Individual Tank Bettas Vs Community Tank Bettas?

[Richie Hell]

My Betta lives in a community set up, and he's fine.

He isn't aggressive to his tankmates, and none of them give him grief. He's very healthy and doing fine.

That said, he does object sometimes if anyone gets too close to him, except for Corys, who's perfectly happy with, even if they nudge through his fins.

We did have one problem with having to take some fish back to the shop after he kicked up a fuss, but the next fish we added were fine.

I wouldn't ever automatically say a Betta isn't a community fish, but like others have said, each individual fish's temperament is key, as well as the living conditions and the tankmates. Just be careful, and don't go with anything that could be termed even a bit risky...

Despite all that, I still want to try having a Betta live on his own, mainly because I'd like a another one one day, and only have room for a small tank, plus it's a good chance to have a tank for frogs. I'd consider moving mine out of the community tank just for the possibilites it would open up in fish I could add without worry. Betta in a community tank impose a lot of restrictions on you!

 

[yellaboo2oo8]

I have got my betta male in with two females and they are doing amazingly well his tail is a little tore up from when he was beating up the girls and they fought back at first but now they are fine and don't talk I have them in a 29 gal with live plants and a filter meant for a 10-20 gal so the current in't too strong they seem to love it and last week a put a placatamus and a Raphael Cat in there with them and they have left them alone for the most part except when the male decided to see what the new guys looked like and they fled once they saw him within two inches of them but other than that they are doingf exceptionally well... i wouldn't put any other fish in my tank because i just want the bettas and i bought the planty for algea buildup when they breed and the cat for my snail problems but they will stick around for a very long time... good luck... (oh bettas HATE flashy/bright fish.... like mollys and make sure you don't put agressive fish like chiclids in there so I have heard on other pages)

 

[Confused]

Thanks friends for all your replies. It is always nice to know more & more about Bettas especially from personal experiences.

 

[White Whale]

I usually have them in a 2.5g alone. They seem more peaceful that way. Now I have one in a 5.5g with a bumblebee goby and a couple of really fast tetra. He may chase the tetra, but he'll never catch them. At least I know he's getting his exercise. He doesn't chase them all the time, but they provoke him sometimes by swimming in front of him. And he seems to be more active - and more hungry. However, he has killed two of the three slow-moving cories I had before. I dunno why. I thought he might have killed the goby by now, but he seems to leave him alone.

 

[Bblou]

my betta was very happy in his 20g alone.

then we got him bad matched friends and he was very stressed, allthough no1 got hurt.

then I moved him to a new 5g tank in which his friend was a mirrored back to the tank... still stressed.

Now I have a third tank for him.

that one fish has cost me a small fortune!!

edit.

forgot to mention hes happy again now.

I do think hed like some friends, but I also think hes happy on his own.

 

[Frollickyfish]

This thread is a couple of years old.

 

[Aussie_Dog]

Eh, who cares.


I've never tried my Bettas with other fish, but one (Sweeney) has been in with 2 African Dwarf Frogs, Ichabod and Crane. Crane died a few weeks ago (RIP) but Ichabod is still going strong. I don't know if Sweeney enjoys the "companionship", but he doesn't seem bothered either. For all I know, he understands that he gets more bloodworms and brine shrimp than he should, just because the froggy needs them, lol.

I did experiment once, when I got some Clown Loaches (for the 60gal). When they were in their bag, I put them in Ed Gein's little tank to warm up the bag (it was winter and I'd taken them home on the bus, hugging them under my coat to keep them warm, lol) while I got the 60gal prepared. Ed Gein would not stop peckering away at the bag, obviously disturbed by the sight of the fish. Since the Loaches were getting upset, I moved them to Sweeney's tank. He started peckering at the bag too, but I noticed he wasn't trying to get at the fish. No, there was a little bit of flake food stuck to the inside of the bag, and that's what he was trying to get. Crazy goof. Then I decided to get him some ADFs and after a day or two of "What the heck just moved near the surface over there! Show yourself!" he calmed down and now lives in harmony with Ichabod. Doesn't even twitch a muscle when Ichabod swims for the surface. But they can get in quite a fight over bloodworms (Ichabod can be NASTY, instigating the fight and hanging onto Sweeney, but then seeming to get overly upset and not wanting to eat anymore for the rest of the meal)

I wouldn't risk any of my Bettas in the 60gal, though. Not only do I have 8 Tetras, but I've watched a couple of the YoYo Loaches get aggressive with the other fish, and the Bristlenose Plecos get aggressive, and the poor Betta would be lunchmeat when it comes to competing for the food that the Tetras are swarming over. No, these little guys need protection and isolation, and should not be allowed to taste defeat, for God help us all if they think any less of themselves, lol

 

[Tsi_User]

Although I haven't had my male Betta in the 29 gallon community tank, in my 5 and 10 gallon tanks he did very well with:

-Ottos
-Cherry/Amano Shrimp
-Dwarf Frogs