Betta with Danios?

[Eunen_de]

My son picked up a Betta along with another Danio. The inch long Leopard Danio and the Betta are currently sharing a 1g isolette. When their two weeks are up my son wants to add both into my...I mean his, 10g which currently has two Zebra Danios and another Leopard (all full grown).

i'm not concerned about the new arrivals..they get along just fine with each other even though the Danio steals food practically out of his mouth. I'm more concerned about the established Danios. The dominant female is pretty big and bossy and they have been spawning so the male is chasing and nipping at the moment and tore a tiny bit of the non-dom female's tail this week (never happened before all the spawning). The tank is well planted (real and fake) but the poor Betta will be no match speedwise if they decide to pester him.

Anyone had a Betta with Danios? I've heard they are usually pretty good together. Should I wait until there are at least 6 Danios before trying or try him when I add the new Danio (and hope the new guy distracts them)? Whenever I do it it will be when I have a few days home to keep an eye on things and yank him out if there's trouble.

I'm also eyeing a 23g ultra long (36 inches!) as I'm thinking of seperating the male and female Danios anyway. Maybe I should wait and put the Betta in with the males in one tank? Outside of spawning time the males are not aggressive and less bossy than the females.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Gah, ...I'm overloaded. Just to keep it simple, why not put the danio in the ten and leave the betta in the 1?

 

[The-Wolf]

why not put the danio in the ten and leave the betta in the 1?

Danios are schooling fish and need to be in groups of 5 or more.
also due to their level of activness 10 gallon is too small a tank to keep them in.

I'll warn you now of what will happen.
if kept in too small a tank and with out enough fish to dissipate aggression
1 danio (normaly a male) will kill everything in the tank.
I have seen it for myself and it happens often.

The minimum tank length I recomend for danios is 24", with plenty of open space at the top for them to swim in.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Either way, the betta and the danio need to be seperated ...sooner rather than later. The easiest bet would be to return the danio until you've made a decision.

Danios are schooling fish and need to be in groups of 5 or more.
also due to their level of activness 10 gallon is too small a tank to keep them in.

Danios are kept in tens all over the world, and (s)he plans to upgrade. And also has several already.

 

[The-Wolf]

Danios are kept in tens all over the world

as are goldfish, does that make it right?

 

[wuvmybetta]

True,but I think we're missing the point.

2 fish in a 1 gallon..VS. several small fish temporarily housed in a ten. Which would be better?

You're concerned for the danios, and I for the betta

 

[Eunen_de]

If Danios are so aggressive why does every book I can get my hands on label them a very peaceful community fish? You'd think some author would know this.

Up until they started spawning there was never any aggression even though the three of them were stuck in the 1g for a long time and it was the largest female that was (and is again) the boss. She doesn't bite, she just headbutts the others.

The two fish in the 1g now are new and in quarantine. The Danio is going into the 10g. I'm guessing the consensus is ..don't even bother trying the Betta until you have a whole school of Danio in a bigger tank.

 

[BettaMomma]

Wow...
couple of things to comment on here...

Every fish store I have talked to about cycling my 10G tank here in town suggested I get a couple of danios to do that with, then add in 3 - 4 more once the tank has cycled.
Again, not that it is RIGHT, cuz I ONLY have bettas, but aren't we all purists here and everyone here always believes in what would be "over and above" conditions for fish? PLEASE keep in mind that as I said, I only keep bettas and only know what I've read and been told by lfs - some of which I trust very much...

Secondly, you need to get that danio out of that 1G tank ASAP. I am sitting here looking over at my 2 betta boys that are each in their own 1G tank, and thinking of the psychotic little swimmers lovingly known as Cody and Bubbles (zebra danios) in my friend's tank and I can't believe that one of your fish hasn't mutilated the other yet in an area that tiny. eek!

and LASTLY...
I really believe that betta boys shouldn't ever be put in with anything, ever. I know it's worked in some cases, but I would never do it. You just never really know. You could wake up some morning and find a finless or tail-less betta.

 

[bkk_group]

You could wake up some morning and find a finless or tail-less betta.

..or the other fish could end up in far worse predicament, having seen first hand the carnage an angry plakat can inflict.

 

[BettaMomma]

Yep, that is very true, too!

 

[The-Wolf]

If Danios are so aggressive why does every book I can get my hands on label them a very peaceful community fish? You'd think some author would know this.

they are if kept in the correct conditions

 

[dwarf-puffers]

danios work fine (zebra) the battas r way to slow atlease in my case just make sure u feed them the right amount good luck!

 

[Eunen_de]

The Betta and Danio have been together a week and not a nip since day one. Neither appears stressed. The Danio ignores the Betta and the Betta just hangs out and watches it zip around or ignores it too. It's the full grown Danios vs the Betta that was the issue.

I feed the Danio first and while it's busy chewing I feed the Betta.

I'm still trying to figure out HOW a Danio could kill anything else except by pestering and stressing them into illness. Their teeth are in their throat and they only eat stuff they can swallow whole. They don't have the strong jaws that fish like Puffers etc have. Strong enough to tear fins for sure but how would they kill anything? I've never even seen them open their mouths at each other except when they were spawning (seemed more like a display as they didn't actually bite each other). I'm only guessing that the other female had her tail bit during the spawning..I never saw it happen. She might have torn it on something in the tank.

Anyway, the Danio leaves for the 10g when the quarantine is up. The Betta stays in the 1g for now until the Danio fry need it then he will get a holiday in the big goldfish bowl. If I can get the 23g long I'll think about it.