Are Bettas Compatible?

well, i didn't have a heater cause i'm pretty much broke, i mean, i'm about to turn fourteen and at the moment i'm just living off the generosity of my parents i would buy a cheap little filter, but i want to get a really good one that will last me a good long time, but i've put a couple little guppies in the tank to cycle it(ones that i have raised in coldwater and seemed unhappy when i tried them in warm water) and they make the tank look really pretty!!!!!!!! i'll post some pictures later

Netty said:

Sorry to hear you lost him.

You'd really be better off having a heater for the next one. Cooler temps will weaken their immune systems and leave them open to illness. Nothing less than 26/27 degrees is recommended.

WhiteDevil......that's quite a sweeping statement to say they NEVER fight to the death. Even if the fight doesn't kill them, the resulting injuries and stress will!!!! I think I'm educated enough in Betta keeping to state that to be the case.

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They dont fight to the death, they will not kill eachother in the fight, they will not chase the flee'r except out of the defenders territory.

Injuries and stress will eventually kill it if it doesnt heal up on its own, those are injuries from the fight, but fighting to the death is "two men enter, one man leave".

Its not sweeping, thats a common response to the statement you made, its a well known fact that they dont live up to that stereotype.

Ive kept 6 males in a 90 gallon tank with no dividers just heavy structure and plants.

Hi

Agree that a heater would be best

As for the question of will one kill another? In an enclosed aquarium of 25g, which is the size of the OP's tank, there isn't enough space for each male to establish its territory. So encounters between multiple males will be inevitable, thus leading to heightened stress levels, illness, infection and possibly death. There have been a few people who have kept multiple males together, but it is looked upon as the exception rather than the rule. Many more have tried it and ended up with bettas ripped to pieces, therefore, is it in the bettas best interest to even attempt it? IMO no.

We have had the odd accidental encounter between 2 males who within minutes have caused serious damage.

Be nice to see some pics of the 90g tank with the males in though

well, this is the cycleing tank, and an attempt to photograph the guppy males that don't stop moving

and here is a pic of my 25 gallon tank, the glass is dirty and a bit scratched, and my fishing rod is in the way, but for now, this is the best picture i can get

LOL Liking the fishing rod Who needs nets

bronzecat said:

Hi

Agree that a heater would be best

As for the question of will one kill another? In an enclosed aquarium of 25g, which is the size of the OP's tank, there isn't enough space for each male to establish its territory. So encounters between multiple males will be inevitable, thus leading to heightened stress levels, illness, infection and possibly death. There have been a few people who have kept multiple males together, but it is looked upon as the exception rather than the rule. Many more have tried it and ended up with bettas ripped to pieces, therefore, is it in the bettas best interest to even attempt it? IMO no.

We have had the odd accidental encounter between 2 males who within minutes have caused serious damage.

Be nice to see some pics of the 90g tank with the males in though

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My 90g went to salt in the mid 90's, It sat empty from 1990-1995, the best thing I could do is hopefully maybe find pics from back then but they might be 35mm they might be Polaroid.


If you keep HEAVY HEAVY cover and structure in the tank be it at least a 40g breeder I do believe 2 males will do just fine together, might have a squabble when either one wanders but 20G each should be enough. If I can talk my sweet loving understanding witch I mean wife into a 40B id definitely give it a shot, I mean I do have 2 back up tanks if things go bad.

balapickerel said:

ok, so the title says it, i need to transfer my betta into another tank, but the ten gallon one i got for him is still cycleing, the only tank available for him is my 25 gallon tank, but is has other fish in it, one male common golfish, 3 inches in length, two male guppies and three female guppies, each about an 1.5 inches in length, i need to know if my betta can go in with them ASAP please!!!

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The guppies generally are but not the goldfish.

He is a cute fish. I love his fins. I havent seen any like it before. Is he a CT?
How do you keep your guppis at the right water temp if there is no heater? Guppies are tropical and goldfish are cold water. Ive never been much of a gold fish person but i can see their appeal

Here is Australia you can pick up a perfectly good 25watt heater for $15aus or a 75watt for around $20. I really wouldnt put him in with a goldfish, guppy or ANY other male bettas. Particularly if your gold fish or guppy is long finned. he will get nipped and his beautiful fins will get damaged.

Its a males betta instinct to fight another male. I much like bronzecat have had a near death when my betta jumped from one side of his tank to the other and came face to face with another betta.

If you want my opinion, dont house more than one unless you have a divided tank. The whole "they wont fight till their death" is not even something that should come into the equasion. Bettas are aggressive, you cant watch your tank 100% of the time. Each fish does have his own personality and in my opinion i would not recommend housing more than one unless divided. Many of the more experienced forum dwellers will also tell you the same thing. Take or leave thier advice, its up to. I certainly wouldnt want a cutie like him to get damaged though. Once a bettas fin gets damaged in a fight or how ever it is very hard to get their fins back to perfect simetrical length.

umm, might i remind people that poor brook has deceased but anyway, i bought some guppies from big als, i slowly adjusted them to cold water and they eventually gave birth, they just have a slower matabolism, but they are just as active and happy in cold water as they were in warm water, happier actually, you should try it sometime, cause then you don't have to worry about temperature drops when the power is out