3 bettas in a 60g heavily planted tank - asking for trouble?
Hi everyone,
I got a 60g tank for my birthday. I currently have 3 small community planted tanks (8g, 10g, 20g) - each one has a betta. I am wondering if it would be possible to move everyone into the larger tank if I heavily, heavily plant it (with a lot of floating plants)? Or would this not work? I currently have 1 (very large!) female crowntail betta, a halfmoon male betta, and a plakat (visually impaired a bit...he's a dragonscale and his eyes are covered up by pigment a little!) male. None of them are aggressive with their tankmates, but the female does chase around the tetras every once and a while. Her tank is right by the halfmoon male's and they can see each other. Thanks!
I wouldn't do it. You could divide the 10g into three and house the Bettas there, and then put all the other fish into the 60g. But putting those Bettas all together in a 60g tank is a big no no. You'll end up with dead fish, the Bettas could be attacking the other fish as well to fight for the female. Just a bad bad situation!
I knew someone wih a heavily planted 65 gallon tank with a sorority along with 2 males, it is highly unlikely that it will work as the person I knew had all siblings that were together from birth
It's still not something we encourage new Betta owners to try. Just because it may have worked momentarily for one person, doesn't mean it's something that should be done. Bettas are an aggressive breed, and males should not be housed together no matter how large the tank is. For the sake of the Bettas in question, just don't do it. There are some on here who have male/female tanks, but these are from selected breedings for least aggressive behavior and spawn siblings. Also this person has many many years of experience with breeding and Bettas.
It's still not something we encourage new Betta owners to try. Just because it may have worked momentarily for one person, doesn't mean it's something that should be done. Bettas are an aggressive breed, and males should not be housed together no matter how large the tank is. For the sake of the Bettas in question, just don't do it. There are some on here who have male/female tanks, but these are from selected breedings for least aggressive behavior and spawn siblings. Also this person has many many years of experience with breeding and Bettas.
Oh, I'm not a new betta owner though. I've had bettas for about 10 yrs now (and have lots of reef tank experience) but haven't tried out multiples (except for a few sororities!) in the same tank. Considering they're ok in their community tanks, do you think it would even be worth trying if I had it heavily planted with top floating plants..? To be honest, I think my parents bought me the tank with the expectation that I would put everyone in it (as all my small tanks are by each other).
I've had Bettas since 2005, and I wouldn't do it honestly. The problem is, Bettas and other fish will work (most times) but when you have two males in a tank, they will "smell" each other through the water. There was a study done where they took two males, and put them in the middle of a large lake. All that room for them to claim their own territory. But the males stayed in the middle of the lake and fought with each other. Now imagine them in a 60g tank :( I don't know, it's really up to you as it's your fish, and your tank. But if there is a slight possibility one or more fish will be harmed while doing this, I cannot in good conscious advise you to attempt it. A Bettas life is more important to me than someones space issues or curiosity :)
You altered your first comment, the one that suggested this could be done because your friend did it. You later added that they were spawn siblings together since birth, that wasn't there when I commented :)
You can divide the larger tank, that'd be better. Just make sure your halfmoon male doesn't have a lot of trouble swimming in a huge space- some heavily finned fish hate large spaces.
You've owned betta for a long time, and I can tell you're a good owner since you have them in such big homes. But talking a tank like this.. I know people that do this, but they have bred the fish for generations to make them less agressive like Pitluvs said.. Your fish are all unrelated, weren't fry together, and therefore it would be a bad idea ;)
You altered your first comment, the one that suggested this could be done because your friend did it. You later added that they were spawn siblings together since birth, that wasn't there when I commented :)
Oh yes, sorry. I re-read it before you made the comment Becasue the information I provided wasn't well written at all. I didn't notice your comment when I edited, sorry,
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Similar Threads
I currently have 3 small community planted tanks (8g, 10g, 20g) - each one has a betta. I am wondering if it would be possible to move everyone into the larger tank if I heavily, heavily plant it (with a lot of floating plants)? Or would this not work? I currently have 1 (very large!) female crowntail betta, a halfmoon male betta, and a plakat (visually impaired a bit...he's a dragonscale and his eyes are covered up by pigment a little!) male. None of them are aggressive with their tankmates, but the female does chase around the tetras every once and a while. Her tank is right by the halfmoon male's and they can see each other. Thanks!
I've had bettas for about 10 yrs now (and have lots of reef tank experience) but haven't tried out multiples (except for a few sororities!) in the same tank. Considering they're ok in their community tanks, do you think it would even be worth trying if I had it heavily planted with top floating plants..? To be honest, I think my parents bought me the tank with the expectation that I would put everyone in it (as all my small tanks are by each other). 
