Fell In Love With A Betta

[Be4st]

So... I was at my LFS the other day and saw this gorgeous red-purple velvet looking male Betta and I fell in love. I really want him but I am unsure on whether I can with my current setup.
 
My setup currently is a 50L/11Gal tank, 3 real plants, a couple of hiding spaces, 3 female guppies (1 has a bright orange tail which I read may be an issue) and 2 female Platies. I am also 3 weeks in to a fish-in cycle and keeping the ammonia levels under 0.25. I do have another tank I can keep him in if needed but its all dusty and unused and its heater may or may not work. I also plan on building a cabinet and buying me a 260L/57Gal tank some time in the future and I want to put him in that with others. (I did read that sometimes, even aggressive Bettas can be passive in a large community tank as long as it big enough).
 
In the LFS, he's currently in a 68L/15Gal tank with about 10 Silver Sharks, 10 Red-Tail Sharks, 1 female Betta and about 3 unknown white looking fish that seem to keep him separated from the female Betta. I did notice he was a bit on the bully side, but that may be down to overcrowding.
 
So... Should I get him?

 

[Blondielovesfish]

I wouldn't put him in your 11G, the reason is the Guppies and the fact that it is still cycling. Adding anymore fish while you are cycling is likely to cause a big spike that could kill all your fish.
 
Would you be able to clean out your tank and buy a new heater for it (if the current one works)?
The only concern here would be that it would need to cycle.
 
Would the LFS be able to hold the lil guy for you?
 
Do you know anyone with some mature media to help your cycle?
 
For your future tank, it may or may not work. It depends on the other stocking.
 
That is a shame about the tank the Betta is in currently, its always sad to see tanks like that!

 

[Be4st]

I could clean out the old tank that's in the corner for him but my partner will go crazy as she wants it for what she calls a 'Googley-Eyed Goldfish' lol. I think the Betta sheet that is on this forum somewhere says Betta tanks don't need to be cycled, they just need to be 100% water changed every few days (which I thought to be a tad on the weird side.) And I doubt the LFS will hold him for the length of time I need for me to buy my 250L, build the cabinet, fill her up and fish-less cycle it... lol.

 

[Shelster]

What size is the tank your partner wants for the "googly eyed goldfish"? It may well be too small.

As long as water changes are kept on top of, it's right that the tank doesn't need to be cycled, however it is paramount that these water changes are kept on top of.

 

[Bettatamer]

So... I was at my LFS the other day and saw this gorgeous red-purple velvet looking male Betta and I fell in love. I really want him but I am unsure on whether I can with my current setup.
 
My setup currently is a 50L/11Gal tank, 3 real plants, a couple of hiding spaces, 3 female guppies (1 has a bright orange tail which I read may be an issue) and 2 female Platies. I am also 3 weeks in to a fish-in cycle and keeping the ammonia levels under 0.25. I do have another tank I can keep him in if needed but its all dusty and unused and its heater may or may not work. I also plan on building a cabinet and buying me a 260L/57Gal tank some time in the future and I want to put him in that with others. (I did read that sometimes, even aggressive Bettas can be passive in a large community tank as long as it big enough).
 
In the LFS, he's currently in a 68L/15Gal tank with about 10 Silver Sharks, 10 Red-Tail Sharks, 1 female Betta and about 3 unknown white looking fish that seem to keep him separated from the female Betta. I did notice he was a bit on the bully side, but that may be down to overcrowding.
 
So... Should I get him?

You could get a temporary 1 gallon setup for him until you have a proper tank, you shouldn't put him with a brightly colored fish they are likley to attack. Try some neon tetras, cory cats, otocinclus catfish and african dwarf frogs (really fun), you may find some other fish that do well too. But Mollies, Platies, Guppies and Swordtails will not be compatible with most betta. If you see a betta you love always save them from the cruel housing they have to endure. I have adopted three betta that were having to be "dealt with" (poured into a drained sink without water until death) 1 brown female wth  a growth on her nose, who turned out really beautiful when her fins became edged with purple and red on the inside with ice blue stripes. 1 Blue-green male crowntail with finrot who now has a black mask and red touches to his finnage, And most recently a red deltatail male with finrot and sickly looking coloration on his head, turns out its just his coloration and the finrot took 3 days before I started seeing the fins grow back. I swear when I have my own house there will be a giant green house with divided tanks for rescued betta that would have been "dealt with" by a cruel and greedy manager.

 

[tunagirll]

I'm currently cycling my tank and my betta is in a small holding tank until it's ready to be populated; I change his water around 80% daily and there is no filter (although I keep that tank inside the main tank, so that the water temperature is maintained). Do it!