Freshwater Aquarium Fish Compatibillity (sp?)?

Question

Alright, I was wondering, can I have fancy guppies with a male betta splendens (The betta most people are familiar with)? Or will there be fin nipping, harassment, ect.? And will the betta eat fry of my female guppies, or leave them alone? I'm a bit parnoid because my angelfish is a HUGE fattie that eats EVERYTHING. I have to keep 6 month old fry away because he will try and eat them (I saw him try).

OK, my angel is in a 20 gallon aquarium and I am trying to get a new one of only guppies, which require soft water (I have read that, and they are thriving under that condition, along with an angelfish, two blueberry and one strawberry tetra.)

Answer 1

The fancy tails on the Guppies will likely attract the Betta's attention, and lead to nipping, which you really should avoid. The Betta won't eat the fry, just harass them, which will likely kill them eventually. As your Angelfish grows, it will likely go after even the adult Guppies, and easily eat anything less than 1.5 inches long... Also, at 6 inches in length, and commonly more than 12 inches tall, a 20 gallon really isn't an appropriate home for an Angel. A 30 gallon would be immensely better, and would cause much less stress, making it less aggressive. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Soop Nazi

EDIT: Guppies actually come from Central America and Mexico, where the water is quite hard. Messing with your hardness and pH will really cause more stress than having your pH and alkalinity be a bit "off". Angelfish appreciate soft, acidic water (but are fine in anything below 7.5). Bettas are indigenous to fairly neutral waters, but can really handle almost any conditions (temperature above 75* with a filter, please!). Guppies, like Bettas, can pretty much handle anything, but come from waters that are hard and alkaline.

You will eventually need to upgrade your tank for your Angel, or get rid of it, which solves your probelm...

Answer 2

If you have a bigger tank with lots of plants the betta will probably leave the guppies alone. If the tank is more crowded and without plant cover the betta will nip and chase after the male guppies. As for the fry, the plant cover makes a big difference. I have had good luck with guppy fry surviving in a heavily planted community tank with a betta. If the fry don't have good hiding places they won't last long - whether you have a betta or not.

As for your tank setup, I can't help but comment on the angelfish tank. I would recommend getting a much larger tank for the angelfish (minimum 30 gallons) and moving the guppies into the 20 gallon. That would give you plenty of room for the fry.

As for the painted tetras, usually I would recommend you fill out the incomplete school but I this case I can't. The process breeders use to dye the fish is so inhumane I can't condone buying from any fish store that carries painted fish. Please don't replace these fish when they're gone.

Answer 3

Best to keep male Bettas on their own. You can never tell how they're going to react. I don't think I'd risk having the angels in the same tank as the guppies either.

Most adult fish will try to eat any fry that happens to be in the same tank.

Answer 4

Just to be on the safe side. do not put Beta's with guppies, or any smaller fish. They will even sometimes attack larger fish.

Answer 5

no, bettas should be kept by themselves. they are very aggressive fish, especially when fish resemble the same colour as another betta. where they come from thiland, they also require 'soft water' where other fish don't.

you shouldn't really keep angel fish and guppies with each other. stick to fish the same size - big fish eat small fish (in marjority of cases).

Answer 6

no the betta will eat the guppies.And probly the angel fish to. Unforantly as butiful as beta's r they r not friendly to other fish.