Dispelling the Betta myth....
- Thread starter PreciousGems
- Start date
ok so you want to dispel do you.bettas are agressive to the point that they don't make good community fish per se but they can work with some fish.anything that looks any thing like a betta is going to subjet to agression from the betta.some bettas simply do not tolerate other fish at all.they spend so long in a bowl or in solitary confinment that the betta is upset by company.female bettas can be just as pugnatious as their male counterparts.i have seen females attack ottos that were motionless and for all purposes nonthreating.in general females do make good community fish.male bettas are usualy not suggested for a community tank because of the finnage that they sport.a common community tank has too many hazards and whatsuch to offer a betta a comfortable enviroment.between current possible fin nipping and boistrious tankmates this tends to be too much for bettas.in the end the true test of a good tank for a betta is try and see.i have had bettas that untill one day were perfect citizens then they snap and after that it was solitariy confinment.
of course these are my experences and yours may differ.
of course these are my experences and yours may differ.
exactly true catfish-bettas in a community tank are risky...some try it and it works (it has for me) but ive heard some horror stories
such as a m/f bettas picking out the eyes/taking pretty big bites out of/killing adfs, cories, ottos, neons and other small peaceful fish
females can be agressive towards other females and also bettas can have there fins ripped to shreds by nippy tankmates which leads to stress, hiding, illness and possibly death for betta
preciousgems-keeping a betta in a community tank can be just as risky as keeping a male with females...it is not a "myth" that there can be problems with keeping bettas with other fish/aquatic life, it does happen
fishkeeping is not black and white, yes or no...i dont know where you get the idea that just because you read it somewhere/it happened to you that it applies to everyone
such as females cannot be kept with a male...my expeirence tells me it can be done, i've also talk to alot of people that have done the same and seen many posts here and on message boards like this one of people doing this succesfully(dosent sound rare to me)...but i also know that it does not always work, its possible to get a really agressive fish and theres always the idiot that tries to keep them all in a 1 gallon bowl
fish are individuals and the people who care for them are individuals as well, with the right conditions and care keeping bettas in community tanks and keeping a male with females can be done succesfully...but to state either as a fact written in stone is misleading...someone could try to keep an adf with their betta and end up with a dead frog, depending on bettas aggressivness and the fishkeepers setup and care
i agree with catfish...try and see...so long as your responsible about it and are ready to take action if things are not going well
--liz
such as a m/f bettas picking out the eyes/taking pretty big bites out of/killing adfs, cories, ottos, neons and other small peaceful fish
females can be agressive towards other females and also bettas can have there fins ripped to shreds by nippy tankmates which leads to stress, hiding, illness and possibly death for betta
preciousgems-keeping a betta in a community tank can be just as risky as keeping a male with females...it is not a "myth" that there can be problems with keeping bettas with other fish/aquatic life, it does happen
fishkeeping is not black and white, yes or no...i dont know where you get the idea that just because you read it somewhere/it happened to you that it applies to everyone
such as females cannot be kept with a male...my expeirence tells me it can be done, i've also talk to alot of people that have done the same and seen many posts here and on message boards like this one of people doing this succesfully(dosent sound rare to me)...but i also know that it does not always work, its possible to get a really agressive fish and theres always the idiot that tries to keep them all in a 1 gallon bowl
fish are individuals and the people who care for them are individuals as well, with the right conditions and care keeping bettas in community tanks and keeping a male with females can be done succesfully...but to state either as a fact written in stone is misleading...someone could try to keep an adf with their betta and end up with a dead frog, depending on bettas aggressivness and the fishkeepers setup and care
i agree with catfish...try and see...so long as your responsible about it and are ready to take action if things are not going well
--liz
While bettas can be aggressive towards fish that look similar to themselves, such as some killifish (I believe) and also maybe towards very timid fish, such as neon tetras, I really think they are fine with several other fish. I've always had Harlequins with my bettas and they get along wonderfully - they are small but are gutsy enough that they hold their own. Also, some of the larger rasboras have worked well for me.
I would also like to put emphasis on what has been said and that is that all fish, especially cute 'lil bettas, have their own personality. You may find a betta that is very highstrung and is a terror, but you are also equally likely to find one that is a big ham and loves the company of others. Mine is the most docile, well behaved boy ever....so you can try it, but like they said, keep a CLOSE eye on the happenings...
I would also like to put emphasis on what has been said and that is that all fish, especially cute 'lil bettas, have their own personality. You may find a betta that is very highstrung and is a terror, but you are also equally likely to find one that is a big ham and loves the company of others. Mine is the most docile, well behaved boy ever....so you can try it, but like they said, keep a CLOSE eye on the happenings...
hey precious don't think that you needed to remove your post.whats important is to figure all this out. if we seemed harsh it's because to state something so much athority you must be one first.in the world of fish few are true athoritys and even then many people pick apart their credentials.we in no way were trying to knock you down.our goal was to be sure that other people don't get the wrong idea.i basicly feel the same as you do about bettas,but i have had enough time to see how different each situation is.i also know you get hasseled by some of the other members cause your ideas conflict.hey go check the threads "catfishmike" and "how can i change the way i look at plecos"boy i got hemed up,but i wasn't going to change what i said i just wish i would proofread a little more..d'oh
I have 4 female bettas and 1 male in a 10 gal. They get on fine...the females rarely hide away, and they all play a little chase now and then.
Occasionally the male flares up at the females but they always have a quick route outa there.
I love those fish....it's nice cos every time i approach the tank they all come out to see me. The male takes food from my boyfriends hand, has not done that with me yet but nice anyhow.
I to think that books only give us a rough idea on fishkeeping....the rest is trial and error.
We need to make mistakes to learn by them....but of course advice from fellow fishkeepers is good too.
Occasionally the male flares up at the females but they always have a quick route outa there.
I love those fish....it's nice cos every time i approach the tank they all come out to see me. The male takes food from my boyfriends hand, has not done that with me yet but nice anyhow.
I to think that books only give us a rough idea on fishkeeping....the rest is trial and error.
We need to make mistakes to learn by them....but of course advice from fellow fishkeepers is good too.
What was the orginal post? I must have come in a little late, but the gist of it I guess is the keeping of bettas in community tanks.
And I will say just like everyone else, each tank is different, each betta is different, each situation is different, so the outcomes are all different.
The only experiences I have are those of my own from which I give advice from. If something has worked for me, I would recommend it to others. If something has not worked for me, I would recommend it only with caution. Who knows, it could very well work for someone else. But I can't write in stone that it possibly wouldn't.
As far as bettas, the only fish I personally have successfully kept with male bettas are cories and white cloud mountain minnows. I had a six gallon tank set up with two cories, five minnows, and a male betta that was doing wonderfully until the WC minnows croaked for an unknown reason (probably because I bought them on impulse from a not so reputable shop). The betta and the two cories are doing great. The betta doesn't bother the cories, the cories probably don't even know the betta is there. The betta would occassionally chase a minnow about if they flicked themselves in his face, but they were too fast for him to catch. They would also every so often nibble the betta's fins, I think they were teasing him, inviting him to chase because he would wip around so fast and then they'd all scatter. But WC are usually so docile they can't be bothered to be bullies.
Would I put that same betta in my 20 gallon community? Heck no. The black skirt tetras would probably shred his fins, the tiger barb definately would, and the betta and the gourami would go at each other big time. The filter is pretty powerful, and the tank is a pretty active, boisterous one with the danios zipping all over the surface. Not a good betta community IMO.
May it work for someone else, who knows, they'd have to be the ones to try it to find out.
~~Colesea
And I will say just like everyone else, each tank is different, each betta is different, each situation is different, so the outcomes are all different.
The only experiences I have are those of my own from which I give advice from. If something has worked for me, I would recommend it to others. If something has not worked for me, I would recommend it only with caution. Who knows, it could very well work for someone else. But I can't write in stone that it possibly wouldn't.
As far as bettas, the only fish I personally have successfully kept with male bettas are cories and white cloud mountain minnows. I had a six gallon tank set up with two cories, five minnows, and a male betta that was doing wonderfully until the WC minnows croaked for an unknown reason (probably because I bought them on impulse from a not so reputable shop). The betta and the two cories are doing great. The betta doesn't bother the cories, the cories probably don't even know the betta is there. The betta would occassionally chase a minnow about if they flicked themselves in his face, but they were too fast for him to catch. They would also every so often nibble the betta's fins, I think they were teasing him, inviting him to chase because he would wip around so fast and then they'd all scatter. But WC are usually so docile they can't be bothered to be bullies.
Would I put that same betta in my 20 gallon community? Heck no. The black skirt tetras would probably shred his fins, the tiger barb definately would, and the betta and the gourami would go at each other big time. The filter is pretty powerful, and the tank is a pretty active, boisterous one with the danios zipping all over the surface. Not a good betta community IMO.
May it work for someone else, who knows, they'd have to be the ones to try it to find out.
~~Colesea
I have a 10 gallon tank with a male betta, 4 zebra danios and 2 upside down catfish though I havent seen them in while so I hope that they are still there! Anyway the betta ignores everyone else in the tank. He eats when they all eat and then goes on to starting at himself all day. I have another 2 gallon tank with a male betta and a dwarf frog and they had a few incidents at first but now they are cool.
