Probably Stupid Idea About Tank Mates

[Topazlizz]

My daughter insisted on a betta when I returned to the hobby though my interest is in new world cichlids. Of course I agreed, as I'd like to see the hobby grow.

Still, I'm vaguely discontent. The betta lives in a 54 l tank with a small algae eater (siamese) and I've been battling with cyanobacteria in that tank quite a lot - hard to feed two fish moderately. After daily water changes (40%) for weeks it's finally coming around. I'd like to have a few more fish in there but I'm also interested in breeding. I have a lovely female betta currently swimming with the livebearers. I put her in with the male a week ago and he was thrilled but she had to swim hard to save her honour until I took pity on her and moved her to safety.

So really - what I my chances as a total novice on bettas at actually getting them to breed? And if I can't, here's my silly idea - plan B: dwarf cichlids in the tank with the male? Is it possible? I mean rams perhaps, or if they're too meek maybe som African shell dwellers.

Anybody tried something like this?

 

[devon_charm]

I could write an essey on breeding bettas, infact i have lol. Click on the link in my sig and go to the about bettas bit, if you scroll down i have put how i have bred bettas over the time i have had them. If any thin is unclear please ask.

Edited to say that alot of total novices have had every success with their first go's so it can be done easily when done right

 

[Monty2451]

I'm going to go through everything, and I just want to say I'm not reprimanding you for anything, just giving you the info. you need.

Bettas with cichlids of any kind won't work, they're simply both too aggressive and territorial to coexist, so gouramis are out as well. Also most live bearers (guppies, mollies, platys, swordtails) are out as well as they are too flashy and will be killed by the male betta or are fin nippers and will tear the betta apart. The only exception to this would be female guppies. Female bettas are also out of the question as males will kill the female, in breeding the two must be conditioned for several days to several weeks and once the mating is complete the female must be removed or she'll be killed. Also, tetras are out as they are notorious fin nippers as well as angel fish, which are actually a strain of cichlid. Siamese Algae Eaters are bad tank mates as they can develop a taste for the slime coat of other fish and can become quite aggressive as the mature. Something more docile such as corys, ottos, or a pleco is better for a betta.

As to breeding, I wouldn't recommend it if you are just starting out as it requires a lot of time, energy and a massive amount of research, space and money as you will need individual tanks for all the male as they get older.

If your daughter really wants a betta, I suggest getting it it's own unfiltered 4 or 8 liter tank (1 or 2 US gallons) or bigger if you wish. I say unfiltered as bettas like still water and hate the agitation caused by filters in smaller tanks.

Hope this helps, let us know how you make out.

 

[CathyGo]

Livebearers will be fine with MOST males. You make it sound like bettas are vicious. All of the ones I've had have been fine. Even my aggressive female got along fine with guppies(not big show types but still fancy). I have a friend who is an IBC betta breeder and she keeps her females in with her latest breeding project. It happens to be german blue rams. So far she says they get along fine. She just doesn't want to chance her show males getting nipped. But most cichlids are out because of their aggression. The info on the algae eaters is right though IF it's a chinese algae eater. They will get large and aggressive. They don't really eat much algae anyway. True siamese algae eaters are fine.

Sounds like you won't really be happy with this tank with the kind of community fish that get along with bettas. Get a smaller tank for the betta and go with your passion(cichlids) in the 54 L.

Check out www.Bettatalk.com She gives a detailed outline of the equipment needed and the whole spawning and raising fry process. There's more to it than simply dropping the female in with the male.

 

[Monty2451]

Livebearers will be fine with MOST males. You make it sound like bettas are vicious. All of the ones I've had have been fine. Even my aggressive female got along fine with guppies(not big show types but still fancy). I have a friend who is an IBC betta breeder and she keeps her females in with her latest breeding project. It happens to be german blue rams. So far she says they get along fine. She just doesn't want to chance her show males getting nipped. But most cichlids are out because of their aggression. The info on the algae eaters is right though IF it's a chinese algae eater. They will get large and aggressive. They don't really eat much algae anyway. True siamese algae eaters are fine.

Sounds like you won't really be happy with this tank with the kind of community fish that get along with bettas. Get a smaller tank for the betta and go with your passion(cichlids) in the 54 L.

Check out www.Bettatalk.com She gives a detailed outline of the equipment needed and the whole spawning and raising fry process. There's more to it than simply dropping the female in with the male.

This would be true in the case of FEMALE bettas as you said, but males are often truly that territorial. Fancy guppies or mollies with their long fins or platys and sword tails with their bright colors and resemblance to a female betta would be most unwelcome with a male betta. True, I have heard of it working for some people, as each betta is different, but usually not for long. There was even one person on here about a week ago who had not one, but two Paradise gouramis in with a male betta and he said they were fine. I don't suspect it still is or was ok, even shortly after he made the post. You're better off being more safe than sorry in the case of your fish, because who would want to see a guppy torn to shreds by a territorial betta. As to the Siamese Algae Eater, it is true if it is in fact a true Siamese and not a Chinese Algae Eater it would be fine, but 9 times out of 10 LFS's miss lable Chinese Algae Eaters as Siamese, and they are definitely not the same fish, so be careful.

But over all, a smaller separate tank is the best bet for your betta a a couple ottos, corys, a pleco, a snail, or some rasboras or danios.

 

[dzsigmond217]

Ofcousre this depends on the temperament of the betta but I've had my male in a 7 gallon tank with 2 fancy guppies and 2 neon tetras for the past 6 or 7 weeks and they all get along fine. They basically ignore each other completely and I've never even seen him flare at them. I agree with the other recommendations tho..you could always try getting her a 2-5 gallon tank just for the betta!

 

[Topazlizz]

Thanks for all the input!

I will definitely read the info suggested on breeding bettas. I have no ambition to breed for any particular kind of colour or fin shape, I just want to create good conditions for my fish generally, and most fish like to breed from time to time.

To clarify - the male betta is on his own with a siamese, not chinese algae eater. Should problems arise, I can easily move the algae eater to another tank. The female betta is in a community livebearer tank and is perfectly happy there. The male is happily making bubbles all on his own, but the female would be stressed to death in there right now (will read info!).

I have a larger tank with two cichlid couples, so I have breeding going on but only with cichlids, I also have a fry tank and a smallish tank with a krib couple and a few tetras. Oh, and some empty tanks in the attic but a severe lack of surfaces down here to put them on.

The male betta is lovely on his own and I know he could live in a smaller tank too, it's just that I imagine most fish like room to move so I tend to understock.

Thanks for your suggestions on tank mates! I may get a pair of rams and try to introduce them in the betta tank. If it doesn't work, they should do fine with the livebearers so I'll just move them in there. The 54l tank is much too small for cories in my opinion, so it will have to be danios to liven things up a bit. I've looked for otos - love them! - but for some reason can't find them in stock anywhere right now. Will ask my LFS about them.

Thanks again!