bettas in community tanks

nursie said:

I have tried a betta in a community tank..once in a 10 gal and the other in a 55 gal. Both times...and it was the same fish..he just didn't like the current. I would find him wedging himself in places, to keep from drifting around. I ended up taking him out an putting in a bowl with no filtration and he was happier then. Unfortunately I lost him one winter when our power went out and he got chilled.
Do you guys see this or was my betta unusual? I'd like to start up a 10 gal and stock with a betta and a few neons but if this is the norm for bettas, I will look at something else.

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Once again, it really does depend on the betta. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with your specific one. I've had bettas that absolutely love currents and some that do the same as yours did. If you stock it with plants, that should allow him to get away from the current comfortably. I say give it another try and good luck

my betta started out in a 5 hex with a small filter on it to strengthen him befor he went into the 20. now he doesn't play in the filter flow but it doesn't bother him either.

it does take some time to get them used to it though, try going from only being able to chase your tail to currents and wide open space... he would get used to it but it would take a lot of rest time at the beginning

i just got my first betta last week. i've been trying to make him get used to the current and aeration slowly. i started out with the filter first. i would turn it on for just a couple of hours, then turn it off. little by little i increased the amount of time until i noticed the filter wasnt bothering him anymore. then i started with the bubbles, and he seems to getting used to it too. but, again, i did it slowly. i still have to turn off the air pump in order to feed him though.

as Ems said, it's nice to have plants. i guess they helped my betta a lot.

today i introduced some feeder guppies' fry to his tank (it's a 10 g as well).

WHen I first started fishkeeping about 3 years ago, I bought a male Betta for a 55g community tank. He never did seem to mind the current, and actullay seemed to hang out near the current from the filter.

Unfortunately, he was a victim of fin nipping and eventually perished before I knew any better on what to do.

Just be very carefull of what you put him in with. Those long fins are eay prey for nippy fish. I even saw guppies nipping his fins.

I've had no problems ( as from some nipped fins) with bettas in community tanks.

I keep my rescued betta(from Walmart) in my 29 planted community. He loves to lay on my melon sword, and in the hairgrass. The first time he did it, I thought that he had died, but after watching him for a few min., he got up, and went to the surface took a breath, and went right back to laying on the leaf.....

Mine doesn't seem to mind the filter current, but he only feeds on the oppisite side of the tank(from the filter).
Tank mates are: Harlequin Rasboras, Mollies, Platies, Ghost Shrimp, Rainbow Shrimp, a corydora, and a trio of ottos.

What is really the minimum size tank for a Betta? I have considered getting one, if for no other reason then to save him from those stupid little jars at the lps. We currently have an empty 2.5g that may be suitable, or we have a 10g with a bunch of platy fry in right now. Would the Betta eat the fry if we were to add one to the 10g?

I have no intent of just rushing out and grabbing one, but once the fry grow up and get given to a friend of mine, the 10g will be empty and I HATE having an empty fistank in the house.

If all you wer going to add to the 2.5g would be the betta then Id say its perfeclt acceptable. You could swap him in the 10g as space allowed.

Think of it this way, anything is better than the 2 cup capacity bowls they are in at the fish stores.

When I say that I rescued mine, I mean I rescued him. I had to buy a bottle of water at the same time, as he was in about 1 inch of water(in a 3" dia. cup). :thud: All of his buddies on the shelf were about dead as well, so I just let my 3 year old niece pick out the lucky one, and he is the one that I got. I have had him for about 2 months now, and I am really glad that I was able to save him :dance:

I think that he loves my tank. Anybody who says that they like to be kept in a small tank/bowl(less than 2.5 gal IMO) should be locked in a closet for a few months, and see how they like it! I'm getting angry now. I'll stop while I'm ahead!