no bright colors, or you'll either have hurt bettas or hurt community fish.
Like I said, a tank that large and tankmates are both far from the ideal for bettas, males especially, so you might want to consider what is best for the fish. Females are probably a better bet since they are less territorial and a little more passive, and you can find them in very lovely colors if you're thinking of buying from a breeder.

 

[-=Joel=-]

Thanks for the info people ... appriciated ...

If I do decide to do this I will let you know how it goes etc ...

Joel

 

[92cw12]

Thanks for the info people ... appriciated ...

If I do decide to do this I will let you know how it goes etc ...

Joel

i will say yes if u have plenty of hiding places so ur male can leave ur female in peace

 

[wendywc]

I second OohFeeshy. Several females would be cool. But a male in the mix? No.