Mixing Bettas

[Jess]

I shall be looking for a ghost shrimp tomorrow then!

Calm down pleco-Heaven!!!llol Im not being cruel, dont worry!! Its a bristlenose pleco - will only grow to about 4inches i believe. He's about half and inch now - SO cute!!! Quite friendly too! and its ten uk gallons which i think is a bit more in the US if thats where u are...

 

[Jess]

Ok, I went to Three different places today and not one of them had a ghost shrimp or any idea of where to get one so i gave up on that for a moment!! I did buy something to go with my evil betta though!!!

They tried to sell me three female betta's and assured me that they'd be fine together but i decided against it... Instead i bought a red-tailed black shark. Apparently it should get on fine with all my fish! He's in there at the moment and the betta has not even gone near him!!! It's probably because he's bigger!lol The swordtails seem to like him too!

So, was that a good fish to buy? Should they continue to get on?? He seems ok in there at the moment, and he wont get too big!!! I dont think ill add any more though, not enough space!!!

Jess

 

[jacblades]

i would take the shark out of there immediately. those guys need at least a 25 gal aquarium and are known to be agressive. i would not take any chances with a betta.


dont ever listen ot what the people at the lfs tell you. occasionally there will be someone there who knows what theyre talking about but most of the time-they have no idea.

 

[Jess]

Really?! Im SO confused now!!! Ive read a load of websites that say that they can live in a 10 gallon tank and are only agressive with males of their species!!!

Im gonna give up and keep goldfish... its so much easier!!!!!

 

[jacblades]

i have never had a red tailed shark so i do not speak from experience-this is just what i have heard from others who do have them. they seem to be territorial and occasionally have fights with other aquarium inhabitants.

hate to burst your bubble-but bettas are A LOT easier than goldfish. goldfish produce lots of waste and need to be kept in large tanks, not bowls. goldfish are supposed to live about 20 years but usually live less than a year because people dont know how ot take care of them.

heres a great site for goldfish
heres a great site for bettas

 

[BirdofPray]

Not one place heard of ghost shrimps? that's odd.

 

[Jess]

My betta is easy to look after there is just very little i can put in with him as he's so aggressive. The guppies and swordtails were in with my last betta and they all got on fine, this one just seems really mean!!!

All the places i went to had heard of ghost shrimp but dont have them...

I've never had any problems with goldfish before! I have some goldfish in my pond that are at least 7 years old... I thought tropical fish would be more interesting...

 

[jacblades]

i think bettas do better alone anyways. if your betta is "mean", he would probably make a snack out of ghost shrimp. i keep an apple snail with all of my bettas. but then again, some of my bettas have eaten their snails (and a few of them never had snails to begin with because i knew those particular ones would eat them). it really just depends on the personality of your fish. fiesty and active fisht seem to like snacking on small inverts.

 

[Jess]

The ghost shrimp was to go with my guppies, they're on their own in a boring 2 gal plastic tank with one boring plant!! Thought it might brighten it up a bit - and keep it a bit cleaner
Ive been keeping an eye on my betta and shark and they seem to be doing ok together, they're all just leaving each other alone! I think ill leave them in there and if the bettas had its fins nipped tomorrow ill take the shark back...

Then ill go back to my first plan and put the betta in the 2 gal guppy tank and put the guppies back in the 10 gal with the swordtails... Im sure my betta could live without heater/filter... He wont be so mean next time!!lol

This is hard work!! Sorry People!!!

 

[jacblades]

The ghost shrimp was to go with my guppies, they're on their own in a boring 2 gal plastic tank with one boring plant!! Thought it might brighten it up a bit - and keep it a bit cleaner
Ive been keeping an eye on my betta and shark and they seem to be doing ok together, they're all just leaving each other alone! I think ill leave them in there and if the bettas had its fins nipped tomorrow ill take the shark back...

Then ill go back to my first plan and put the betta in the 2 gal guppy tank and put the guppies back in the 10 gal with the swordtails... Im sure my betta could live without heater/filter... He wont be so mean next time!!lol

This is hard work!! Sorry People!!!

please dont wait till its too late. the betta could be dead tomorrow or sick so you would have to buy him some meds. take the shark back now and get some store credit to perhaps buy a 7.5 or 8 watt heater or a corner/sponge filter. (i would go with the heater over the filter). unless you keep the temp in your house 80+, you need a heater. 7.5/8 watts are cheap.

 

[Jess]

It's 9pm! The shop is shut! There are plenty of places for them all to hide!
I have meds if he gets sick but i will be keeping an eye on him tonight and will take him out immediately if i see them fighting. Could the guppies go in with the shark as ill be out of tanks if they cant as betta and guppies cant go in together?!!!

Why would the store sell me this shark if it cant go in with my fish? Its not a 'pet' store, its a proper aquatic centre!!! It seems really strange.. i even asked the person to get a second opinion about the shark to make sure they can go together!!! Its really annoying now... there's nothing that can go with my betta other than swordtails!! (They were in the tank in the store with him when i bought him!!)

 

[jacblades]

sorry! i didnt realize you were in england. its 3pm here.
they would sell it to you because
1. they can
2. they could be misinformed

as i said, ive never owned one before-i have just read what others have said about them. i have read that they can attack cichlids and a cichlid is a lot bigger and tougher than a betta. i dont know about the guppies. if they are small enough to fit in his mouth, then probably not.
i dont see why you cant just leave your betta by himself in the 2g? thats a perfect size for a betta.
put the guppies and swordtails in the 10gal. i dont think you need any more fish in those tanks.
if you want some more, then buy another tank but i think those sharks need a 25-unless hes a baby.

 

[Jess]

Hmm... that is weird... Were the right about the female bettas at least?!?! 2 or more with a male in a 10 gal would be ok?!?! They cant be THAT stupid can they?!lol

I shall see how the betta and shark get on and if i do have to take him back ill put the betta in the 2 gal! He just looks really nice in my other tank!!! It seems a shame to put him in a tiny little tank on his own!! But i suppose if he wont get on with anyone he'll have to get used to it!

The shark is a baby, hes about 3 inches though im fairly sure they only grow to 4 1/2 - 5 inches! Everything ive read and been told says that he'd be ok in a 10 gal but if he wont then i must take him back!! Its not fair on him!

 

[jacblades]

the key phrase there is "tiny little tank" if its tiny, it doesnt need anyhting else in there. the only fish that need other fish are schooling fish.

NO MALE AND FEMALE BETTAS TOGETHER!!!!

some people do this-but they are extremely experienced betta keepers and they have at least 4 females and lots lots lots of hiding places. if you have to ask if you can keep them together, you probably shouldnt.

im glad you are concerned for the welfare of the fish. lots of people wouldnt have taken the shark back-they would have kept him in a tank that was too small and/or with unsuitable fish.

and of course they will try to tell you differently when you take him back. they want to sell you the fish

just get the betta a heater though since you are way way up in the northern hemisphere

 

[Jess]

Lol I had heard that you couldnt keep them together but i asked what they suggested i put with my male and they told me to get some females... obv i thought i should research it more before i bought any though!!!!!
And i dont really want hundreds of tiny bettas everywhere.... Its bad enough with guppies!!!

I shall take the shark back in the morning and swap him for a little heater! and ill buy my betta an ornament or something...lol He's gotta have something in there, bless him!!!

Thanks for the advice anyway!