Betta in a Community Tank

Well ems, i need to admit that I am lesser experienced in this matter.
my mistake cost me the life of my best pet - my blue finned betta. And far as I can remember
he was doing very fine till I landed him into a community tank. At first he looked pretty fine
in the tank - and I thought it would all be fine from now one. But the next day I woke up to see
his fins all torn and he was looking in a very bad shape - that's when he took ill exactly. (the only other prominent fish in the tank were mollies (and i dont know if they are fin-nippers or plain aggressive)) I then
immediately moved him to a bowl - it looked as though he would recover - but he never again was what
he used to be - and finally he died this monday.
Doesnt leave any courage to check personalities before I risk their lives.
 
Suby, I'm sorry about the loss of you betta....hard lesson to learn. I lost my favorite blue marble pie bald CT to a mistake in fixing up water for a new tank. I thought I was going to loose him right off, but he actually came around at first, but he was never really the same afteward. Lost him about 2 months after the incident...just when I thought he would be ok... :(


This is Jaxom....my favorite boy...still miss him and can't seem to find another like him...
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Thanks for your reply Emg.
So guys, how do you exactly go about doing a water change for your bettas ?
I know it's a very crucial thing - though it may not seem so initially.
Please let me know.
 
Well Suby, I have 2 - 2 gallon buckets that I fill with water.....I dump them into the 5 gallon where I add the aquarium salt and water conditioner. I take that water and put it into a 10 gallon which has a heater and an airstone in it.

What I do is use the water from the 10 gallon to do water changes....when that water diminishes I pour the water from the 5 gallon into the 10, being careful to unplug the heater and let is set a bit...(I've cracked 2 heaters not being careful in this :rolleyes: ) I then fill up the 5 with what I have sitting in the 2 gallon buckets...this way I know my water is aged well and ready to use.

I have a 29 gallon community tank along with various bettas and thier seperate tanks...and a 10 gallon divided into 4 sections for 4 betta....another 10 that has 4 female bettas in it....5 gallons, 1 gallons, 2 gallons....the list goes on and on.....LOL ! :D
 
I had 2 experiences. One where the betta was in the com. tank for a spell, but just didn't look happy nervously pacing the front of the tank. Put another in, he was doing fine, till he started eating too much (including his tail).

YOu have to try it out, observe a lot, and have a back-up plan. I thought the nervous fish would be ok...I thought the other too aggressive. But it turns out what I expected was wrong.

Everywhere I read says gouramis are too similar to bettas, and the betta will fight it. Anything with fancy, long fins as well. Bettas are territorial. I have heard they shouldn't be kept with females either. You should try it out, and sit and watch. If you have any reservations, at least you have a back-up plan!

Lisa
 
Right Fishey, male and female betta should NEVER be kept together unless you are trying to breed them..and only for the period of time it takes them to actually spawn, then remover her immediately.

I suppose, if you had a 150 gallon well planted tank.....you could keep one male and one female together....lol....but I wouldn't try it in anything much smaller... ;)
 
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