Hello all! I've had an established sorority tank with first five, and now four female bettas. Unfortunately one of my little girls got stuck in a bubbler, and she got a little crooked so she lives in her own little tank, and has been happy and healthy for 7 months. My sorority tank has been established for about 9 months now, and they're all happy. I recently upgraded to a 36 gallon bow front. They LOVE it. In the entire tank I have 4 bettas, 1 sailfin spotted pleco, 4 cories, 1 loach, and 1 rubber lip. I was looking for a mid level swimming fish that would be alright with the bettas. My girls are pretty docile and don't have any issues whatsoever. All perfectly happy and healthy. Is it possible to find a good middle level fish? Again I have an established 36 gallon, filtered, heated, and happy girls. Attached are some pictures for an idea! I included one to show how friendly the bettas are too(:
Yay! I love sororities! Your girls and your tank are lovely :) thank you for sharing!
Do you mind if I ask a few questions? I'm setting up a sorority tank and I like to read about other successful sororities and how they were established...
What age were your girls when you got them, where did you get them and how did you quarantine them (if you did)? Did you cycle the tank beforehand or use live plants? Also, what size was the tank before? Do you use additives in the tank such as IAL? How do you feed them? I bet feeding time is fun :p
I'm hoping I will have a peaceful sorority, too. I'd love to know how you did it... Sororities and girls are too much fun. I have two of my females already.. They're much spunkier than my males, even at their young age!
Black skirt tetras do well in my ten gallon, i like my rosy reds also. uhm, i have some flame tetras too that are quite dandy. i think basically any tetra.. is good.
Yay! I love sororities! Your girls and your tank are lovely :) thank you for sharing!
Do you mind if I ask a few questions? I'm setting up a sorority tank and I like to read about other successful sororities and how they were established...
What age were your girls when you got them, where did you get them and how did you quarantine them (if you did)? Did you cycle the tank beforehand or use live plants? Also, what size was the tank before? Do you use additives in the tank such as IAL? How do you feed them? I bet feeding time is fun :p
I'm hoping I will have a peaceful sorority, too. I'd love to know how you did it... Sororities and girls are too much fun. I have two of my females already.. They're much spunkier than my males, even at their young age!
Hi! Thank you for the compliments on my tank and girls! They're well appreciated(: my girls were about 6 months when I got them. Or that's what the pet store said. I first had two crown tails that were kept in the same cup at the store for I have no reason why, but they've always been stuck to each others side. Then 2 veil tails and I added in a third crownie later on. I got them from just a local PetSmart on sale for a dollar and 80 cents. I didn't quarantine them. I just floated them in their tank. I had cycled it for about a day. It was a 20 gallon I started them in. Some say a week, but I've never really followed that rule and I've been raising tanks now for 9 years and never had an issue. Live bearers and all. As for additives in the tank I've never really had to do more then just regular establishing chemicals. I'm still working on an appropriate feeding way. And yes good time is fun! My girls jump out of the water, and leap pretty high. It's fun to watch! Sometimes I'll fast them for a week and they'll eat my bottom feeders food when I feed them, and eat for themselves. They play with my cories, and I have a little baby cori that prefers swimming with my girls rather then the other cori. It's delightful once it's all set up! I did have some fin nipping, but NEVER once have I had to hospitalize one of my girls. When adjusting to the new tank I find stress lines now to be my biggest worry. I have one veil tails who's just constantly stressed, despite being kept alone, cupped, or in a big tank. Hopefully once they adjust to the 36 gallon she'll do better. They've only been in for about 5 days now.
Hi :) For the sake of your girls and any other potential tankmates, I would suggest adding more plant cover. All the fish will appreciate it. :)
Since you have the room, I would also bulk up your cory school to 6 - ditto with the loaches, as they are schooling fish too. :)
What are your water parameters (hardness and pH)? This will effect what fish will be happiest in your tank. For instance, tetras prefer softer water than livebearers.
Thank you for your reply :) I'm surprised though at how well it worked for you without QTing or cycling your tank (it takes 4-6 weeks and needs an ammonia source). I am cycling my tank, adding live plants, and QTing my girls in individual one gallon containers. I also have VitaChem and will be getting IAL. I want to be super prepared. I just wish I had as big of a tank as you! Hopefully my sorority will work out just as well as yours! :)
IAL can lower your pH but all new water needs to be Pre-tanned. It helps their immune systems, too. Otherwise, I don't suggest messing with pH levels as it would just be stressful.
Are you ever planning to add more decor? Sororities USUALLY do best with lots of medium-tall plants, but I think your tank looks nice and your girls are adorable, too :)