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What do I need to do if I want a sorority?

3K views 33 replies 10 participants last post by  doggyhog 
#1 · (Edited)
Right now I've got a ten gallon tank with one female Betta inside. I think I want a sorority, but is there anything I need to do or know before I decide to do this? How much more work is it than what I'm currently doing? Will I have to clean the tank more often(I do it once a week now, I try to do about a quarter water change, but it is usually more because I vacuum the gravel, too) I still don't have a heater for my tank, so I won't get any more fish until I do, that's the only thing that I need. I also want to get some live plants(Anacharis and water sprite), but I'm probably not going to put those in the gravel and rather let them float about the tank. One of my concerns about adding fish to this tank is that I've got a pretty big tree-cave decoration, does it matter? Will there still be enough room for a sorority of about five(or should I do four?)?

I remember someone told me that I should remove my betta before adding in some more and reorganize the tank so she doesn't feel like it's her territory being invaded when I put in my other fish. But I can't do that because my decoration only fits on one side(but if it's necessary, I guess I could switch the filter and the decoration so they'll just be on the opposite sides from where they are now).

What else do I need to know/do for this? I also have a betta log, so it isn't just that one thing, should I get any more decorations or anything? Once I get the four fish, do I introduce them to the tank all at once?

Thanks!!

Edit: This is what my tank looks like, is there any reason to worry about the decoration taking away from the amount of fish I can have?

 
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#29 ·
As long as you do daily water changes it would probably be fine, but honestly do you have a dollar tree near you? They have tall jars in there for, of course, a dollar and they're ideal temporary homes. The cups are usually just soo small. Or plastic containers cleaned out really well, they work too. :)
 
#30 ·
Thanks! So I'm really excited because I've started the process. I've bought some plants(I'm still going to buy more, though) and my Mystique has been away from her tank for a day or so, I think I'm getting my new Betta's tomorrow! YAY! I'm still not completely clear on the best way to introduce them to the tank(put them in one by one, smallest first?), do I need to place their cups around each other beforehand, and for how long? And I went to petco today, and they did not have a filter sponge, pretty lame, the store clerk said they don't carry that, and I looked but they just didn't have it. So I have plants but none are on the side of the filter because I don't want them destroyed.

How does my tank look? Are the plants enough(on that side, at least?) I have a plastic plant on the other side, but I'm going to get that out and put real plants in tomorrow. Unless it would also be ok to just put another decoration on the side without plants and then just add one plant? Like a rock and one plant, what do you think?



I'm probably going to get my fish from a really popular fish store down the street, I went in today and the guy said they get like 20+ female Bettas shipped in tomorrow! Cool! Hopefully they have a sponge to cover the filter thing. :)
 
#33 ·
More plants and more hiding places. In a 10 gallon you need to have it packed so much with plants and other crap that you can barely see the back of the tank. Also watch out for that filter, I had it on my sorority and it sucked up 2 of the girls and killed them. I would advise a sponge filter.

Also from my experience when you are looking for the females, (if you haven't gotten them already), get most in similar sizes, and then buy one that seems a bit more aggressive and bigger then the others. That way the Alpha will hopefully be obvious.

Good luck.
 
#34 ·
The sorority looks really nice, but I would agree that you should just stuff it with plants. The girls really need to have space to get away from each other if needed.

As for picking out females just go for small ones in general. Sometimes if they are younger it works better. But I have found that the size of the girls really doesn't matter. If they are going to get along, they will get along.

Always have a backup plan for a few girls if one or two don't play nice..
 
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