Tropical Fish Forums

Giggle · New Members Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Location: Australia

I have a female betta in a community tank: she has two platties (Bubbles & Trinkets), several tetras, and a cory tank-mates .

Contrary to 'common' betta behaviour preferring calmer water, mine actually gets a kick out of 'riding' the current under the hang-on filter. I have a small tank with some plants in them and the hang-on-back filter is situated on one corner. You'd think that it would prefer to hang out in opposite corner, but I caught it several times deliberately going under the outflow and rides the current downwards & out, looking like she's enjoying it.

Bettas are pretty smart too. Mine has learnt that two soft knocks and a rattle of the flakes box means dinner,and will come out near the rim to be the first in line for dinner.

TheInsaneIthiolog · Members Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Location: Perth, Australia!!!

This may sound strange to some but I had a betta who lived 3 and 1/2 years in a community tank with similar sized slow moving fish, however they need a spot to rest and some plants that they can hide in, his colours also become more intense in the tank, though species mixes are very important, short finned varieties should do fine in a general community tank. as long as the current is not too strong (especially long finned varieties) they are finre as long as there is a rest spot. Also coloured sands of blue and pink and the like can be distressing to them so keep this in mind, brighter colours are not always an indication of health. Look at when they fight, thier clours become intense, likewise over time bright (and in my opinion ugly sand) causes psycological breakdown of sorts.
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Pikmin · Members Joined: 06 Apr 2008

yeah I had a betta live in a community tank for about a year and a half, but when we moved tanks he died in like 2 months.
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All I want are plants

madjoker14 · New Members Joined: 04 Apr 2008

I have a 20 gallon tank, I know betta mix with other fishes that don't look like them but I have about 10 mollies with the nice fin that rises, will the male betta and female betta attack the mollies for there large fin?

coryfan · Regulars Joined: 11 Feb 2006

Wow an interesting topic here! I have kept bettas on and off but for me it has always worked out better with a betta alone in a tank. But then again I am somewhat biased in that I really like single species tanks (a tetra-only tank,cichlid-only tank,etc.)
I really don't think they get lonely without tankmates but who knows. However, I have noticed that when I keep the betta tank (currently a 2.5 gal) in a room I frequently use, the betta is constantly active but maybe this is just lowly begging for food Confused

Also I know many people say filter current such as a HOB type filter is bad for a betta but I have experienced just the opposite. I have kept bettas in both non-circulated and HOB filter circulating tanks and the bettas I have had always seemed a bit more active and lively with some filter circulation (but of course keeping it at the lowest setting). This is just my limited experience with bettas. Very Happy

toah · New Members Joined: 01 Apr 2008

At work we keep some bettas in our tropical tanks, but for long periods of time they do prefer a space all to their own to live out their life.
Some bettas can be to aggressive to be housed with community fish like neons and danios even. My boyfriends mum had a betta in a 10gallon(which he has to himself now and is VERY happy to be alone) with 3 neon tetras...in a matter of days he ended up killing them all (they stressed out too much)..he would chase them around constatly and flik them with his tail and nip at them...although others could care less who its tankmates are bettas don't usually last much longer than a year in a community tank.
My 2nd betta lived untill he was 4 and a half in a betta bowl (1 gallon) and was quite a happy little dude. If you MUST keep a betta in a communtiy tank never keep them with other fish with fancy tails like gold fish, guppies, or angels..the betta will rip their tails apart.
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.::Vikki::.

nikelodeon79 · Regulars Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Location: Wisconsin, U.S.A.

GrimmShiro87 · Members Joined: 31 May 2008 Location: PA

What about Neon Tetra with a Betta? I have 3 neon tetra in each of my 5g tanks with my betta, but the betta seem kind of unhappy to be sharing their tanks although they love the new decor. Shiro loves to hide in the little cave I brought home today.

Is a filter current good for Tetra?

mac

Hi Brobro.
I have 21lt hexagonal fish tank that has one Siamese Fighter.
My hexagonal tank has its own internal filter. the filter flow is very slow so he has no problems. If you wanted a tank for your betta other than a bowl, and not wanting the currant, I find heavily planting them, slows the water currant. Also in their natural habitat they live in marshes, rice paddies, mud-flats, irrigation canals, and streams, so I see nothing wrong with some water flow.

mac
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I was once open minded but my brain kept falling out.
Dose that mean I am a product of the education system?

32Bit_Fish · Regulars Joined: 24 Feb 2005

I don't see any problems keeping my long fin betta with my tetras in my 20g tank. It's been a week, my Betta ignores all the fish in the tank, he swimming around and exploring the tank often.

He acted like he is the only fish in the tank. I think lots of plants helped in terms of Betta get along with others in the tank.

I'm going to add some cardinals later n will let u guys know. But most likely it will be fine.