Betta and Guppies

[DaveW]

My girlfriend would like a little tank of her own. She would like to keep a few male Guppies with a male Betta. The tank would be big enough but would they get on with each other?

 

[tishygirl]

I believe it depends on the beta.. I have seen some beta fishies that dont mind the guppies... but when I got my guppies, it was a sure sign they wouldnt end up in the same tank when my beta went insane.. I have very colorful guppies, that could be part of the problem.

That is what I originally had wanted to do with my tank... but after talking to tons of people, and giving it a test run in side by side tanks... It really comes down to how cranky your beta is LOL.

Gee, I'm so much help, I know hehe

 

[OohFeeshy]

I'd say don't risk it. How big would the tank be?

 

[DaveW]

We are thinking about a 17 US gallon tank. It would propably have a few neons as well.

 

[Yenko]

A 17 gallon tank is a good size. Personally, I would stay on the safe side, and get just the betta and neons, no guppies.

 

[afireinside]

I wouldn't go with Bettas and Neons, my freind had a tank with that, and the betta died with out any warning. he was only three moths old.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Neons tend to nip a lot though.

 

[DaveW]

Would I be able to put a male betta in the tank we have aready? The tank and fish are in my signature.

 

[yvez9]

thing is bettas often mistake male guppies for other bettas because of the long and colorful fins

we tried it and thought it was fine

overnight, he ripped 2 male guppies' tails

 

[GSD]

id say no to a betta and guppies.it can work but often the betta will mistake the guppy for another male betta and attack it.
I personally wouldnt put a betta with any type of tetra either,having tried to put my betta in with some black phantoms and it all went horribly wrong.Also platies can be nippers of long flowing fins...making them not the best companions for bettas.
Cories do great with them though,and so do white clouds and anything not too bright.
it really depends on the temprement of the betta.

 

[tishygirl]

dwarf frogs are fun in a beta tank too. I have one with mine.

make sure its african dwarf frog and not clawed frog, i hear those are bad news.

 

[DaveW]

Thanks everyone for your advise. I thinks we need to re-think .

 

[Francis]

In my experience it would be ok, but thats only in my experience.

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

All the common statements, are that the betta would pick on the guppies. I had the opposite problem! I had a 10 gallon tank, with 3 male guppies (no females, since at the time I didn't know that was much better for alleviating stress), and a betta, along with a couple mollies and neons.

Well... my guppies ganged up, and chased/nipped the betta! So now he's in a 2 gallon tank at work.



(and if you're wondering why my sig. doesn't have guppies, mollies or neons... they got Ick and died >_< )

 

[Rodge]

Personally my betta doesn't have a problem with the guppies,

I would suggest that it would depend on where you got him from. In one of the LFS near me when the lady gets new bettas in she puts the bag in a tank with guppies to see how they react, If he flare up she puts him in a different tank, that way you know you are getting one that will be ok with them.