Beginner Questions... Confused About Bettas!

[Blondie_Kate]

mm thanks, Bournemouth is a way to travel especially on a bank holiday weekend. there are a few reccomended aquariums close who will also double check our water properly.

also mr nice guy: what do you mean by shock and die easily? dont all fish 'shock and die easily?' i mean i know there are timid ones and sensative ones but can you please clarfiy what you mean?

thanks

 

[bronzecat]

50 miles and a nice drive through the New Forest Lunch in a nice pub on the way back, sorted

 

[Blondie_Kate]

50 miles and a nice drive through the New Forest Lunch in a nice pub on the way back, sorted

naughty naughty!

well we have just popped to the aquatics shop recommended and may i just say how damn impressed i was!

he tested our water and no as i expested it wasnt ready but he was very good and showed us the tests and results and explained everything to us.
(i know its all writted on here but i have a small learning difficulty as i have to ask silly questions and it has to be said to me to make sense )

anyways apparently we are a coupld of weeks into cycling so he suggested coming back if we can each week for tests and in 4-6 weeks time we can get some hardy fishies to start us off!

he was very nice and the bettas he had were lovely (if not the same flippin breeds (if thats the wright phrase) than every other shops around here) im tempted to buy online.....

anyways. he says a good 'starter' fish are harlequins and black neons. if well established would these be ok with bettas?

 

[bronzecat]

Sounds like you found a really nice sensible lfs guy

Harlequins are very nice and should be fine with a betta, however the Tetras are a different ball game and may be a tad nippy.

 

[Devorax]

We have a couple of Harlequins in with Spike, he takes no notice of them. We did try them in with George, for a bit of company kind of thing, but he flared constantly and pursued them relentlessly, so we had to remove the Harlequins back with Spike. It largely comes down to the dominance of the betta involved. If you have a placid one, like we have 2, then you will find Harlequins will be just fine with a betta, but they need to be in groups of 4 or 5 (ours died during a serious problem, so we only have 2 left for now) really to feel confident. If you have one like George though, then just about anything else will be tortured by the betta.
Only speaking from my limited experience, but it really does depend on the betta's personality.
HTH.