View Full Version : stocking a 3gal....Betta's
Mystroe_TheMyst
07-26-2003, 3:04 AM
My brother just bought a male betta. He wants to put 3 females in with it..it is only a 3gal..I said no for obvious reasons...now if he was to put females in with it..would 1 be ok? I suggested to perhaps get 1 and then add a separator until they get interested with each other...I also thought that a few dithers would help.
can you guys give me a few breeding tips or some good info on bettas...not just a blurb but an actual page or two on bettas...
what are your thoughts on the whole thing so far?
possible tankmates for male betta:
1 female betta
2 platy's (currently in my tank)
some sort of plant elodea most likely..(no filtration as the only filteration he can offer distrubes the water)
thanks
thom336
07-26-2003, 3:25 AM
Unfortunately, the 3gal is really only just big enough for the one male fighter, if that even. So I would certainly advice against adding any other fish. Certainly not a female fighter - as, although not as aggressive with females, there will be a level of harassment between the male and female, and in a 3gal there would not be the space for the female to get away from it. SO I would leave just the single fighter in there.
ChilDawg
07-26-2003, 6:36 AM
Some water disturbance is not necessarily a bad thing...Bettas can deal with a smaller amount quite well...
Thom hit the nail on the head--no females, because the male might kill them when he's ready to breed and they're not (or vice versa, though that's much more rare).
Breeding tip: I got this from reading the Betta forum over at Toms.
Lower the water level.
When the male starts building a nest, place a globe from a small hurricane lamp in the tank and put the female in there for a while.
When they look interested in each other let the female out. If they dont spawn put her back in the globe. If they do...get her out when they are done...for her own protction.
Rae suggested to my wife that lfs bettas are probably kind of old for breeding and it can be hard on him.
I would definately post over there though...they are quick to respond, and really know what they are doing.
Hope this was OK with the mods and admin here.
ChilDawg
07-26-2003, 6:47 AM
I concur...both the Betta forum leaders at boards.aaquaria.com are very intelligent when it comes to Bettas, and they are very helpful as well.
PumaWard
07-26-2003, 8:41 AM
I just want to add to what Childawg said about the current in the water. From my own experience with one of my male bettas (he resides in a 75 gallon tank with a 65-100 whisper filter) is that I think the disturbance in the water is actually beneficial to the fish. It helps them build muscles and tolerance to stress and other things. Recently, my male was breed twice in one week, and he didn't show any sign of exhastion, unlike another male I had breed who lived in a tank with no current. Anyway, it's just something I thought I'd throw in.
My betta likes to spend a good portion of time playing in the bubbles of his box filter. Then he heads for calmer pastures. If you wanted to add anything to a tank that size you might be able to get away with 3 white cloud minnows. They like to swim but don't need a super amount of room. My cousin uses them to keep his betta on his toes. There is at least one chase scene a day. But if you do use anything but the Betta you must have a filter in there.
Mystroe_TheMyst
07-26-2003, 9:15 PM
OK Thanks for the Info...My bro isn't a real fish hobbist just likes the look of his new fighter. I agree with everything you guys said, and yes he does seem a little "tired looking" most of the time. I think he might take up on the White Clouds. Filtration wise I think he'll have a problem. He wants to keep is as plain as possible without having to need a filter. So I suggested a plant of some sort just to have somthing putting O2 into the water.
What would be a good plant that wouldn't grow to large? But I too am thinking about getting a betta for my little 1gal which is a hospital tank for the little fish in my 18gal. It would have an air stone as it is near my 18gal and my 5gal. It seems unusal talking about keeping fish in <5gal tanks because I'm used to discussing cichlids:)
If I do eventually get a female I would try to breed her with the male. I always thought that the only way to breed them was to put them next to each other (with some sort of separator) until such time as he is interested or has built the nest.
well thanks for the info....
Try some java fern. Low light needed and isn't very demanding. Other water sprite is good but needs more light. But it can grow rooted or floating.
Make sure your brother changes water quite often if he isn't using any sort of filter.
Mystroe_TheMyst
07-26-2003, 10:50 PM
yeah today I took some water out of the tank because I think it was a bit high for the little guy. I will tell him to change the water every 3 days...is that sufficent? I've put in a little mosquitoe eater fish forsome stimuli
Should be fine, but you will need to change about 50% at a time
ChilDawg
07-27-2003, 9:25 AM
Um...what type of mosquito eater fish? Are we talking one of the Gambusinii? (Gambusia affinis affinis, G. a. holbrooki, Heterandria formosa) These are all pretty aggressive and might actually damage the betta...
Mystroe_TheMyst
07-28-2003, 7:29 AM
African ones mosambique (spelling) but they are not really that aggressive I've kept them with all sorts of fish and trust that the betta will kill it before the mosquito eater hurts it. At the back of my house there is a water catchment that they used to use for farming purposes (land in the suburb...not common) and there are many fish/aquatic creatures that live within. From turtles to Gudgeons to platy and mosquito eaters..even yabbies! Though I rarly hurt for anything more than platy's (with the odd mosquito eater getting caught) I just use them as feeders and dithers for my cichlids. I keep a 5gal running with them inside and they are timid little fish. I think the betta should do ok with these fish. Those fish your talking about sound nasty, hurting a betta that takes more than just a little fin nipper I guess..
Tah thanks for the info.
ChilDawg
07-28-2003, 7:36 AM
There are some really nasty little livebearers out there...thank goodness that there are nice ones as well!
When you say Mossambique, are we talking about a cichlid, by chance?
Google Seratherodon mossambique or Oreochromis mossambique (same fish) and see if those are what you have...if so, they get to be huge!!!
What are yabbies? I'm not familiar with the term, and I'd love to add it to the Glossary page.
Mystroe_TheMyst
07-30-2003, 3:15 AM
yabbies? well they are a similar creature to a crayfish only with slightly different characteristics. They are mostly found in Australia. Haven't heard of anywhere else they have them, my apologies didn't know you hadn't heard of them. But the betta is starting to swim around a bit more (getting comfortable i think)
My brother sucked it up :eek: so its looking in a bad way...trying to swim around ...its doing ok..I think its going to make it.
ChilDawg
07-30-2003, 9:39 PM
I'm glad to hear that you think that it will make it. Bettas are, IMHO, among the most beautiful fish out there, and everyone (who is serious about keeping them well) should have one at some point in their aquarium hobbyist career...
I'll have to look up some stuff on the yabbies...YaBB is the name of one of the dominant bulletin board systems on the internet (Mojo uses it, I believe) and it interests me to learn more about these critters now that you've whetted my appetite... :)
Mystroe_TheMyst
08-01-2003, 2:18 AM
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/images/pics/inland/yabby.jpg
there is a picture of a yabbie. If your going to search for them, make sure you mention somthing about them living in australia. Don't be surprised if you find a recipe site. They love to eat crayfish, lobsters and yabbies+bugs over here! but mostly salt water.
BTW:- My brothers betta unfortunatly didn't make it...See how he goes for a second fish. I mean he had it for a week and it died. Makes you wonder about letting him take care of another.
ChilDawg
08-01-2003, 3:09 PM
Sometimes, XXXX happens when it comes to our hobby, though...do you think that the death was due to neglect or could it possibly have been due to poor Betta stock? Just make sure to help him through this one...you sound responsible enough! :)
Thanks for the Yabby picture...now time for some research on these critters! (If I can't find them, maybe a crayfish would be fun to keep...)
Mystroe_TheMyst
08-02-2003, 10:13 PM
Yes crayfish are cool aswell I used to have a few before I used my tanks as Cichlid setups. I think more than anything the betta died from stress and or cold. I measured my tank in my room (5gal) and it sits at a 19'C without a heater. I placed a thermometre in his tank and it was at 12'C....19'C is 66'F, you do the math. It was quite cold. But he told me he almost sucked it up completly, so i'm gathering it was from stress. I think I will advise him on other fishes next time he wants to keep fish.
Now that I work at my LFS I will be given a 10% staff discount on everything, makes my pocket that little bit happier.