Betta tank mates

[beetlebz]

any updates from anyone? im really curious to see if there are workable solutions to the betta community tank thing :)

id be interested to see if a betta would get along with my 2 blue gouramis since they would be roughly the same size.

[tophat665]

Bettas can work in a community tank. Bettas can be an utter disaster to a community tank. It all depends on the betta and the other fish in the tank, and you can't tell ahead of time. That's the bad. The good is you can transfer the betta to a tiny tank temporarily (a good size flower vase will work short term) while you put together a better solution to house it if things go south.

I mean, common sense suggests that you should avoid putting a betta in with territorial top swimmers, bright colored fish with long, flowing fins, and proven fin nippers, but beyond that, the field is wide open. It also ought to help to add the betta last (I would suspect).

[mibi_fibi]

My set up is a 6gal tank with a betta, 3 amano shrimp, and 3 glowlight tetras. The tetras stay relatively small, and are really pretty to watch. The shrimp are quite entertaining too.
The star of the show is always the betta, makes me laugh everyday with his curious behaviour.
Everyone gets along very well. Seems to be a happy balance.

[Falina]

It also ought to help to add the betta last (I would suspect).

Definitely! I have founf with mine that if he is the last fish in the tank, he seems to respect that he is in another fishes territory but if I add anything he attacks it.

Also however, if I take him out the tank he has been living in for an hour or so and keep him in a little bowl temporarily during these couple of hours, and add a fish while he is out he forgets that he ever lives there and is happy with the new fish.

[tophat665]

Originally Posted by Falina

Also however, if I take him out the tank he has been living in for an hour or so and keep him in a little bowl temporarily during these couple of hours, and add a fish while he is out he forgets that he ever lives there and is happy with the new fish.

That absolutely should work. I have read of the same practice when trying to add fish to a tank with puffers or cichlids, and they are loads smarter than bettas (pretty fish, but about as sharp as a sackful of wet mice.)

[GregV]

I love the tip julie!

Originally Posted by tophat665

(pretty fish, but about as sharp as a sackful of wet mice.)

Lol tophat, wet mice can be VERY sharp if you stick your hand in the bag, depending on what end of the mouse you get :P lol but either way it gave me a good laugh.

[tophat665]

Originally Posted by GregV

Lol tophat, wet mice can be VERY sharp if you stick your hand in the bag, depending on what end of the mouse you get :P lol but either way it gave me a good laugh.

Point taken. ;) It's an old Foghorn Leghorn line.