Bettas & Guppies

[matty101]

I had a 10g with a betta and saw that he was getting bored and needed some entertainment. So I bought 5guppies (a small school) and by the next few days, there was only 1 left surprisingly in good condition. I guess he had a fine meal.

 

[fenwoman]

I had a 10g with a betta and saw that he was getting bored and needed some entertainment. So I bought 5guppies (a small school) and by the next few days, there was only 1 left surprisingly in good condition. I guess he had a fine meal.

And this is funny/responsible/mature/ethical in what way?

What about. "I have a large savage dog who was getting bored, so went to the rescue centre and got 5 puppies, now there is only one left so I guess he had some fun".

(I didn't nor wouldn't BTW)

 

[helenx0x0]

I kept a betta in a community aquarium successfully with a few guppies as well as other fish. They never fought, but I understand this can depend on the personality of the individual betta, and whether it thinks the guppies are fellow bettas or not! I think it just varies from fish to fish...

 

[Josiah]

I was too lazy to read the whole thread, but here's my horror story. I originally had my crowntail in a 10g with 3 guppies, the day before they were fine, I wake up the next morning a female is dead, the male has hardly any fins, and the other female was missing a huge chunk out of her tail, so who's the culprit? perhaps the crowntail eating the dead female.

Well that's my horror story, but I've also kept my female betta with guppies and she did fine.


PS:The male and female lived, she's currently pregnant.

 

[jollysue]

I have never had guppies. But I have had lots of Bettas. I have had a few in communities. It is true that some never caused a problem that I know of for whatever reason. But I have walked in on two different incidents that changed my perspective. These two boys were just fine each in his own Cory tank. Well one was a Brochis splendens tank. BIG cory cousin. The other was in a panda and friends tank (all small Cories.) Everything seemed fine. If you had asked me I would have said "no problems." Big +++ for Cories and Bettas. But I noticed that the Brochis were starting to stay hidden all the time. Hmm? I thought. Then I walked in quietly one day and sat down after feeding. Next thing the Brochis try to come out and eat. Kamakazee Dive Bombing Betta! From then on I noticed my sweet boy had taken a dislike to the passive but boisterously natured Brochis which he had been with for six months. If they tried to come out, he chased them and tormented them with vigor. I moved him.

Next the panda et al tank. That Betta, Rudy, was all Cory. He swam with them and danced with them and slept with them.... Then I noticed that the pandas and friends were hiding all the time. Then I saw Rudy Dive Bombing the Coreys when they came out to eat. Rudy would chase them into the cave and go in after them. He was on a mission to terrorize my pandas! I moved him.

It took longer than I wanted or expected for the catfish to recover their happy selves and stop hiding.

So I said I never had a problem keeping Bettas and Cories together--until I had a problem. So now I always warn new Betta keepers looking for Betta tank mates that Betta is very unpredictable. Sweet as syrup today, Kamakazee tomorrow. And several folk jump on me and tell me "They" never had any problems!

There it is. But For the owners and the fishes: Betta are unpredictable and can have a complete change of character and behavior. Like Pit Bulls--But try telling that to the owner of the pit bull that just is certain that their little sweetie would never harm a flea.

 

[andyboy!!]

My Betta had a 'thing' for orange platy's. Everything else he would leave alone (guppies etc).

I once bought a small female platy. I floated her in the tank and he started circling her, so she went straight back.

he's left us now anyway.

RIP Mr T.

 

[corey01]

I never put in a betta with anything, because I had a betta that tried to take on a fish that was twice it's size and was attacking everything in my thirty gallon. No thanks, it can have it's temple of solitude, I'm not going to argue....

well i agree with that if bettas are placed in a community after they have been kept on their own for most of their lives can end with agression. BUT.....almost every website you look at say that bettas are great community fish and in my experience that is true. i guess it just depends on if the betta is used to other fish or not..

 

[sunpirate2u]

I have a male betta and once kept him with three guppies. He chased them and nipped their fins. After a year they all died out. I wouldn't keep bettas with guppies.

 

[andypandy]

within 3 hours my betta had killed one and nipped another who eventually died from its injuries

 

[jess6905]

i have kept my females in with guppies and their fry with out any problems. i also keep afew new borne guppy fry in with my betta fry after they reach about 1/2 inch, and have been able to keep my bettas together for over a month longer than i would be able to normally. i would never put any of my males in with any guppy(male/female or fry) because i know they would attack them.

 

[jhaddad04]

i have my male betta in a 20 gallon tank with 6 guppies 4 females and 2 males and 6 zebra danios. No problem whatsoever, I've had them together about 5 months now and not even one torn fin. The only aggression I ever see from my male betta is when a male guppy tries to get near the breeding tank floating that I have full of fry. All he'll do then is just flare.

 

[*Bethie*]

My boyfriend has the guppies and I have the bettas so they are never together, and I would never consider putting them together either. When I was starting my sorority tank, I WAS considering guppies, but a little leary about it. Well those feelings were confirmed at a LFS when I saw guppies and female bettas together and I found several dead from both species. And the bettas that WERE alive had majorly ripped fins. So my instincts were right on that. I decided to put in neons, and that has been working really well.

Just wanted to share!

*Bethie*

 

[monica]

I put my calmest most un-nippy male in a tank with my 2 females and 1 male guppy. And the next morning (after no nipping the night before) the male guppy had lost nearly half his tail, and it wa cleanly split right down the middle. There goes his beatiful tail...
Dont try it.

 

[drewmf91]

visit thefishandturtlezone.7p.com the webs #1 site for information on aqarium fish and aquatic turtles!!!

 

[merry78]

I have a betta (male) in with my female breeder guppies (spade tail), and he is totally gentle and very happy with them, but i would never risk having a male guppy in there long term. I can safely add one of my male venezuelan guppys long enough to fertilize the females, but it's only ever for a few hours and under supervision. He has never looked at the male guppy during the short period the male is in there, but i wouldn't chance it anyway.
I think my male betta has a particularly laid back personality, i wouldn't try it with any old betta.