Killer Betta

[pomsbz]

Hi,

I have a Betta in a 17 gallon tank. This is my first time owning a tank and when I bought the Betta with a bunch of other fish I had no idea what I was buying other than that is was very pretty. I had asked the guy in the fish store to warn me of incompatibilities, boy he must have been laughing as I went back again and again as my Betta killed 21 other fish over the next couple of months. Being new to it all I had assumed my tank was at fault and kept on buying in batches of 5 until a friend said 'do you realise you have a Japanese Fighting Fish in there?'.

It is a gorgeous fish though and I can't bear to part with it, its genocidal tendencies apart .

Big tank though for a single fish. I really would like to add more but want to know what. I read that Neon Tetras work well if you buy a sufficient amount of them. Not really interested in non fish solutions such as shrimp.

Any help would be much appreciated!

[Olympia]

I wouldn't risk anymore fish in there. Best solution is if you get the betta a small tank of his own and then use the bigger tank for other fish.
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[AquaticGirl101]

I would agree with Olympia. Just get your betta a smaller tank like the mini bow 5 gallon. Use the 17 gallon for other fish and you'll be much happier :) You could get a molly or two, or guppies, or neon tetras, make it goldfish tank... Many possibilities!!

[homegrown terror]

17 gallons is too small for goldfish...they're social fish, and i can't see having more than a single goldy in there unless they're newborns due to their massive waste output. if i had a spare 17g, i'd put some imbellises in there, but that's only really an option if you're able to grow and cultivate a lot of live plants for cover. a guppy tank would be wonderful though, especially if it's a tall tank (guppies like a lot of up-down swimming room) if you go that route, though, make sure to use very soft decorations though, the longer-tailed varieties have fins even more delicate than a betta's.

[ChoclateBetta]

Pygmy Cories.

[Cez]

In a tank that big, small (swift-swimming) fish like neons or white cloud minnows would have enough space to escape the betta's predation. If you get a school of them, even better.

Is this tank planted? Are there hiding spaces for any fish you might add?

[ChoclateBetta]

Its in my opinion to have fish that dont catch there eyes. Like small bottomfeeders.

[aokashi]

if his fish is really that aggressive, the pygmy cories will be eaten in an instant XD

[ChoclateBetta]

A Betta is only slightly bigger.

[pomsbz]

Thanks guys. I bought 10 Neon Tetras today, they were on special offer. They're in the tank and we'll see how it goes. If they are killed then the betta is going to my wife's work in its own tank and we'll start again from scratch in the bigger tank!