Female Betta's?

Question

I have had male betta's for nearly 20 yrs, but have been thinking about buying some females. Not for breeding or anything (from what I've read it's very tricky & the males still pick at & chase the females) However, I have read some websites that say the female can safely be in a community tank with other females with no problem, I've read other sites that say this is only true if they were all raised together. Still...I've read other sites that they fight as bad as the males......so has anyone had any experience with this? Thanks!

Answer 1

It's not true that they need to be raised together to be kept together, but they should be introduced at the same time (if you're keeping a small group in an established tank) or they should be introduced in groups after you already have one or more females.

For the most part, females will not be as aggressive as the males, but there will be some chasing and nipping until they establish a pecking order among themselves. Once this order is established, they're generally fine with each other, it's only when/if one gets out of line for it's station that there will be any trouble (as in an inferior female challenges a more dominant one's position as it ages). That's why it's best not to introduce a single fish among a group - it doesn't have a palce, and will be picked on by all the others, sometimes to the point where it doesn't feed. With multiple fish, the aggression is more spread out.

It does help to not crowd the females (have at least a gallon or two of tank space per female in the tank) and offer lots of plants and hiding spots where a fish that's being picked on can avoid the others.

Still, there are some females that reportedly cannot be kept with other females, or any tankmates. I've never had one personally, but know people who've had them. Your groups should be at least three, but five would be a better number if you have a large enough tank. If you can't introduce 5 at one time, introduce three first and add two more at a later time.

Answer 2

"As for community fish, the following are out of own experience for a 20 gallon tank

3 female bettas
3 cory cats like a pepper cory (bottomfeeder)
6 neon tetras or black tetras (they are schooling fish)
3 ballon mollies (either all male or 1male&2females)
6 zebra danios (also schooling fish)
3 platy's (sunburst, dwarf,..)
5 rasboras (also schooling fish)"

That is twenty nine fish in a twenty gallon tank! They've got to be feeling stressed. People who have had luck at keeping females with males in a community tank give them lots of space. This way the females are able to get far enough away from the males so both are comfortable. Betas raised in these conditions live for several years, sometimes as long as ten years. When they are in crowded conditions they begin to pick at each other and their life spans are much shorter. A tightly packed community tank is more interesting for humans but inhumane for the fish.

You also have to deal with the individual temperaments of the fish. Every once in a while you will come across a bully fish. My son had one once. Surprisingly enough it was a goldfish. We put it in the tank with the others and started noticing torn and missing fins and had to take it out of that tank and put it by itself. The fish wasn't even the largest one. This is where the rules about which fish can get along with which others go flying out the window.

If you give your betas lots of space and hiding places they will probably get along fine, but keep a close watch on them at first.

Answer 3

Yes they are actually great in community tanks
If you choose to have more then 1 female, you have to have at least 3 though, that way they are able to do the so called pekkingorder, They fight at first for their order but will be fine afterwards

As for community fish, the following are out of own experience for a 20 gallon tank

3 female bettas
3 cory cats like a pepper cory (bottomfeeder)
6 neon tetras or black tetras (they are schooling fish)
3 ballon mollies (either all male or 1male&2females)
6 zebra danios (also schooling fish)
3 platy's (sunburst, dwarf,..)
5 rasboras (also schooling fish)



Hope that helps
Good luck


EB

Answer 4

i don't know if it is common interior the wild Bettas, yet it somewhat is the element the place the fish should not be mutually and delivered out NOW. at last, the female will kill the male or vice versa and for this reason the 1st sign of aggression might desire to be your cue to chop up them at present. for this reason getting to know and conditioning formerly particularly breeding Bettas is mandatory. EDIT: i'm going to allow you to know that for the duration of the adventure that your breeding pair of Bettas are aggressive in the direction of one yet another then which skill they are actually not waiting to reproduce. It takes weeks of conditioning the two lady and male and slightly of luck to allow a valuable spawning with none fights.

Answer 5

You can safely put a female beta in a community tank but only have one or three of more to keep the aggression down

Answer 6

Females do well together. They even do well in tanks with other fish.

Answer 7

It is best to have a least a minimum of three females.