Bettas

jcali10 · Post by **jcali10** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:05 am

I read that you can place a single male betta in a community tank without any problems.
So I'm thinking about getting one. What do you think?

ddavila06 · Post by **ddavila06** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:39 am

true, you can have a single male and have almost no issues. if your fish is slow swimming or sometihng you might have issues then

you can also have a boy and multiple girls ...

you should try it to see what happens!

chris_todd · Post by **chris_todd** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:55 am

Joe,

Until just the other day, we had a male betta in our 65g community tank (guppies, swordtails, one female cherry barb, zebra danios, one angelfish, two rainbow sharks, and Plucky the 12" pleco). While the Angelfish would make occasional jabs at him (the angelfish does that to everyone in the tank, though), he was fine.

Only now, we can't find him, and suspect he has gone the way of the dodo.

jcali10 · Post by **jcali10** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:07 pm

I mostly have lemon tetras, neons, danios, praecox rainbows and corys. The neons seem a little laid back compared to the others.

ddavila06 · Post by **ddavila06** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:14 pm

neons are much smaller though right? you should be fine

what tipe of betta are you planning on doing?

ingg · Post by **ingg** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 2:14 pm

NOT true.

It depends on the betta. Some may work, others will kill anything they can catch and beat up.

I have one that killed 4 Pelvicachromis cichlids when they started to color up - he is white and purple, they started showing color, he killed them all, 2 pair.

They will also hunt shrimp mercilessly, as well as baby fish.

jcali10 · Post by **jcali10** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 4:25 pm

Ut oh he's kinda of a light purple, looks like the betta splendens variety.

magsdez · Post by **magsdez** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 10:30 pm

We've kept a male betta in our 75 with other SE asian fish w/out problems. It was actually kinda funny because the poka dot loaches would play tag with him. He too went the way of the "dodo" one day. My newest male betta was just moved to my 12gal so I could use his 5 for a quanteen tank for a bunch of neons I just got. He's still adjusting from the major change in lighting, but seems to be figuring things out.

Judi · Post by **Judi** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 11:11 pm

I've heard it depends on the personality of the betta. My only experience with a betta in a community tank did not go well. He and the mollies had issues. One day I found a dead molly with one of his pectoral fins torn off.

The betta I found dead about a week later (killed by another molly?).

kerokero · Post by **kerokero** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 4:48 pm

I would be downright shocked if it was anything other than a Betta splendens variety

Species bettas tend to be rare and $$$ and can have very specialized care, not a community species unless a biotope specific type community tank.

I have to agree with Dave, I've tried a number of Bettas in community tanks, and - male or female - it totally depends on the personality of the individual fish, and what specific fish you plan to put them in with. Betta aggression varies by fish, and can be limited to only male betta vs. male betta to either sex betta attacking anything that moves (I've had female bettas that have attacked and killed other fish). Remember, these guys were bred for fins and colors, not personality.

Even if you get a good personality, just remember to avoid serious fin nippers (so they don't get harassed), bit sized food, and probably should avoid fish that they might mistake for their own (other anabantoids, might have been the issue with the mollies with size/personlities, possibly also the issue with Dave's cichlids) in size, color, and similar personalities.

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