Sorority questions

[purplemuffin]

Hey all, not quite ready to get a new betta yet, still crushed from the horrifyingly gruesome loss of my Dionysus. But, still, I know I would one day want new little fishies to care for, so I figured I might as well start asking my questions now.

I have about six or seven spare ten gallons laying around, and I know generally a twenty is recommended for sororities, but I wondered if a group of 5-6 or so would do decent in a 10g stocked with many plants both fake and live.

If it's just a general bad idea I could go ahead and pick up a 20 later, I just figured it would be nice to just have a use to my useless tanks..lol..

Anyway, if a 10g is okay, for a tank with 5 bettas, what filter would you recommend?

And I guess any other general advice would be nice.

Part of my reasoning for wanting a sorority is well--I don't want to support our chain stores and our local aquarium store is getting worse about taking care of theirs as well. I just don't want to give them the money to buy more to abuse, you know? So I'd like to do the aquabid thing again--But I can't justify spending the shipping price on a single betta again, especially if I'm not breeding. I wouldn't mind spreading the cost around for buying multiple little gals and maybe a brother to go in his own tank. It would give me peace of mind and let me still feel okay about spending the money.

I dunno, any ideas? Is this just a bad idea, should I just wait until later when I can have a space for a 20 gallon tank? I'd love everyone's opinions and advice.

[vilmarisv]

I see nothing wrong in 5 females in a 10 galon as long as it's well kept and you take all precautions to introduce the girls.
What I wouldn't do is add anything else (shrimp, algae eaters, etc.) as you would just increase the bio load.
I have no suggestions on filters, I only use sponge filters and will never change as long as I'm keepig bettas. Sponge filters are very gentle on the fish, have great area for benefitial bacterial to grow and you can operate multiple filters with just one air pump (I have 3 hooked up to one)... and they are innexpensive! If you're looking into sponge filters I will give you a few suggestions

[purplemuffin]

Hmmm.. I figured that might be the case. Decor and plants would be their 'tankmates' :)

[purplemuffin]

I messaged a couple breeders about getting a group of five females and how much shipping would be. I'm nervous, but excited. I probably won't get them until after christmas(will have christmas money), but I've always wanted little girls. :)

Um, does anyone have a link to something that will give me a refresher course on sorority care? Putting them all in the tank, how to let them all release..how many to release at once... All that stuff.

Also, will a fully cycled 10 gallon tank experience an ammonia spike with 5 females released at once?

[emeraldsky]

Heres the sticky on sororities

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=29402


Congrats on thinking of starting one, i have an 8 girl one in my 29 gallon and they are very amusing!




Not sure on the ammonia spike though, sorry!