which would u recommend? sorority vs community

[ManInBlack2010]

So my aunt has recently found out about my new obsession with bettas. she used to keep lots of tanks in her house but now only has 3 outdoor coy ponds. anyways, she offered me a 20g tank set up and i'm thinking about taking it. I either want to build a sorority of 6 or so female bettas or have one betta and some community fish (i was thinking cory catfish, i've heard they work well with bettas)

the problem is, is that i've heard sororities take a TON of work. I work full time and apprentice at work when i'm not working so i'm not home all the time. mon-wed i work 8am-9pm. I'd rather have a sorority but with my schedule do you think it would be safer to do one betta and cory catfish? if so, do you think it would be better to get a male or female? I already have 2 males so it would be nice to get a girl

thanks for your advice!

[Kytkattin]

If the tank is not a 20 long it won't work very well for a sorority. They need the surface space. I really recommend cory cats. With one cute little girl and 5-6 cory cats you would have a nice tank. :)

[newfishmom]

Can only say what I had problems with. I was so excited to start a sorority. Got the tank. Set it up. Bought my girls. Went thru a week of the fighting and pecking order. Things settled down and they pretty much got along ok. Then...came home from town and couldn't find one of the girls. Finally found her on the floor, dried up! From then on it was a constant struggle to get the others to play nice even with bringing in a replacement girl & rearranging the tank I don't know how many times. Seems like it was just one thing after another and I was down to 2 girls. I have one girl left now in a 3 gallon tank in my bedroom. I would never attempt a sorority again. If I set up another tank it would be different fish altogether. Just my two cents.

[BettaMiah]

They are a lot of work. It is a ton of work just to make sure they won't murder each other.

I very much so like sororities, but due to your circumstances I would not advise it.


I think you could get a girl if you wanted, then 6 neon Tetras, a few Ghost Shrimp, and a sail or two. Maybe you could even get 3 Platys.

But in that case you could not get the Cory Cats.

[ManInBlack2010]

ok thanks guys! i'm thinking building a sorority would be adding unneeded stress to my life so i think i'm gonna do a little female and some cory cats, thanks for your help!