Woo Just Bought 2 Betta's

[samyboy]

i finally found a local shop selling them took me ages looking through the tanks for guppies then i noticed a lable on the WCMM tank "male fighter" couldnt see him then i saw the golden WCMM tank had this gorgeous fish swimming up and down......i had to have him beautiful finnage looked very healthy and reasonable price of £2.95 eventually i found a tank full of females £1.95 so i had one of each, i know there not allways the best community fish but i figured if hes been in a small tank with 50 or so minnows and cory's he wont mind a larger home and less fish so i slowly acclimatised them and added them to the 15gallon (with the 3 gallon prepped ready incase he decided to get angry but no he swam into hiding and wouldnt come out for a while, the female wouldnt leave the surface but then started to venture....she crept up on an albino cory to investigate the cory seemed rather stunned with this blue fancy fish on his tail

eventually the male began to explore the tank but it was a good 20 minutes before they came across each other, the male seemed rather self contious and slightly aggressive until he realised it was a female and he puffed his face up and flexed all his fins wildly, both of them have been fine so far not taking any notice of the other fish still settling in exploring around and "flirting" with each other.

just 1 question is it safe to keep them together all the time, should i add another female?

only thing im worried about if and when he makes his bubble nest will he become agressive to the other fish?

Him

Her

Him and Her + albino cory and white clouds

 

[red-devil0602]

please don't tell me you are keeping them in the same tank, if you are separate them asap as they will rip each aother to shreads, they should only be kept together if you are breeding any even then they have to be conditioned

 

[samyboy]

*gulp* ok thanks for the quick reply both been ok so far

 

[red-devil0602]

trust me it will be a mess if you leave them together why not put the male in your empty 3g tank

 

[samyboy]

yeh was about to edit my post which would be better in the 3G

thanks ever so much, i was going to ask before i aded them but we had a thunderstorm and my mates modem got fried when he was on the net during a thunder storm

 

[red-devil0602]

i would put the male in the 3g as half the time they don't get on with any other fish.

 

[samyboy]

he took some catching but now safely in the 3G

thanks again

 

[samyboy]

ok now they both seem depressed the male just hovers around and hardly moves in his tiny little tank

and the female just hides in the bigger 15 gallon

 

[red-devil0602]

they will be fine it's just because he has been moved he will get used to it and like it better as he doesn't have to spend all day straining at the female

 

[Harif87]

EDIT: Dont want newbs like me reading the thread half way getting the wrong idea.....

 

[red-devil0602]

The male wont rip the female to shreds..... only if the female were another male would that happen or if the female just layed eggs would the male become aggressive to the female.

he will rip her up, maybe not in a 200+ litre tank but in this smaller tank he will

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Red Devil is absolutely correct. Never keep males with males or females. Many females are happy to live together (best either singley or in groups to avoid aggression) and can form friendships with each other and have a hierarchy system they follow. If she seems miserable try having a few more girls with her. Although in a 15g you'll have to keep an eye out for possible problems.
P.

 

[samyboy]

been reading up on the betta and males must be kept alone full stop the only time they will tollerate a female is if there ready to spawn for him if not he kills her, if she lays eggs in his nest he then kills her to protect the nest

 

[red-devil0602]

yay we have someone new to bettas who takes advice and does research, now it's time for multiple betta syndrome

 

[samyboy]

yeh spent a good hour trawling through betta pages, i originally bought the pair with the aim to breed.......guess i betta start collecting jars

they must of been resting earlier as there quite active atm 3 gallon really doesnt seem big enough for him, how on earth people keep them in vases is beyond me