Required, Recommended, And Optional List Of Equipment To Keep Bettas

[Wildbetta]

Since a male betta's territory could be miles long and the domesticated bettas are so aggressive to each other, it really can't be recreated in a tank with good success.  There have been many try it but there is always one male that will harass the other no matter how big the tank.  In the wild, the males are able to fully get away from each other which means that they rarely ever fight and cause damage but in a tank situation there is no real way for them to escape the other male.  Even the wild splendens are more aggressive than the other wild betta species and are not recommended to be kept in the same tank together unless it is a larger tank with plenty of plants and hiding places.  

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Miles, eh?  Thanks.
 
 
I was just thinking that if you had a big enough tank and heavily planted enough, that a group of say... 7-10 males could coexist after one had set it self up as dominant, and the others would take a small territory within the rest of the range left by the dominant one.  (Thinking of how cichlids each keep their own little territories, but can get along when there's sufficient cover and space.  Naive to be sure... That's why I asked. )

 

[Wildbetta]

I wouldn't say naive.  LOL  It is a good thought but it doesn't work since there is not a "dominant" male in a situation like that with the domesticated splenden bettas.  With wild betta species it works because they can set up a dominance between themselves.  It is because of all the years of being bred to fight and be aggressive that has made the domesticated splendens the way they are today.  The wild versions are more aggressive than other wild betta types but nowhere near like the domesticated ones.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Well, thanks for being kind, but I still think its a bit naive of me.   (And thanks for explaining it...  I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around a fish with such beautiful... and delicate looking fins... being so persnickety.) 

 

[372xp]

If you wish to keep bettas togeather i would forget about b.splendens. B. pugnax(penang betta) or B.imbellis (peacefull betta) are the ones to consider. B.pugnax will quite happily exist in a shoal. They would love your large heavily planted tank tcamos.
As wildbetta has said with b,splendens they are nothing like the wild fish and can now, unfortunayely, not co-exist in a tank enviroment. It might seem alright for a while but I can guarentee you will wake one morning to carnage.

 

[SarahMarie]

This thread has been such a great help since I'm going to be getting a betta soon. Thanks!!