Betta question?

Question

Someone told me that I can't have a Betta in with male guppies because of their tale. Does anyone know if that is true. I really want to get a Betta someday but I don't want him or her to beat up my little guppies.

Answer 1

You can keep a betta with other fish despite the popular myth alot of people believe that a male betta can not be kept with any fish or they will kill it. This is simply not a true statement.

You can call any fish store and they will tell you that you can in fact keep a male betta with certain other fish.

The only problem with mail guppies is they have very long fins that are normally really colorfull and bright like male bettas. Now a male guppies fins are by no means as large as a bettas fins and sometimes an overly aggresive male betta will nip at the long fins of the male guppie. This nipping at the fins may cause the guppie to be stressed and because of the stress the fish is likely to develop a fungus (looks like a cottony growth on the fins or body and reddening of the fins and body) or bacterial infection (open wounds, pop eye, fin and tail rot, and open sores). The male betta doesn't actually kill the other fishbut stresses the fish out enough from nipping at its fins where the "nip-e" fish will likely die from a stress related illness if left untreated.

This is my opinion based on my experience with keeping a planted freshwater aquarium with one male betta and alot of other community fish. The betta seemed to like the fins of the male guppies and other fish that had pretty colorfull long fins.

I have had some bettas that were not as aggressive and did not pick on any fish at all even the male guppies. The betta left them alone all together and everything was fine.

I would suggest trying it out first and see if your betta will fin nip first if you decide to keep them together. If the betta starts nipping at any of the fish take him out immediatly or you will have problems most likely.

Hope this helps a bit

Answer 2

People must walk away from these questions more confused then before they asked.

1. That Betta's need to be alone is a myth - people misunderstand their aggression, which is really only to their own kind, or those that look similar.

2. I've kept one with guppies, as have others, without problems. I currently keep them with cardinals without issues.

3. There is no guarantee. There is the odd aggressive betta that will go after other fish. This is not the norm, however, and you can always seperate the fish if it doesn't work.

4. Nobody ever seems to question tank size. My experience was with a 15 gallon tank. I wouldn't add a betta to the tank if it is less then 5 gallons - 10 or more would be best.

Answer 3

The guppies will nip at and beat up the betta. Bettas may think the guppies are a male betta also, but guppies are far faster and will have the upper hand if a fight breaks out. You can put your betta in a two gallon or preferably five gallon tank next to the guppie tank, and they should still interact without killing eachother.

Answer 4

The previous statement that Betta's cannot have tank mates it extremely untrue. A Betta can be housed with any other fish which is not large enough to eat it, is not in the same family (Osphronemidae), or is a fin nipper. Also be careful of algae eaters. Many of them will latch on to the Betta's fins, (the Otto algae eaters are great)
Your Betta will may or may not get along with your guppies. Different bettas have different personalties. Some are more aggressive while many are very docile and could care less. When purchacing a betta i would look to purchace ones that are in tanks,intereacting with other types of fish (look closeley at many platy tanks you will most likeley find a betta in there too). When the bettas are in their tiny containers it is imposible to get a feel for their personality. Often these containers make the fish grumpy and aggressive. Look to purchace a fish which is getting along with it's tankmates.

Answer 5

As long there's enough room and food for them, Betta can live in harmony with guppies, in fact, with almost most other non-aggressive fishes.

They usually attack their own species to set the rank. Not all betta will fight each other till one dies, usually the less aggressive ones will retreat and find a place to hide. Some time they can still share the same space after a few fins torn and knowing who's the Boss.

Good Luck and Enjoy!

Answer 6

It will usually work out just fine to keep a betta and male guppies together. That's a quite common myth that has gotten way ut of control. Sometimes youfind a cranky male betta that will pick on the guppies, but it's rare.

MM

Answer 7

You shouldn't put a betts in with any fancy guppie because of the tail. The betta might attack the guppies, or the guppies will gang up on the betta.

Answer 8

It will work out fine since you are adding the betta to the tank AFTER the guppies. Betta's are territorial and if you add fish to THEIR home then they will attack the fish. If you add a betta to an already established tank he should be fine. Make sure you add a new decoration, plant, rock, cave anything that he can establish as "his". He won't attack other fish but he will "chase" them away from his area.

Answer 9

I love the vet tech's answers.

You can put Bettas with some fish. I have mine with a dalmation molly and zebra danios and a snail.

Not all bettas are aggressive. Mine is very calm and reserved and eats right with the molly. Its gonna just depend on the fish themsleves.

Answer 10

Bettas (male or female) are very aggressive fish. They do not like any other fish in with them in general...so, if you put him in with guppies, your guppies are going to start dying and/ or disappearing (depends on size of everyone, of course). If your guppies are larger than your betta, then there is a good chance that he'll get killed...as for the tail question...that is the easiest part to attack on a betta fish and will cause death if it continues to be nibbled away (an african dwarf frog I used to have killed 3 bettas by doing that before I gave up trying to have a fish in with him).