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Sorority Questions

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  kandaila 
#1 ·
Sometime in the future I would love to start a sorority (maybe with money from Christmas) but I want to find out all I can before I start so I have the best chance of success. I've been looking at the information on here and have a few questions.
1) I know a long tank is better, but what about depth and width. If two tanks are same gallon size but one is longer and skinnier is that better than one that is wider?
2) Females raised together do best, but is it better to purchase young/babies (not necessarily housed together originally) and raise them yourself or buy a group of adult/older females that were raised together and in a group at the store.
3) I know females chase each other some even in a good group. Would placing a small mirror or two in the tank help, if you're keeping a smaller number (4-5), by making it seem like there were more fish?
4) Lastly what plants do best in a sorority? Something I could mix with some silk plants that are idiot proof to keep, ideally floating (but grounded is good too), and pretty easy to find in a store.
Thank you :)!
 
#2 ·
1...Longer tanks are suggested because Betta breathe from the surface so they do not need to swim as far to the surface for air as they would in a taller tank. the longer tank give more horizontal swim space.

2 and 3 I will not answer cuz I have yet to set up a sorority

4...Plant selection has alot to do with your lighting setup. Easy to care for options that only need a low light level but will still grow in med to high light are things like anibus, java fern, crypts, water wisteria, any of the hygo family, and amazon swords. Hornswort is a good floater option but there is also water lettuce, frogsbit ect.
 
#3 ·
I have four girls in a 10gallon. I don't have room for a 20g (I really wanted the long)
I also have two lyretail guppies, and a snail. I have no problem with my girls chasing each other.

If you heavily plant it, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I like (and have in my tank)
Anubius, Anacharis, moss ball, bacopa, crypts, and water wisteria. All which are doing well. Silk plants are fine, but I enjoy the live better I believe my fish do too!

I've noticed when you purchase females about the same size they do better then if one or two is slightly smaller. In my old sorority I had one smaller female and the bigger ones picked on her. Now my new sorority, they are all about the same size and they are doing great. I bought two from Petsmart, and two from Petco.
 
#4 ·
Some say its best to get sibblings as they are less aggressive but none of my females have been related - they are various sizes, ages and from different locations and I very seldom have aggression.

I like to get them when they are younger but then you have the posibility of getting a mislabed male.
 
#5 ·
1. As long as it is a long tank vs. tall, depth, width, length don't matter too much. I actually have my girls in a 26T bow front and haven't had any issues.

2.) I'd say if you can get them from the same spawn that'd be your best bet, if not getting the youngest you can I'd your next best option. Personally, all but 3 of mine are from different spawns, I have adults, a couple babies, and a couple middle of the road in size. No issues with any of that so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

3. I don't see a mirror making and effect in the chasing. If another girl is invading their space their will be a chase regaurdless. The only thing that will help is adding tons of plants and decor to break up their line of sight.

4. Really any plants will be fine in a sorority, depends on your lighting.
 
#6 ·
I've been looking at the girls in the fish store I was planning on buying from (where the females are already kept and probably raised together) and I'm not sure if the ones I was seeing are just kinda sad today or possibly retired breeders. They are definitely fully grown and some looked kinda sad (I wish I had the space, set up, and experience for rescue). So question is if these are retired breeders how old could I expect the fish to be? Also if I decide to get unrelated cupped females from petco, petsmart, ect how often has anyone had a female who is too aggressive to live in a sorority?
 
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