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Multiple males

3K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  dramaqueen 
#1 ·
Just a thought, but could 2 males be kept in a large tank like a 75 gallon? Probably a no but it feels like 2 two inch fish could coexist in a 4 foot long tank.
 
#2 ·
I wouldn't try it, but it's up to you. If you're a very experienced fish owner and know all the signs of aggression, than you could try it, if not...you could end up with 2 dead fish. Bettas are VERY territorial fish. That tank would have to be heavily planted so they could have plenty of hiding places.
 
#5 ·
Every time I see a post like this I wonder..

Why bother? Can't we accept that bettas are naturally aggressive and will even kill each other?

Sorry not to be rude, but it just doesn't seem smart to me.
 
#6 ·
Why do you think they are called "Fighting Fish"............
however,
Males from the same spawn that have been kept/raised together and never separated in a large heavy planted tank can live together, I have kept brothers (6) together in my 75g NPT without issues and they swim together, eat together, court the females together, some have even spawned (no fry due to filter and other fish and shrimp)....but once I remove one for breeding he can never return as he is viewed as a stranger and the others attack.......so now I am down to just 2 brother in this tank along with about 20 females. The 2 remaining have changed as they have aged (11mo) and no long swim, eat, court together....they stay at either end of the tank now after I removed 2 more brother.
Very interesting to watch though and should not be tried unless they are brothers and in a large planted tank IMO/E
Here is a pic of 4 of the males, I couldn't get one with all of them...
taken in Nov 2009
 
#9 ·
I've read some info about this and it DOES seem possible, but the tank has to be set up for it. Each end has to feel like a territory, and like Oldfishlady has in hers, the info I read said the inclusion of females was necessary. If there's no females, they'll kill each other thinking that there's now 2 guys, and IF a girl shows up here, that guy's competition.

So two nice territories, heavily planted, and plenty of food with females, I think it's possible. But if you're going to make a huge tank like that, and it looks like two seperate tanks... do you really want just 2 bettas in it? You can get other nice colourful fish like cichlids in a 75.
 
#11 ·
Just today I saw a tank with 3 unrelated males swimming around inside. Granted, this tank was HUGE and was so heavily panted that I couldn't see the bottom of the tank, but I was told that the males would just avoid each other and hide in the plants. I even saw two swim right up to each other. However, this was the tank of a professional fishkeeper, so I don't think this is a recommended practice.

On the other hand, I have a friend who kept two brothers in a large 10ish tank, just the two of them, so it is possible.
 
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