Hi guys! So tomorrow I'm going up to a pet store and I've kinda been wanting to get a female betta fish! I have a 5 gallon tank that's heated and has a filter on it, and there are 2 male fancy guppies in it, along with a little albino bottom feeder. Could I possibly put one female betta in with them? Would that be okay? The albino doesn't hurt anyone or do anything so I'm not worried about him, but would she be okay with guppies? Thanks!
A 5 gallon wouldn't be able to hold the bio-load of that many fish. :/ If you had a 10 gallon it may work. Do you know what kind of bottom feeder it is? Is it a cory catfish or a pleco?
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cory catfish need small schools, and do best in larger tanks because of that. with guppies, one male to two females is best to keep fighting down(but you end up with alot of babies that way).
being female doesn't tone down the aggression in bettas. she could just not like the guppies for the same reason a male would. i suggest getting a bigger tank for them all, really. a 10 gallon, or 20, would be better.
Both Maisy and Lumeril are correct. I just want to add: what kind of bottom feeder is it? There are a lot of different species out there. None can live in less than 10 gallons, most need a lot more, and many need schools.
I agree, but i read that most common plecos grow to a size bigger then a 20 gallon long tank, but i suppose you'd have to move it somewhere else, and yes, that would be a TON of bio load, i suggest moving the pleco, or whatever it is to a bigger tank, and keep it by itself, unless it needs a school.
A good rule of thumb when you're keeping a community tank is one gallon of water for every inch of fish. You want to think ahead for when your fishes grow, as most fish do, and make sure your accommodations are right for them. Also, keep in mind that female bettas can be just as aggressive toward other brightly colored fish as male bettas are, and guppies usually aren't the best tank mates for bettas at all (i know from personal experience, sadly).
If you want to put your female betta in a tank with tank mates, I would suggest something more along the lines of mollies, or another non-aggressive community fish. I have personally had tanks where I've had gourami in with my bettas and they co-exist nicely, but bear in mind that gourami are semi-aggressive.
Make sure you have plenty of plants and hide-aways for your fishies, as female bettas can be extremely territorial. (Or you could end up with a nice docile one, which I've also had the pleasure of having. But the general rule of thumb with bettas is be prepared for aggression and have a back up plan).
A good rule of thumb when you're keeping a community tank is one gallon of water for every inch of fish.
This is a very inaccurate rule and can only be used in a minimal amount of situations. For example, a 10 inch Oscar could not live in a 10 gallon tank, you could have more than 15 boraras brigittae in a 10 gallon, but if you went by your suggested rule, you could have that many.
You're right, Mo, but there's also a common sense rule that says you don't put a big fish in a small tank. I don't think anyone in their right mind would put a 10 inch Oscar in a 10 gallon.
Also, it's kind of a beginner's rule, since it isn't recommended that someone new to fish goes out and over stocks their tank and ends up with a disaster. Someone more knowledgeable about fish would know the information you just shared, while a beginner would not.
What I said stands, and I would advise against putting a betta in with guppies, at least not without lots of good hiding places and back up plan if things do go south.
Still not a rule I'd recommend giving to anyone without a lot of clarification, Fishehgobloop. It just has way too many provisos. Better just to advise people to look at a fish's bioload, potential adult size, territorial and schooling needs. :) After all, things don't have to be as dramatic as the oscar in the ten gallon - people use this rule to let them put danios in 5 gallons.
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