What's your opinion on sororities?

[Smedley]

After keeping male bettas this year and becoming more confident with them, I would really like to keep more than one at a time, that's when I started researching betta sororities. I'd love to keep 5 or 6 females, obviously in a larger tank with live plants and wood. But all the research I've done seems pretty 50/50. Some people say they are great, others say it's a very stressful environment for them and it's cruel. I would never want to put any fish in a potentially stressful environment, so I was wondering if anyone with a bit more knowledge would be able to help.
I understand that you could get a perfect bunch, or a really aggressive group, and a bit of it is down to chance. But are betta sororities inherently bad?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Sorry your post was ignored/unanswered.

Whilst not as aggressive as their male counterparts, the female of the species still carries the genes of the Siamese Fighting Fish.
Whilst you definitely cannot keep more than one male together, as they will undoubtedly fight, it is possible that you can keep a small group of females together, in the same tank.
Note that I use the word 'together' guardedly...many groups of fish will form hierarchies and this is true with both mixed groups and single-sex groups. For example, my three female dwarf gourami have a definite hierarchy, with one of the girls definitely being the top Queen.
For the Betta, this is doubly true.
That said, provided your tank is genuinely big enough, with lots and lots of space and lots and lots of live plants for individual sanctuary and to break up line-of-sight, then you'll be in with more than half a chance of your Bettas surviving and being relatively content. However, unlike many fish, the Betta is not a particularly social animal and I would suggest the close proximity of other Betta, albeit female Betta, would cause stress.

 

[✨Eurobeat✨]

I think it really depends on how well they're set up. The smaller the tank, the more likely they are to crash. I would absolutely not out them in smaller tanks like 20 gallons that some people say you can, just because maybe you *can,* but the chances of success are lower. If I was going to do a betta sorority, I'd do like 5 in a well planted 75g or something, that way there's enough fish to spread out aggression, but also the tank is beeg so the fish can get away from each other and hide.

EDIT: Fixed weird formatting.

 

[FishHobby99]

After keeping male bettas this year and becoming more confident with them, I would really like to keep more than one at a time, that's when I started researching betta sororities. I'd love to keep 5 or 6 females, obviously in a larger tank with live plants and wood. But all the research I've done seems pretty 50/50. Some people say they are great, others say it's a very stressful environment for them and it's cruel. I would never want to put any fish in a potentially stressful environment, so I was wondering if anyone with a bit more knowledge would be able to help.
I understand that you could get a perfect bunch, or a really aggressive group, and a bit of it is down to chance. But are betta sororities inherently bad?

I am no expert on any fishy subject, but I read two books on bettas. Both authors said it has been successfully done, but can be problematic and is not advisable. I sure wouldn’t go there. I’d stress out too much about an all girl brawl in the tank.

 

[Smedley]

Right, thank you all for the advice. As much as I'd love to have some colourful koi girls, I won't keep them together if it's possible they could stress out or their tank mates could negatively affect them. I appreciate the help! This stuff is really good to know.
Stay safe and have a lovely day!

 

[Sgooosh]

i think keeping wild bettas is better since they are naturally together....

@WhistlingBadger btw i love your tank!
these are 2 bettas together (i think it is father and son???)

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, thanks! It's important to understand that mine are a different species. Betta imbellis is a lot different than Betta spendens. And even with imbellis I've had some aggression problems. But there's no way you could keep two or three spendens males together. They'd kill each other in a matter of hours.

 

[Sgooosh]

Well, thanks! It's important to understand that mine are a different species. Betta imbellis is a lot different than Betta spendens. And even with imbellis I've had some aggression problems. But there's no way you could keep two or three spendens males together. They'd kill each other in a matter of hours.

yeah.... different bettas have different habits.... stuff other than splendens are usually less aggresive

 

[OliveFish05]

I wanted to do a female betta sorority at one point and looked into it. It is possible, but probably not the best route to go. Bettas, both males and females, are solitary by nature. I think that to do a betta sorority you would need a large tank with at least 5 bettas and lots of plants and hiding spots. What tank size are you looking at?

 

[Smedley]

I wanted to do a female betta sorority at one point and looked into it. It is possible, but probably not the best route to go. Bettas, both males and females, are solitary by nature. I think that to do a betta sorority you would need a large tank with at least 5 bettas and lots of plants and hiding spots. What tank size are you looking at?

If I were to go down that route it would be at least 90 litres, lots of Java fern and anubias.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Not worth it in my opinion, too many variables and things can go horribly wrong in no time at all...

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Anyone wanting to have a Betta sorority must have a spare aquarium for each fish, ideally sleep next to the aquarium and have nets on standby 24/7

I kid you not. Betta are Jeckyll & Hyde fish regardless whether male or female. Their body language is quite unique in that its rarely subtle and tends to escalate rapidly.

You can have the calmest group of females for weeks or months but that calmness can turn into a fin & body stripping frenzy at the drop of a hat and you need to be right there to remove the aggressive individual and pull out the injured/dying/dead.

These fish are genetically wired to fight......not manipulated genetics, 100% natural genetics....they will fight to the death

This if footage plucked from the internet of Imbellis females...

You need to be very experienced and know how to read the body language. Betta are often considered to be beginner fish, they aren't. They are extremely violent little fish and as stunningly beautiful as they can be, they are a real handful and can turn like flicking a switch in their brain

They are not called Siamese Fighting Fish for no reason, they are psychotic fish that shouldn't be in an aquarium with anything else cos it always ends in tears and dead fish eventually

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Anyone wanting to have a Betta sorority must have a spare aquarium for each fish, ideally sleep next to the aquarium and have nets on standby 24/7

I kid you not. Betta are Jeckyll & Hyde fish regardless whether male or female. Their body language is quite unique in that its rarely subtle and tends to escalate rapidly.

You can have the calmest group of females for weeks or months but that calmness can turn into a fin & body stripping frenzy at the drop of a hat and you need to be right there to remove the aggressive individual and pull out the injured/dying/dead.

These fish are genetically wired to fight......not manipulated genetics, 100% natural genetics....they will fight to the death

This if footage plucked from the internet of Imbellis females...

You need to be very experienced and know how to read the body language. Betta are often considered to be beginner fish, they aren't. They are extremely violent little fish and as stunningly beautiful as they can be, they are a real handful and can turn like flicking a switch in their brain

They are not called Siamese Fighting Fish for no reason, they are psychotic fish that shouldn't be in an aquarium with anything else cos it always ends in tears and dead fish eventually

Interesting vid, noting that the resident male simply cruises past, leaving Sharon and Tracy to handbag it out.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Sorry your post was ignored/unanswered.

For a whole 25 minutes, lol...

 

[ClownLurch]

I wouldn’t. A mate of mine used to be a bouncer on the nightclub doors of Newcastle. He always said it was easier to stop blokes fighting than ladies.