Do male bettas do better in community tanks or by themselves?

Question

I just started a freshwater tank and I want to put a male betta in. Everyone I know is like "oh, don't it will kill everything" but most pet stores say it's peaceful as long as it isn't pair with another male betta or don't pair them with any other fish. I have two questions actually the first, is to people who have put bettas with other fish and I wanted to know how it turned out?

I'm not worried about the other fish because I know bettas are actually peaceful and can get along with other fish, it's the betta I'm worried about, because I know other fish have been known to eat their fins, so I guess what's better for the betta putting it in a community tank (my tank has all peaceful community fish no semi or aggressive fish) or just leaving them all by themselves?

I forgot to add I have a 30 gallon tank with 4 fish: a male swordtail, female sword, a female(?) balloon and dalmantion molly.

Answer 1

I don't know why so many people are under the impression that bettas are mad killing animals. Just because they fight each other doesn't mean they're going to massacre everything they see.

Bettas will only fight other bettas, or fish that resemble other bettas (that have long, flowing, colourful fins.) This applies to male and females.

Other than that, they make peaceful community fish. The fish you listed sound like they would do fine with the betta. Just make sure you quarantine your betta for a couple of weeks before putting him in with the community, since most pet store bettas are kept in deplorable conditions and he might have caught some contagious diseases.

Since the rest of your fish are fairly peaceful fish, all should go well. Just keep an eye out for any aggression, though I don't expect any, and remove the betta if needed. He will still do fine on his own in a 2.5 gallon heated tank.

Answer 2

There is a question I am asked constantly.

Can I keep other fish with my Bettas?

Well the answer is complicated, a nice big maybe

1st lets see what you have;
a 5g tank or larger 10-20g being ideal?
1 betta male or female?
A desire to have an amazing home for your betta and other fish?

The tank:
The tank itself should contain 1 or more caves as space allows, plenty of plants, fabric or real. A smooth substrate, fine gravel or sand. A Filter, light and a heater. The filter should be adjusted so the water current is minimal.

I have bettas in various community tanks. I have had only 1 that was not going to be friends with his tank mates and so he lives alone.

So the list of critters I have with my bettas;
Danios, Rasboras, Black Neon tetras, wild guppies, African dwarf frogs, Cherry Shrimp*, Ghost Shrimp*, Cory cats, Zebra loaches.

Things I would never keep in with a betta;
Gouramis, Angelfish, goldfish, most tetras, tiger barbs, cichlids, crabs or crayfish, anything bigger than a betta, anything thats a fin nipper.

Always research any fish before putting it in your aquarium.

In my experience you need to watch the other fish for picking on the betta than the betta picking on the other fish.

When introducing new fish to a bettas tank, let them float for about a half hour, long enough for the betta to investigate them and get bored. Bettas are very curious and will follow and examine new tank mates very closely. Try checking your bettas fish aggression with a colorful and very fast male wild(feeder) guppy, if he kills it you know he is not suitable for a community tank. Odds are he will play chase with it and never actually hurt it. Out of the many bettas I have owned only 1 killed the guppy, she was very determined.

The next thing you need is a backup tank, all prepped and ready to be home. Be ready to move the betta to it if things go bad. Sometimes bettas will just let other fish bully them, sad but true. Remove betta immediately if this happens to him or he could be bullied to death. It is easier to catch and move a betta than other fish.

Remember each betta will react differently to tank mates. Be observant and careful and things will go your way. The larger the tank the less likely your betta will go ballistic on his new friends.

Also remember that no matter how big your tank is, do not place 2 male bettas in it or keep a male with females.

So now that your an educated betta keeper, when people tell you that bettas kill any other fish you can laugh in their faces and tell them they are full of betta myth BS.

Heres some vids of my 20g tank with Vash the Betta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4TUmWSiHhs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4fbTPhlvRA

*Some bettas see shrimp as dinner and will eat them, same for snails.

Answer 3

i think it all depends on what you put with it. i have a betta with gouramis and rasboras and they are all fine together. the more space you give a betta the more active they are. my betta will chase sometimes but its never very serious because even in a big aquarium they are kind of lazy -- they only chase for 3 or 4 inches and then they are done chasing. its just kind of a "get out of my way" thing.

i don't think bettas really bond with other fish so i would have a hard time answering the better or worse thing. i think its better because they have more stimulation -- thats about the extent of the better.

things you want to avoid are barbs (most people say cherry barbs are ok) and larger tetras (skirted tetras, etc) -- anything that nips won't be a good tank mate.

Answer 4

We had bettas in a community tank, and you're right they had problems with the other fish. We ended up getting another tank for the male betta and "2 girlfriends". Hope this helps

Answer 5

I have been putting male bettas in my community tank for a couple of years and they do quite well with my fish. They are poor swimmers when they are first placed in the tank with currents from the filter since they are used to sitting in dead water. Its pretty funny to see them roll like a rag in the wind then they sit on a plant and rest. I only have platys and mollies and they dont bother the bettas fins. Of course I only put one male at a time. They want to attack the other fish and the females but their flowing fins cause them to be such poor swimmers they arent able to carry out their aggression.

Answer 6

I would leave the Betta in a separate tank, i know from recent experience that Betta's do not do well with other fish. I put in to Betta's with a couple of other fish and one of the Betta's killed two other fish and the other Betta's fin got eaten off then it died. If I were you i would keep Betta's in separate tanks.

Answer 7

They do well either way. I learned the hard way though that male bettas do get territorial. A betta needs to be the last fish added to the aquarium in order to prevent it from becoming territorial. The only other time it would become territorial is when it builds a bubblenest.

Answer 8

Keep the betta by himself. You don't want to kill your other fish, do you?

Answer 9

i did put a betta with other fish before they will try to claim the tank as there territory and kill the other fish its only very rarely that they will not kill other fish if you want to take the risk go ahead but yea i wouldnt

Answer 10

male bettas get along great all by themselves and will swim around more if left all alone...they won't hide as much if they are alone...if you have underwater plants in the tank with them and other fish, the betta will hide a lot...best to look at when it can show itself off...they love attention...