My friend's guppies had babies, and it doesn't look like there's any chance of them stopping :D. Anyway, it got me thinking, are guppies ok to have with a betta if you are relatively sure that the Betta isn't extremely aggressive? I think my male would do well with tank mates, so I was thinking I might get some of my friend's guppies when I upgrade my male's tank to the bigger one I'm hopefully getting for Christmas.
(My female on the other hand... I don't even think she'd do well with a snail.)
Last edited by sainthogan; 12-17-2012 at 04:31 PM.
Reason: fixed my grammatical errors
It could go either way. I have found that my blue crowntail male doesn't like blue male guppies. He chomped their tails to extend that I have to move all blue ones out. Yellow and red guppies are ok. I think the blue tailed guppies reminded him too much of a betta.
You could try and see which color your betta likes and which not.
Yeah, you're probably right. They're just so stinking cute. Maybe when Fizz gets upgraded to his bigger tank, I'll get a couple of guppies for the smaller tank. Of course, this probably sounds mean and horrible, but I figured I could keep the population down in a shared tank because the Betta would eat the fry. Oh well, pretty soon, my friend is going to have more guppies than she can deal with, maybe she could sell them...
I've heard of it working, I think the most important key to success is having lots of plant cover for the guppies to hide in at all levels. So, some surface plants, mid-level mosses and ground plants are all essential. Especially if you want to have enough of the guppy fry surviving to have a steady population. The fry are really fast, and they're only vulnerable right after birth. Seeing them first hand, I think they could easily outswim a betta trying to eat them. They've survived their parents trying to eat them long enough that they're too big for that now XD
I raise guppies for some extra live food for my Bettas and Angelfish, but I also like guppies and enjoy keeping them.
IME-my Bettas don't seem to confuse species and view a long fin guppy as another Betta, however, what I have seen in regards to either the Betta or guppy fin nipping, chasing...etc....each other- is more due to space.
If I keep them together in a 10gal heavy planted tank-It seem that I will see more fin nipping and IMO this is due to the ability of them being able to catch each other- since both Long fin male Betta and guppy can't swim as fast for a long distance and can corner each other.
I keep lots of Long fin male Betta and guppies in my 75gal heavy planted tank and I have never seen any fin nipping or injury to each other.
Same with keeping other species of fish along with a Betta in a 10gal tank. IMO/E-it is due more to space with the ability to corner or trap and injure, nip...etc... and while a 10gal IMO/E is the smallest tank you should use to house other species of fish along with a Betta-Sometimes it still won't work and you should have a back up plan. Sometimes, its not the other species that gets injured either...sometimes, the Betta nice Long fins can end up shredded.....Sometimes, they all get along just fine for months and then one day...well....it isn't fine...Our fish love to keep us on our toes and thinking outside the box.....lol.....
What size tank did you plan and any live plants....
I was hoping for a 10 gallon but I have a feeling it's going to be a 5 gallon (my hubby would only get me a 10 gallon if he got 2 because he has this thing about symmetry and since I have 2 Bettas, they would need to have matching tanks), and I would have live plants and that won't be big enough for a Betta and guppies. He's in a 3 gallon now, and I realize now that won't be big enough for just a few guppies. Oh well, I think I'll just stick with my two Bettas for now, someday, maybe, when we move to a bigger place, I'll get more fishies to love.
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