Female betta sorority?

[fishwish34]

Could a group of female bettas be kept in a 20 G high tank? What would the minimum number be, and could other fish be with them, like zebra danios? I currently have four zebra danios, and will get a few more, but having a group of bettas would be nice. How bad is the bettas' aggression, or does it just depend on the original fish? Do all of the bettas need to be added at once?

I realize that was a lot of questions Any help would be appreciated, though!

 

[aakaakaak]

Okay, so I'm not a betta keeper and I know Paige will come in behind me and fix what I screw up so.....

Yes, betta sororities can work in a 20g.
I'm not sure on the number, but I would guess around....four?
No, I wouldn't put them in with zebra danios. They're hyperactive fish and may stress the bettas too much.
It depends on the individual betta, the surroundings, and the other fish in the tank, but betta girls are less aggressive (not non-aggressive) than betta boys.
I don't believe they require being added at the same time, but it probably wouldn't hurt.

Okay Paige. Anything I missed or screwed up?

 

[bassbonediva]

The only thing I'd amend is that odd numbers usually work better, so having five is probably a better idea than four.

Honestly, sororities can be so hit or miss that I would recommend having a good back-up plan in case things go south. Back-up plans can include individual heated, filtered and cycled 5gal tanks for each female, or somewhere (LFS or friends) to rehome the girls if things don't work out.

Fin nipping is normal at first as they establish a hierarchy. Open body wounds or SEVERELY nipped fins ARE NOT normal, however, and you should find the aggressor ASAP and remove her. If the minor fin nipping continues after the first week or two, you'll need to seriously rethink your sorority.

 

[fishwish34]

Paige, do you think the zebra danios could be with the bettas, too? They are pretty hyper, and they're not going anywhere soon. One of the danios is long-finned, so that might be a problem.

 

[bassbonediva]

I wouldn't do zebra danios with female bettas. It might stress them a bit too much. Even though female bettas are more active than males, they are still pretty laid back in terms of their activity level and super active fish can and will stress them out.