2006-11-13 23:26:13 · 8 answers · asked by dar 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
I have a male that is extremely mellow and I keep one female with him. Their in a 10 gal. tank BUT I WOULD NOT ADVISE YOU TO TRY THIS because in most cases the male would definitely kill the female - unless she is ready to spawn and even then the male can still severely hurt the female!
2006-11-14 10:23:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES, it is harmful!
These are not called FIGHTING fish for nothing.
They fight.
There are horrid people in the world who breed them specificly to fight them, like pitbull fights and cockfights.
You cannot keep a male betta with any other betta, or any other labyrinth fish (Gouramis, etc) or any other fish that could vaguely resemble a betta (guppies, etc) for any length of time unless your tank is huge enough to allow for separate territories.
I have heard of 2 male bettas tolerating each other on opposite sides of a 55 gallon tank.
A male can be with a female he wants to breed with, who also wants to breed with him for the duration of the breeding ONLY. You would then remove the FEMALE and leave the MALE with the eggs.
But PLEASE! Do not attempt to breed bettas until you have done a great deal of research on the matter and had some experience with the fish. It is very tricky and the female could be killed or they both could be severely injured if you don't know what you're doing.
Female bettas sometimes can be put together, but you need 2 gallons of territory per fish, plenty of plants, nooks and crannies, and no fewer than 4 females to keep the pecking to a minimum. Even so, it can be very hard to find 4 or 5 girls that will live together civilly. That's why they call this a Sorority. And the loss of one fish or addition of one fish can throw off the pecking order and cause chaos and destruction. I do not recommend it unless you are willing and able to house all the females singly (in their own bowls) or give them back to the store if things do not work out.
Some bettas can be kept in a community tank, but most cannot. It's a matter of individual personality. They simply tend to be too territorial. It is a trial and error thing during which fish can get badly beaten up, and you'd need to be ready to house your betta separately if necessary.
A great resource for info on bettas is healthybetta.com
2006-11-14 08:59:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Male will kill the female unless they are in the mood for breeding. To find out if the male is willing, set the temperature of the water to 80 degrees. The male then should start making bubbles, keep the female within sight, but not where he can bite her. A screen or separate bowls works best. The male will make a nest of bubble signaling he is ready to make. The female is a little harder, she must also signal that she is ready to mate. This is done again with the water at 80 degrees, she will also start making bubbles at the top of the tank. But she must wait until the male is ready. Also if you have a big enough tank, and the female has places to hide, then you can put them in 1 tank together. But watch for the male to make the bubbles.
2006-11-14 07:33:02 · answer #3 · answered by redhotboxsoxfan 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not if they have enough space. I wouldn't put them in a bowl or small container together, but if you have a 2 gallon tank or larger, they'll be fine. I used to keep communities of bettas (siamese fighting fish) together, one male with a harem of 2-5 females. The females are very docile and will not fight, and males will only fight each other, not females. In fact, bettas can be put in community tanks if they are given the right tankmates- they are not 'killer fish', they just fight other male bettas for territory.
2006-11-14 09:23:05 · answer #4 · answered by Dreamer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is not advisable, even for spawning purpose the female is only kept with the male for a short period.
The male will chase and kill the female if they're not spawning.
2006-11-14 07:56:46 · answer #5 · answered by dragonfly_sg 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NO, just make sure it is a 5 gallon because he chases her until he figures out she wont mate. and be sure there is a tank to move her to after they mate because he could rip her up bad enough to kill her. if he get to aggressive you may have to move her anyhow. give it a shot. i have had a male and 5 females in a 10 (don't go overboard) GOOD LUCK!!
2006-11-14 20:03:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I heard for a lady at the pet store, that you can keep one male with several females. I don't know how true it is.
2006-11-14 07:45:00 · answer #7 · answered by misera1013 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Wether they are in mood for breeding or they just don't like each other. She'll probably die. 100% Sure. Separate them.
2006-11-14 14:38:51 · answer #8 · answered by head_blown_apart 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋