3 female bettas in 14 gallon

[Elisabeth83]

My 14 gallon is basically empty besides 4 swordtail fry so I went out today and bought 2 little female bettas I want to make the tank into an all female betta tank. I have 1 other female in my other 14 gallon divided tank that I'd like to move in with the 2 new girls. I'm wondering if it'll work? Is 3 too little of a number?

How many can I fit in a 14 gallon without territory problems? I'd like to get another 1-2 if it's possible?

The 2 new girls are still young so they are smaller than my other girl..will that be a problem?

How long should I let the 2 girls have free range of the 14 gallon before introducing the other girl? How should I go about that?

I've read up on everything but I'd still like some advice from others on here

 

[clover]

3 females in a 14g will be fine. if you see them have a little go at each other it might be worth adding a few hideing places and plants so they can get out of each others way.

 

[KageBunshin]

You can even add one or two bettas to that to make it a bigger group. A bigger group spreads the agression. A 14 gallons could easily handle 4 or 5 bettas.

 

[Elisabeth83]

Yeah I've added a lot of plants to the tank When should I add the older female? Should I give the new girls time to adjust in their new home like a couple days..or can I put the older girl in soon like today?

I dont want the other 2 to think its just their home and then when I add the older girl gang up on her

edit: Just saw your reply KageBunshin. Yeah last time I was at one of the bigger fish stores here they had some real beauties in. There were 2 females with all white bodies with red finnage. I think they might be called Cambodians? I'd love to add one of those to the group )

 

[KageBunshin]

I suggest you add the females as soon as possible, becuase once the older females get used to their tank... they might become territorial. So add them as soon as possible. and hideing place would be good too. Cambodians have a peach, pink. or white body with colored fins.

 

[Elisabeth83]

Alright older girl has now been added in with the 2 new girls. She doesn't know what hit her lol She's went from being really active to displaying horizontal bars and kinda hiding. I bet she's wondering where the heck she is and who the heck these 2 other girls are

I turned off the lights ...I hope they all get along. There already seems to be a bit of a pecking order.

Heres a pic of a betta with the same colors as the female I saw at the other fish store. Quite pretty I think

 

[jmaster]

hi

she looks very pritty i prfer white bodyed females

in my 15 gallon i have 8 females and they all get along really well no finghting or anythink

 

[KageBunshin]

That female looks pretty! A true cambo

 

[ral]

I purchased a Cambodian Female a few days ago from a LFS. Now it looks like I might have gotten a Cambodian Plakat. Not sure yet.

Anyway, I puchased 5 females than 3 females from a LFS. In the first batch of 5, two look like they are males, they have a white oviposter but they are very agressive and build bubble nests. In any event, male or female, adding them with the other females results in chaos. I purchased two more females. This time one was the cambodian I mentioned above and a Turqouse female. Think the Cambodian is a male since he harrased all the other females and the turqoise female got beat up really bad.

I guess, make doubly sure they are females before putting them in the Female Betta Tank.

 

[newfishies]

ral - did your females get re-named or re-homed? i enjoy watching the progression of your betta addiction through your signature!!! what kind of set up do you have for the girls? i am thinking of starting one...(MTS)

 

[ral]

Renamed Mitzi to Vicky since I decided to name girls by their Color

Steel Blue = Bea, Britany (formerly Leica) and Burgundy (formerly Mia)
Violet (or looks violet) = Vicky (formerly Mitzi)

Whisper, Rita and Rica are currently nameless since I am trying to figure out if they are gals or guys. They are currenty in small beenies flaring at each other endlessly and building bubble nests. If they turn out to be a bunch of males Plakats I am going to have a housing problem.

Ginger is in a separate tank. She got pretty beat up by Whisper (who I now suspect to be a male).

It is a irregularly tank... about 8-9 gallons I guess (or hope at least) (14x12x12). I could not accomodate a longer tank so a had them make a wider one.

Big wood rock formation in the middle with silk plants all around (looks more like a underwater jungle than a fish tank).

Since the tank looked smaller than I envisioned, I put only four "females" in at first. Eventually removing those who seemed to agressive.

That left Britany, Burgundy and Vicky. Britany pretty much terrorizes everybody, but she is not persistent about pursuing the others. She did nip Burgundy in the fin. Vicky is tiny, but ignored for the most part luckily.

Just placed Bea in to nuetralize Britany who seems to be getting a bit too cocky. Bea is big, twice the size of the other gals, so they are afraid of her, but she has not nipped anybody so far.

A friend of mine likes Rita and Rica, so I migth let go of one of them. They look like Plakats with large fins, but not as large as the longfins.

I am not sure this set-up will work out. Tank may be a bit too small.