[FriendsNotFood]

Hi there,
Calling all betta lovers! Is keeping one of those guys in a 36 gallon tank with a school of threadfin or blue-eyed rainbowfish (pseudomugil gertrudae) courting disaster? Do they go after *anything* with long fins, regardless of how big of a space they're in? Even if they're the last fish introduced to the tank?

I'm still in the planning stages of my tank and I'm looking for a small-ish fish with personality to be a "centerpiece" fish. I love the bettas on Aquabid so I would be very sad to rule them out, but I will if I have to.

 

[In2wishin]

I have a betta in with my Gertrudae rainbowfish and everyone seems happy. I've never seen aggressive behavior towards them although my betta will occasionally go for the lone male guppy I still have

 

[lauraleellbp]

I generally recommend Plakat or female bettas for community tanks.

If you're ordering a betta from overseas, do be prepared to keep them in RO water. HMs in particular don't usually acclimate well to harder water, and their finnage tends to warp.

 

[FriendsNotFood]

I would have never thought about the pH issue, thanks! I guess if I get a betta from Aquabid I'll stick to the US sellers.

 

[Sammylynne]

I just got started a five gallon tank with a male Betta and a couple Von Rio Tetras I think they are getting used to each other but I am still monitoring them. How long do you think it will take them to get used to each other if at all?

 

[FriendsNotFood]

Anybody have a betta with threadfin rainbows?

 

[im2smart4u]

I have a betta with a few threadfins. My betta is in a small overstocked tank with 2 threadfin rainbows, 12 blue emperor tetras, a clown pleco, and a pair of Pelvicachromis Taenitus "Kienke" with 2 batches of their young. Surprisingly, there in no aggression from any of the fish as long as all the fish stay more than a few inches away from the younger of the two batches of young. If any fish gets too close, the parents dart at them, but even then there hasn't been any actual violence.

I will warn you that this experience is VERY atypical, and even I can't believe how well these guys have been getting along. I just got lucky in having a betta and kienke kribs that are both VERY laid back. As far as the betta getting along with threadfins, if you have a peaceful laid back betta, it shouldn't be an issue. If you end up with an aggressive betta, then it will probably chase anything regardless of what the fish looks like. It all depends on the fish.

 

[reignOfFred]

I've have not tried betta's with threadfins so I can't say directly, but I have kept bettas successfully in planted setups with all sorts of fish without issues. Mostly betta's are not overly aggressive as long as the tank is big enough and decorated enough, and preferably not too crowded, but I know there are also always exceptions.

It helps to have the tank already established with the other fish when the betta is introduced since adding newcomers to a bettas tank will spark more interest.

Personally, I would try it in your position - I would set up a small temporary home for the betta and remove him for a couple of days while the new fish got settled, then move him back over - and I would keep that tank going in case the betta needed quick removal.

 

[FriendsNotFood]

Thanks everyone, the tank is still a few weeks/months away from having fish depending on how well the plants do, but it's a 36 gallon that's going to be fairly heavily planted with a large piece of driftwood. Thinking of having a school of threadfins (10-12 or so), a school of gertrudae (6), and a school of pygmy cories (6) and a few ottos for algae control. My plan is to add all the other fish first and the betta last so it sounds like I'll be ok. Awesome!