The Happy Community

[Saint Cuthbert]

Four days ago I read numerous posts on bettas and their integration into a community tank.

I love these fish - and bought the most beautiful red and blue crown tailed version. I also bought a small tank (5gall maybe?) to keep him in should he not integrate into my community, a 20 gallon with honey gourami's, platys and cardinals, there are also a few 3wk old platy fry in there.

I would like to say that in the first five minutes he flared up, established his authority, established his territory and then settled in nicely. I have sat and watched him for hours with my other fish.....and he no longer displays at all. He did display at one of the fry as it was trying to chomp on a brine shrimp, and when it didn't budge he just seemed to "give up".

The tank is sand based and heavily planted with a lot of bogwood hiding spots - so maybe the fact that he could mark out a little area helped, but now he swims around freely and lets the others into his "areas"!

I think the point with bettas is that it is hit and miss - and you should have adequate back up plans to care for the fish if integration to a community doesn't work.

 

[SPLiSH]

Four days ago I read numerous posts on bettas and their integration into a community tank.

I love these fish - and bought the most beautiful red and blue crown tailed version. I also bought a small tank (5gall maybe?) to keep him in should he not integrate into my community, a 20 gallon with honey gourami's, platys and cardinals, there are also a few 3wk old platy fry in there.

I would like to say that in the first five minutes he flared up, established his authority, established his territory and then settled in nicely. I have sat and watched him for hours with my other fish.....and he no longer displays at all. He did display at one of the fry as it was trying to chomp on a brine shrimp, and when it didn't budge he just seemed to "give up".

The tank is sand based and heavily planted with a lot of bogwood hiding spots - so maybe the fact that he could mark out a little area helped, but now he swims around freely and lets the others into his "areas"!

I think the point with bettas is that it is hit and miss - and you should have adequate back up plans to care for the fish if integration to a community doesn't work.

Good to hear that you had a back up plan! Any pics of your boy? He sounds very nice.

 

[xostrawberryox]

Yeah mine was fine at first for a couple of months, then one day he just turned on them! You never can rely on them in communities x

 

[Himmel]

I had a betta that for 2 years did fine with his frogs , then one day he went pshyco on them and they died. I couldnt get them out of the tank fast enough. after that it didnt matter what went in his tank it was food. alive dead didnt matter.

And if it looked like a fish any fish he would attack it for hours , I eventuallly bought a plastic fish thing to put in his tank for 15 mins a day. Funny thing is he knew when it was time for the plastic fish and would do his wiggle dance when he saw me coming with it..

So I would watch him carefully Bettas are unpredictable lol.

 

[guppymommy]

LOL @ the plastic fish attack! That must have been so fun to watch.

Yeah, I say just keep a close watch on him as you never know if or when they will suddenly become violent.

 

[Himmel]

"LOL @ the plastic fish attack! That must have been so fun to watch. "

It was just this little orange Nemo fish thing

I miss that Betta he was fun stupid fungassy thingy. he was old though


anyways good luck with the community tank, Iwould cycle the other tank and have it ready just in case. If you do that and dont need it its better then not doing it and needing it

Please post pics

 

[Saint Cuthbert]

I don't have the facilities to add a pic, sorry. Can only post at work.

But this is the most fantasticly majestic looking betta, and he is still getting on fine with the other fish.

My three year old daughter named him. He is called Mister Fish. Pronounced meester ish by her younger sister!