Female betta numbers

[I_Smell_Fish]

How many female bettas do you think will fit comfortably in a heavily planted 15 gallon tank?

Thank you

 

[snork6]

6 or 7, but you need to make sure they are peaceful with each other not all are, introduce them two at a time and remove the aggressive ones. Make sure you have lots of hiding places so they cant see each other 24/7

 

[I_Smell_Fish]

6 or 7, but you need to make sure they are peaceful with each other not all are, introduce them two at a time and remove the aggressive ones. Make sure you have lots of hiding places so they cant see each other 24/7

But if I do two at a time, won't the first two fight?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I set up a Betta sorority just like you are describing.... 15 gallons, heavily planted, with 7 female bettas...

Here's how I did it...

Contacted a breeder, bought all 7 at the same time as juvies that were all kept together previously. And added them all at the exact same time... added to the tank as quickly as possible so that none of them had a chance to claim a territory.

Then.... watch very closely for over aggressive behavior from a particular female or against a particular female. The reason to have so many is to spread aggression and keep it from being directed at a single individual. You might be able to go as high as 9, but you'd need to,do more frequent and larger water changes.

 

[I_Smell_Fish]

I set up a Betta sorority just like you are describing.... 15 gallons, heavily planted, with 7 female bettas...

Here's how I did it...

Contacted a breeder, bought all 7 at the same time as juvies that were all kept together previously. And added them all at the exact same time... added to the tank as quickly as possible so that none of them had a chance to claim a territory.

Then.... watch very closely for over aggressive behavior from a particular female or against a particular female. The reason to have so many is to spread aggression and keep it from being directed at a single individual. You might be able to go as high as 9, but you'd need to,do more frequent and larger water changes.

Doesn't the filter current make part of the tank unusable by a fish making the tank actually smaller than 15 gallons? The current is making me think 5 is max for my tank. I have an AquaClear 20, for up to a 20 gallon tank. I could turn down the current but it doesn't seem like it would oxygenate the tank very well any lower. It's great that you have the exact same setup!

Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Female bettas are far more capable swimmers than their male counterparts as they don't have the same fun age, so the current isn't nearly as big a deal. Bettas are also labyrinth fish, which means they can draw oxygen from the air if they are in a low oxygen environment.

You can lower the flow a bit, but I wouldn't worry about that unless you see the current from the tank blowing them around a bit. I never did. You can add an air stone to increase oxygen a bit, if that makes you feel better. I did have an air 'wand' as well. I don't think it made a big difference, but I happened to already own it, so I used it.

 

[I_Smell_Fish]

Female bettas are far more capable swimmers than their male counterparts as they don't have the same fun age, so the current isn't nearly as big a deal. Bettas are also labyrinth fish, which means they can draw oxygen from the air if they are in a low oxygen environment.

You can lower the flow a bit, but I wouldn't worry about that unless you see the current from the tank blowing them around a bit. I never did. You can add an air stone to increase oxygen a bit, if that makes you feel better. I did have an air 'wand' as well. I don't think it made a big difference, but I happened to already own it, so I used it.

I don't want a heavily loaded tank, which 7 seems to be....plus my 7 or so pygmy cories at the bottom, so do you think 5 females is too few?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'd recommend skipping the cories for a variety of reasons:
1 - extra bioload... not good in a small tank
2 - cories are easily picked on and bettas (even females) can be bullies to other species, though not all are.
3 - temp requirements. Bettas need warmer water than is good for the cories, speeding up their metabolism and shortening their lives dramatically.

7 is good, 5 would be pushing it.

 

[I_Smell_Fish]

I'd recommend skipping the cories for a variety of reasons:
1 - extra bioload... not good in a small tank
2 - cories are easily picked on and bettas (even females) can be bullies to other species, though not all are.
3 - temp requirements. Bettas need warmer water than is good for the cories, speeding up their metabolism and shortening their lives dramatically.

7 is good, 5 would be pushing it.

Hmmmm, ok. Nix the cories. I read, in many locations, that they were good tankmates for bettas. Just can't believe everything you read on the internet.

I'm assuming I can keep my nerite snail? Is there anything else I can have? Otocinclus?

Thanks.

 

[Demeter32]

If you would like 5 instead of 7 then go for it. I've kept three in a heavily planted 10 for a year with no problems, now I've added another girl and moved them to a 20gal long planted tank with 6 corydoras. I plan on adding another trio of girls in the near future too.

I would add them all at once, I'd float the bettas in their cups in the main tank for a while before releasing them all. Watch them very closely for the next few days and remove any that are causing problems.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hmmmm, ok. Nix the cories. I read, in many locations, that they were good tankmates for bettas. Just can't believe everything you read on the internet.

I'm assuming I can keep my nerite snail? Is there anything else I can have? Otocinclus?

Thanks.

There are a lot of places that focus only on the temperaments of the fish, and not the TEMPERATURES they prefer. Bettas do best in warmer water - 78+ degrees F minimum. Pgymy cories do best in much cooler water - Best under 75degrees.


Sterbai cories work pretty well with the higher temperature.