New Betta

[sillypony]

Hello!!

I never thought I would get one of these - they always look so sad sitting there in their plastic tubs. But, I have a 55 gallon community, and was looking for a 'top dweller' ... and long story short, I brought home a gorgeous new betta today. (his names Jessupha).

My 55 has a HOB filter, and two spong filters (one in each corner). So one end of the tank has quite a bit of water movement and the other just has the one sponge filter, and I turned the air to that filter down, so the bubbles are less than half of normal. He SEEMS happy, but he just refuses to stay in the middle where it's quiet!

My still-water-loving fish plays in the bubbles... and dives down to play in the caves and lay on the rocks... and then comes right up under the HOB instead of staying in the 3/4 of the length that are appropriate for him.

So far he seems ok, he got caught in the bubbles once and it took him a bit to figure out how to escape them, but since he has ventured back in (quite on purpose) with (seemingly) the intention to PLAY in the bubbles!! I thought these guys liked still water???


Anyways... does any of that sound worthy of concern? I think he looks mostly happy, he enjoys roaming ALL 55 gallons (so much for top dwelling....)

Are Betta's like danios and whatnot, if there was a female or two, would they live quite a lot of the time without spawning? I would love to get 2 or 3 females, if they would all get along.

Thanks!

LeeAnna

 

[devon_charm]

As long as he seems happy and active that set up is fine. He has the option of water flow and it sounds like he has lots to explore so i'm sure he will be just fine.

You can only keep a male betta on his own, as in no girls and no other males you will usually end up with dead fish if this rule is broken. Spawning a betta takes alot of time and build up unfortunatly its not as easy as putting them together and leaving them to it - but then thats part of the fun.

What tank mates does he have? Plus any chance of some pics?

 

[sillypony]

He has 12 danios (zebras and blue long fins) 3 queen loachs (possibly more to come) and 2 plecos (one L75, one L264) for tankmates... oh and 3 dwarf frogs.

By difficulty in breeding, do you mean getting them to spawn, or convincing them to get along? Because if they don't spawn, i wouldn't care. I'd just enjoy the extra color in the tank.

I'll get pics when I can, maybe next weekend...

He's a 'typical' fish store tail style.. a nice deep blue with red highlights.


LeeAnna

 

[devon_charm]

Its a case of them not getting along. When you spawn you have to put her in his tank in a glass chimney to get them both ready this way when you release her there is less aggression, however she will end up very tattered as he will still beat her up. When they do spawn she has to be removed right away other wise he will kill her. Some people are luck and have a male with two girls but one day he might just turn on them or visa versa.

Before i knew any thing about bettas i had about 10 girls in a community tank with a male, needless to say the ganged up on him and killed him.

If you do want more than one betta then get a group of 4 or more girls and have him in a smaller 5gal tank. If you do want just him in the com tank, keep an eye on his fins as the Danios may nip a lil bit.

Hope this is helping lol, i feel like i'm just babbling.

 

[sillypony]

Thank you, it is very informative. I finally found some information on that after I posted, so had scrapped the sorrority idea. I do have a 10 gallon I could move him to if i really wanted the sorority, but it is *supposed* to be the quarantine tank, and he REALLY enjoys the 55. Silly fish is supposed to be a still water fish and he plays in the air stone bubbles......

So far his fins seem OK- the only time the danios even notice him is feeding time, and then i'm supervising to make sure he gets his share (he is very slow to eat). Luckily he is very calm and aware, and thus if i am having lots of trouble getting him food, he'll 'sit' in the palm of my hand, so the danios cant get ot him, and munch on the food. The only problem is he likes his 55 gallons of space to play, and has no interest in sitting in my hand for more than a mouthful or two... So today i went and got betta pellets, and he spits the stupid things out. The danios won't even eat them. Maybe after he realizes he's running out of options his appetite will get better... Eventually we'll figure out this feeding thing.

LeeAnna