My strange Betta...

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reignman40

reignman40

AC Members
Jun 15, 2005
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Spokane, WA, USA
I keep reading all these sort of steriotypes about Betta behavior and wonder what is wrong with my guy. I put Mr. Fish is a 20 gall while I cycled with Bio-
Spira. His living quaters was about equivilant to a dirty glass of water so I didn't think it could hurt him.

I have a Penguin 150 Bio-Wheel filter. The filter is actually strong enough for a 30 gall tank, thus creates a little current on the side it resides on. I hear Betta's don't really like current but let me tell you this guy just loved to play right in the bubbles where the filter spits the water back out.

I've also heard that Betta's primarily swim on the middle and top of the tank. Mine cruises the entire tank, spending a LOT of time cruising the bottom. He just loves to swim through the plants and especially seems to love the open rock caves I have in there.

Mainly I just wanted to share Mr. Fish's crazy personality but I do have one question. In community tanks with Betta's has anyone found it better to have the other fish and then add the Betta? My Betta just seems more territorial since the tank was solely his for a couple weeks before I added my 2 ADF's.

Thanks,
Curtis
 
JinxXx0085

JinxXx0085

AC Members
Jun 12, 2005
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Montana
Betta! They are beautiful and fun to have! :-D Well, as for my own experience, I had my tank set up with other fishes (zebra danios, neons, guppies, and bottom dwellers) before adding betta. The Betta scoped out the tank and saw himself in reflection and spend a good week fighting with it before settling in and staked out his own territory. Never had any problems with it.
Not sure how it would be like another way around. Should be too bad as long Betta can have an area to himself?
 
L

luvmyfish

AC Members
Jun 27, 2005
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Bettas are very territorial fish, and keeping it with other fish is always 'iffy, even if they start out with tankmates.
as far as your Betta's behavior, making use of the tank, playing in the bubbles etc. perfectly normal...mine does it too. The bettas in the little bowls survive because they breath air from the surface of the water via their labyrinth...but this doesn't mean it's their preferred environment. I always feel sorry for those bettas in tiny little tanks, and am not an advocate for them at all! I think all Bettas should have a minimum of 5 gallons. Just because they can survive in those little one gallons, doesn't mean it's the best environment for them.
 
shadrac

shadrac

shadrac
Feb 4, 2005
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my bolth of my bettas act a lot like yours dose they love playing in the filters current and swimming through things. as for the teritorial thing i would say its better to add the betta last cuz other wise he mite claim the whole tank to him self. i had that prob with a paradise fish which is prety close to aa beta and he ate every one so he went to a tank that already had fish in it and he was fine. i do agree with luvmyfish about not keeping bettas in little bowls but i think that a min of 2.5 gal is good for a permanate home anything less that that should be temp.
 
T

thesydmonster

AC Members
Apr 4, 2005
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I added my betta after some fish were already in there, then added more fish later and everyone gets along fine. My betta also swims on all level of the tanks as well as going through the rocks and resting on the plants. What little personalities they have :)
 
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