Betta compatibility

[Xx0Pisces0xX]

Does anyone know of fish that will live in brackish water around 78-80 degrees and won't nip long fins? My betta doesn't figh back against other fish and I had to give away goldfish and a tiny catfish because once they get a taste for my betta's fins, they just won't stop! He has been alone in his 10 gallon tank now for probably two months, and his fins are all grown back, but I think he is getting bored without having any fish to interact with.

[mjprather]

I've never heard of keeping a betta in brackish water. You might want to try some Corydoras catfish?

[Xx0Pisces0xX]

Maybe I am confused on what exactly brackish water is, but I add about one TB of sea salt per every 5 gal. The salt helps disinfect and protect against bacteria. It is supposed to be good for bettas.

[jake]

Yeah, that's not brackish. That's freshwater with salt in it.
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/...rackish.2.html.

Also, male bettas are somewhat solitary fish. People worried about their fish being " lonely" are usually headed for stocking problems. In a community tank setting, it has been my experience that female bettas thrive much better, whereas male bettas tend to get stressed out and/or picked on, or do the picking themselves. If it were me, I would get the betta a 3 to 5 gallon tank for himself and then stock the ten gallon with whatever community fish you have in mind. ( I wouldn't suggest goldfish as they are huge waste producers, and some estimate that each goldfish needs 10 gallons of water to accomodate their bio load. )

Anyways, hope that helps.

[Xx0Pisces0xX]

I have heard that neon tetras get along fine with bettas. I haven't owned any before so have you ever witnessed them picking on a long finned fish?

Lol, I probably will never get goldfish ever again unless I have a pond ^_~

[jake]

I don't think they'd pick on the betta, but I don't know how interested a male betta would be in having fast moving, brightly colored fish running around it. Male bettas in community settings is just asking for trouble, in my opinion and experience. Either the betta gets stressed out from all the activity and gets ich or other stress related illnesses, or it gets fin nipped, or it does the fin nipping. Also, having male bettas beside eachother seperated by a divider or whatever does not keep the males from " being lonely" . It puts them into " fight" mode, which over time is stressful and leads to their early demise.

That has been my experience and observations anyway, maybe someone else has had different experiences.

[all4funwfish]

People who keep bettas by themselves or in small tanks are ignorant. Bettas are strictly sex and species aggressive. hence anything resembling another male betta is a target. IE colorful long flowy fish, like angelfish, or long finned anything bright. I have currently 4 betta splendens, in four seperate tanks, all planted communities, all with salt. I have one with tigerbarbs and shrimp, one with neon tetras, penguin tetras, shrimp, and puffers. one, is with a female betta, and one is with a female betta, a blue ram (male) and a pleco, as well as a bumble bee goby. The fish are soo much more active when kept with fast fish. I dont have any fin nipping problems, not even with the goby or ram. the key is keeping your tank big enough, and your plants offering enough "territories" with fish like the ram. All of those tanks also have ottos. tank sizes are 10 gallon, 20 gallon, 35 gallon and 55 gallon. also have a betta in a 2.5 gallon with a few barbs. that relationship is currently okay, although it is new...tetras make great companions in a ten gallon...sorry about the comment, but i went to the LFS for a female betta yesterday and was told if i kept her with a male he would kill her...so i asked the guy where baby bettas came from.....just food for thought.

[colleen]

I agree with you all4funwfish, in a community tank bettas are generally very good neighbors. Sometimes a bit too passive and can become targets of other fish. SOMETIMES. In that case the betta or better yet the aggressor can be removed. (Is there anything more majestic than a beautiful betta strolling across the front of a tank?)

Given enough space and hiding places there is usually little concern.

Having said that there are 2 things that I would like for you to condider
1) I can't believe your puffer hasn't tasted the delights of betta tail yet. Be careful, be VERY careful. At ANY hint of the puffer discovering yummy tail remove the betta. Even though the puffer has a tiny mouth and can"t swallow the betta if he is ever to sample it the betta could be dead within hours. You know how single minded a Puffer after food can be. Remember that those cute puffers are carnivors and become more agressive as they get older. I have read that some can and will live in a community and never hurt anyone but I have also heard of them "changing" If yours changes the poor betta will surely be the first to know.

2) You are of course correct when asking the uninformed LFS person "where do baby bettas come from" Females and males can and do live happily together but you need to have more than 1 female. Three females are a min. The reason is that during courtship the male becomes agressive in his persuit of the female, if there is only one female she will have his undivided "attentions" and he can become so overzealious in his attentions to her that he will eventually kill her. Also if they breed and they probably will after she has laid the eggs and he goes into bubble nest building/guarding mode he is very likely to treat her as another male and try to kill her. But if you had 3 females to keep him occupied, well they each would take only 1/3 the damage. But remember its only during breeding that you will see this side of him. Otherwise Mr.Cool

[Mori]

Bettas can do well in community tanks with enough territory and of course with non-nippy fish. Some fish (including bettas) can be nippers themselves but aren't ALWAYS nippers. It just depends on the individuals involved.


My betta lives with goldfish and other large fish (after living peacefully with angel fish for 4 years, a new angel started picking on him and there was nowhere else for him to go--with some fish you can't judge pecking behavior just by species). He does laps around the 6 ft. tank and ignores the foot-long orange blobs. I think he's happier there than he would be in a small tank. Goldfish aren't territorial, pleco territories are at the bottom, and he has an emersed potted plant that belongs to him.

[all4funwfish]

Interesting info on the female bettas...i havent had that problem yet but i think it may be because my female betta for some reason tries to court the blue ram...the male betta doesnt pay either much attention, although he does blow the bubble nests...the puffer may have to be dealt with if that happens with him though...

[oldfarmhouse]

Stick the betta in with some mollies. Nice peaceful aquarium. Vote for Kerry and we will all be happier in a peaceful world.

[all4funwfish]

hmm...politics....

[Xx0Pisces0xX]

Thanks for everyone's input. I have a question for experienced betta keepers. Is it true that if the bettas come form the same spawn and are always kept together, they can live together (multiple males and multiple females in a single tank). I have read that it is true but it would be interesting to know if it is possible. I don't have the money and space to breed bettas right now, so don't worry. But if it IS true, I wouldn't mind trying sometime in a few years or so. (bettas are my favorite fish, and I wouldn't want to do anything to kill them, but wouldn't it be nice if you could just have a spawn in one big tank so you can have a tank full of these beautiful fish instead of having to jar them up all of the time?)

[EricSilver]

Originally Posted by Xx0Pisces0xX

... Is it true that if the bettas come form the same spawn and are always kept together, they can live together (multiple males and multiple females in a single tank).

Once they mature, and their hormones kick it, it will be fight time.

I agree with the folks who say (male) Bettas prefer peace and solitude. I've had, and lost, two in the past year. The first was a really nice blue crowntail that I picked because of his aggression. (Didn't want him being bullied by his future tankmates.) He was the only occupant of a 29G tank for a while and was absolutely delighted with that. As other fish arrived, he became agitated and hyperactive. Bettas don't seem to like too many distractions.

What was interesting was that he could somehow sense which of his tankmates were natural aggressors, and he would go out of his way to attack them. He would always chase my Tiger Barbs and Flame Tetras (the most belligerent and obnoxious fish I have ever owned) but I'll never forget my surprise when I came home one day to find him squaring off with one tiger barb who apparently felt enough was enough and decided to engage him in combat! He eventually died of some form of internal infection which I suspect was brought on by stress, and perhaps burnout from constantly fighting.

The second Betta had it easy, and was a happy and productive member of the community, until my Angelfish became aware of their own increasing size, and realized they are the kings of the tank. Whenever the Betta surfaced for air, the slightly larger, dominant Angel would attack him. As he gradually became weaker, the second angel would join in. One day I saw both angels, each with one of the (almost dead) Betta's side fins firmly clamped in their mouths, apparently trying to pull him apart. Sad, but nonetheless an awesome thing to see. I never knew Angels were so aggressive, and suspect they may be a mated pair.

[Danio]

anybody interested in Bettas can find a lot of info at International Betta Congress (IBC).

I just would like to say that most of people can hear about agressive Betta splendens or Siamese Fighters. It's true in general and especially in a small tank. But in my tank of 200 cm in length ther're many hiding places and I keep 4 males of different colours and 6 females for the last 5 years there, together with many other species, including veilfin Angels. Males sometimes fight each other, but all are safe, each male lives in an own plant shelter. They even spawn in the community tank, but of course, fries should be separated.

Concerning of salt addition as in the first posts. Do not add salt to Bettas or Coryes as well other Labyrinth fishes and Catfishes. They are strictly fershwater and never enter marine or brackish waters, they can't tolerate salt and that can kill the fishes. Adding of small amount of salt is not usefull, and even wrong. YOU SHOULT TREAT SICK FISHES WITH PROPER CONCENTRATION OF DRUGS, ADDING OF "PROFILACTIC" SMALL DOSES LEAD TO THE PARASITES BECOME MORE RESISTANT TO SALT OR OTHER SUBSTANCE. So as a result, if you fishes really are ill, you can't medicate them properly.