Betta Question

LisaB

AC Members
Mar 1, 2006
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Maine
I recently saved a male Betta from my LFS and am keeping him in my 55 gallon tank. He has been doing fine with my tetras and corys. My question is..can I add several females to my tank to keep him company, or will this just cause havoc in my tank? I have gotten such conflicting advice from the LFS.:confused:

Thanks,
Lisa
 
Honestly, Lisa... I've read your post this morning but was kinda waiting for someone else that may be better at answering this question. If it were me, I wouldn't chance putting any betta's in there at all because I've heard horror stories of the male just completely harassing them regardless of male or female unless they are mating, evident by the male building the bubble nest.... whether the females can interact peacefully, I really don't know but I would just leave well enough alone as it is. Betta's are perfectly fine by themselves. They are not like cories or tetras, feeling the need to school.... With an LFS that you felt you had to rescue a betta from, you might want to be a bit more reserved to taking any further advice from them....
 
Yeah, I thought that was the case, but I was hoping I was wrong. Someone told me if I put 3 females in the tank with him, that they would all be fine. It is a heavily planted tank, plenty of places to hide. But, if all it will do is aggrevate the male, then it totally defeats the purpose. Bummer. :cool:

Lisa
 
LisaB

You would not be doing your male betta a favour by adding females to the tank. Betta courting rituals are not especially friendly, and one or both of the bettas involved could get very injured.
 
Please! Please! Please! Do not put any female bettas in with the male betta. Even when mating, the female must be removed as soon as this ritual is completed. If togather they will fight to the death and the male will win. Now I know that there are some people that will say that they do not have a problem with this, but I have seen this fighting happen and it is utterly devastating. Leave well enough alone and just settle for the male betta.

As a side note. Unless you know someone that works at the lfs that knows thier stuff and that you can trust, take the advice that they give you with a grain of salt. Most of them are there just to sell you something even if it is completely wrong for your system.

Marinemom
 
Females and male betta's are only good together for a short time and that is to breed. Afetr that they need to be seperated. Females will live fine with other females but not males.
FYI, After courting, the females have been known to shred the males pretty badly also.
 
Thank you for all the advice. Guess my male will have to make friends with someone else in the tank!

Lisa
 
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