Setting Up 3 Gallon Critter Keeper

[ezrock]

Hi. I have never personally had a betta tank with multiple females in it. However, I've read some information online on how to do this. I think you can successfully do it if you are comfortable with growing plants. If you have lots of plants in the tank as well as some caves/etc where they can hide or make their own territories, they will have a much better chance of surviving without too much fighting. You could also watch out for them and see if there is perhaps one that is doing most of the fighting and remove her to her own tank if you notice that happening.

Hope that helps...

-Ian

 

[Jaded12]

I have 2 10 gallon tanks here in the apartment but I've tried putting female bettas in one about year and half ago and I lost 2-3 of my 5 females due to fighting or herassment. I thought it would be better to get the 3 gallon setup and running, however if someone has any idea on setting up a tank where I'd have a good opportunity to save all 4 of my females I'd love to just have one tank instead of 4 smaller tanks.

If you plant the tank real heavy, with lots of hiding places, the females will be fine! Maybe go out and buy 2 more girls so they can spread out the aggression. If you notice one female is really really mean, you may have to seperate her, but for the most part females get on fine. I had 29 gallon soroity once, and one of my females was constanty attacking and harrassing everyone, even killed one, so I took her out, turns out she was really a young male plakat, lol. Good luck!!

 

[heatmisr]

You really don't want a heater with a pre-set temp. The reason is, if you ever have to medicate her for finrot or some other bacterial infection, you will need to bump the temp up to 82-84F. I have a 5g and I use the 25W Visi-therm Stealth Heater. I'm not sure where you are located, but if in the US, petco carries it or you could order it online. Here is a link so you can see which one I am talking about.

http/www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...p;N=2004+113767

 

[Don Trinko]

I think the $7 heaters at wallmart do not have a thermostat. They are on all the time. This may work for you but moniter the temperature carefully. Don T.

 

[wolfrad]

After a few days of racking what brains I haave I decided that I would take my 10 gallon out of the box and set it up for all 4 of my girls to live in! The only thing is would or could I take the small 3i filter thats hanging inside my 5 gallon and run it as well as the 10 gallon filter in my 10 gallon tank to start the cycling at a faster pace? Also my 5 gallon has been running for around 7 weeks so it's good and cycled, will it stay cycled once I take the filter media and filter out of the tank?, I will of coarse use another 3i small filter that I have put away and put it on the back of my 5 gallon after removing the old cycled one. I'm not much of an expert on this but if I hooked both of my small filters to my cycled 5 gallon for about a week or so and then removed the older one to the 10 gallon would that work best for both tanks?

I hope me rambling is confusing, I'm just trying to find the best opportunity for keeping all my female bettas happy and alive during this cold Illinois Winter. Also Petsmart sells their female bettas for only .99 cents so I can buy another one or so if 4 bettas wouldn't work. I thought the idea of finding or spending extra money on another 50 or a 25 watt heater was a little overboard since I had the 10 gallon to work with, and if need be I can always go and buy or make my own dividers if for some reason the female commnity tank won't work to their benefit.

I'll be in the process of going to walmart in a week or so and get a hex. 5 gallon for 28.00 dollars, I figure I'll get either 1 or 2 and put them back for another time. I was going to buy a 2.5 gallon mini-bowl at Petsmart for 23.00 with the small hang on 3i filter bUT I figured for 5 more dollars I could get twice the tank, it has a bio-whell filter but I heard they were pretty good filters.