Bettas and gouramis in the same tank?

[batski]

I have an 82 Gal (US) aquarium in which I have created an south east Asian biotope.

Now I've discovered Betta smaragdina and would love to keep some individuals of this beautiful species, but there are already 3 pearl gouramis living in that aquarium.

Can these two species live in the same tank or would the gouramis haress the smaller bettas?

[bettagurl]

no,my friend has a juvie betta with a BIG pearle gourami..the hardly ever look at each other.alot of people say that you cant have labrinth fish together,but thats a pile of ****. :D

[batski]

Sounds good! Exactly the anwer I was hoping to hear ;) :D

[bettagurl]

glad I could help! :D

[Marinemom]

Generally speaking it is not the best plan to put these two species togather in the same tank. That does not mean that it cannot be done. If the tank is big enough which I believe yours is and there are lots of live plants in the tank as well this could very well work. The betta would appreciate a lot of plants and hiding spots to feel happy and floating plants will make him very secure. The gourami will also appreciate a densly planted tank. This way they will each stake out thier territory and they should be fine. BTW, you mentioned bettas as in the plural form. That might possibly work with female bettas but two male bettas in the same tank is an absolute no no. They will fight and bicker until one of them is dead. You do not need that blood bath. Other than that, as long as it is set up right, it could work.

Marinemom

[jm1212]

i wouldnt mix any species of gourmi or betta together, especially a male betta splendes and another male of a different species because they will fight. two males of different gourami species will fight (pearl gouramis are the exception, males can be housed together with caution). a male three spot gourami and a male dwarf gourami will beat the heck out of eachother. they are going to pick on each other and chase each other until one dies.

its not worth the risk to mix males together in one tank.

[dorkfish]

bettagurl,

So, just becuase it works for your friend once, what people who have decades of expiereince are saying is:


a pile of ****.

But in reality it's hit or miss. It might work for some, it might not work for others.

[Skidood]

My male Betta doesn't mind 3 gouramis in my tank one bit.
The gouramis are very peaceful, everyone stays out of each others way.

[batski]

BTW, you mentioned bettas as in the plural form. That might possibly work with female bettas but two male bettas in the same tank is an absolute no no. They will fight and bicker until one of them is dead. You do not need that blood bath.

Betta smaragdina are not aggressive like Betta splendens and from what I've read it would be possible for more than one male to live in the same tank...

I do have ceratopteris cornuta as floating plants in that tank. Here is a picture of the tank. It is a few months old, so the plants are larger now. What do you think?

[absolute]

Depends... I had a male betta and several mixed gouramis. The betta only went after the colourful gouramis (The Honey, Golden, and Red Dwarf). He never paid any attention to the Moonlight, Pearl or Opaline. My tank is heavly planted and he would search for the bright one's. Feeding time was a disaster!!!

The end result was he was "relocated" to his own tank.

[fballguy]

Everybody remember, he did not ask about betta splendens.

I have read that betta smaragdina is not as aggressive as betta splendens, but I have never kept them so I don't have personal experience.

[icecubez189]

with a tank that big, i think the aggression would be less. they would be able to stake their own territories and leave each other alone.