Definitely not normal. Males typically cant be with females at all. I just started a 20 gallon sorority tank with 5 girls and that is hard enough. My 4 boys all have their own set up, and prefer it that way.

 

I'd keep those extra tanks. You may have a bloodbath on your hands at some point, and it may come without much warning. You could literally have them living together for months and be fine and then all of the sudden, one of them blows up at the others.

 

It will probably be the females that gang up on the male. People have tried this in the past, things will always seem fine at first, but they never update or report long-term success because something does happen.

 

I'll keep you guys updated, have the other tanks on deck just in case.

 

There was a video of a planted tank posted on YouTube. This guy had one male living with a few females. A few weeks later one of these fish "mysteriously" died. I would never risk it.

 

cant wait to read about the carnage ... :S

 

won't get to that level, i'll remove them if I see that happening.

 

the thing is, they will most likely do it when you don't look
anyway, good luck with that

 

I had a sorority that had been set up for a month. Within 5 seconds one female shot across the tank, grabbed onto the eggspot of another, shook, and BAM. The female that was attacked had her guts hanging out. It took a total of 5 seconds. There was no previous fighting or posturing, she just attacked and killed. They were two who had NEVER previously fought and were both at the bottom of the pecking order.

It will not last. One of the fish is going to die, if not all of them. A male and female should only be together for spawning (and be separated quickly afterwards) and and two females can't be alone. There need to be at least 5, preferably 6 or 7. And NO MALE. The females will likely gang up on the boy and then tear each other up, or he will go after them one at a time. You would need to have a HUGE tank for this to have any chance to work and it's certainly not a 3 gallon. That's minimum for 1 male.

I know it's harsh but it seems like you might not believe that's it's going to go wrong.

 

I have a 5 gallon tank now, with plenty hiding places. If they any of them fight they go back to the 3 gallon or the 1 Gallon. Nothing much I can do now but wait and hope it doesn't backfire.

I check their fins regularly for tears or rips, all seem fine so far. If I see that I'll separate them.

Maybe I'm an optimist and not a realist but I believe!!

 

Just be aware that bettas fight not because they are aggressive, but because they are highly territorial fish. What you are having them do is not at all natural. They do not live this way in the wild. Bettas will chase intruder bettas out of their territory, and if there is nowhere for the unlucky pursued betta to run, the first betta will kill it. It has nothing to do with aggression or "being gentle" as you say, it has to do with being territorial.

It may be "cute" to look at the tank right now and feel good about this, but the second one of those fish feels like it has established a territory, there will be fighting and quite possibly, death. That's why you may not be having problems now, they have not established a territory yet- but I'd bet heavily that you will.

 

Just be careful

 

5 gallon is better but not by much. Tears and rips are mild things that often happen by the fish tearing them on decorations, plants, equipment, etc. Tussles don't occur all the time and much of the fighting is them going after each others scales and liplocking. Liplocking can kill fish as they can and will literally suffocate. They can't force water through their gills or get to the surface for air. They might let go, breathe, and go again but that's lucky. it is very dangerous and I would cup the females (Put them in something like the pet store cups they came in if you got them with one or get a small tupperware, fill with tank water, and let it float.) Give them separate ones and they can stay in that for a little bit. ASAP Move the male to the 3 gal and get a divider so the females can be in the 5 gal but not get too each other.

Even if the fish aren't attacking each other while you watch, they can smell and see each other and it can be very stressful.

It's not hope it doesn't backfire, it's prevent it because it will. Unless they die of some water issue.

 

Random noob question: What is liplocking? I googled it, but got a lot of pictures of Madonna and Britney =p

Kevinap, thanks for explaining the aggression vs territorial issue! Random noob question #b: How do they mate in a natural setting when they are so territorial? Do they just do their thing when the spirit moves them and then go their separate ways?

Thanks!

 

Well, as mentioned above, wild bettas are a bit less aggressive than domesticated ones (they've been bred intentionally to be more aggressive). They are still territorial, but they also tend to have larger territories living in large rice paddies and the like. If a betta happens upon another one and conditions are right, they may start nesting and court. If conditions aren't right, the male would probably chase the female out of his territory and that would be the end of it. Even the most territorial bettas in the wild would probably not kill, they usually will chase and perhaps intimidate an intruder out of their territory.

 

Tas - It's essentially the same thing!! The issue is, they need their mouths to breathe, and they're basically playing choke out chicken. So either they die, or give up to breathe, or kill the other one.

It's a lot lot easier for a fish to get away from it's aggressor in a natural environment. Huge amounts of water, heavy heavy plant cover, etc. Plus, you're not gonna find a pet store betta in the wild. Most wild species can live in communities with minimal violence.

 

Urgh.. you cant change their attitudes they will soon fight.

 

Thank you for the information, Kevinap and haveyouhadyourteayet! It's a shame that domesticated bettas are bred for violence.

 

+1 to NeptunesMom.

You've stated that you may be "an optimist and not a realist but {you} believe!!"

Unfortunately, the price for not being a realist will be paid, sooner or later. And it will be paid by the fish that is attacked, and is injured or killed.

IMO, it's better to be a realist and a pessimist, so that your fish will survive.

I would put the male into his own tank. Then, either separate the females into their own tanks OR do a LOT of reading about sororities and start one in a larger tank (at least 10 gal that is heavily planted). Or, if you wish to keep male and female fish together, consider a more peaceful community species.

Don't let the price for your optimism result in the potential death or injury of a living being.

 

I agree with Artemis. Sure things are fine now, but seriously male bettas should NEVER be kept with females or other males. They should be kept alone or in separate sections of a divided tank.
I recommend removing the male immediately and getting a bigger tank for the females and get enough to have 6-7 females if you want to keep them in a sorority style tank, which is difficult. I've yet to set up on because every female I've come across has been very aggressive and I did not want to risk it.Otherwise get a dividers for the female tank
1 betta should also be kept at least 2.5 but larger is way better.

 

This may be another case where we never do get an update... because.... well... you know.

I do hope you separate those fish sooner than later... because later is more often than not -- too late.