Betta issue

[pkremer]

Given the large number of great betta keepers on this forum, I'm hoping someone will have an answer to my question.

I have wanted a betta for a long time, but the fact that my 38 has a blue gourami in it has held me back. I was afraid the blue gourami would kill him. Now though, I have a 10 gallon with some killifish in it, and I thought, "Hey, the killifish are small, I don't think they'll chew on his fins." So I went out and got myself a betta.

He's great! He has a reddish body with blue and green finnage. I put his little cup into the 10 gallon to start acclimating him to the water temp, and then it occurred to me...forget what the killies might do to him, what might he do to my killies???

The killies were curious (if you want to know what they look like, see my pic on the left), and they started to approach him. The betta (male, BTW) flared up at them and kind of lunged. Obviously he couldn't get them because he was in the cup, but it honestly hadn't occured to me that he might not like the killies. I'm so good at this...

Anyway, maybe nobody will have direct experience with killifish and bettas, but does anyone have any ideas? Is the flaring up a sign of aggression? I don't know that he could catch them even if he wanted to, I've read that bettas aren't the best swimmers, and the killies are like greased lightning (just try to catch those little buggers), but I don't want the killies to live in fear. I'll take the betta back if I have to, but I'd like to keep him. Also, am I correct in that the blue gourami in the 38 will not tolerate his presence?

Thanks in advance!
Paul

 

[LittlePuff]

I've never had problems with bettas and gouramis. Flaring at the killies is most likely for a "don't mess with me" I would keep an eye on it, but i wouldn't think there'd be a problem with them.

Kim

 

[QTOFFER]

I have to agree with you that the betta and the gourami will not make good tankmates. And I don't think that dividing your 38 gal will be practical or aesthetically pleasing.

I can't tell you what might happen if you mix the betta and the killifish. I only know that some bettas do well in community tanks while others are loners with a mean streak. My own bettas have done very well with corys. You could easily divide the 10 gal and keep the betta and the killifish in it - the only problem is, will the killifish have enough room? I really don't know much about them.

Finally, you could also get a 5 gal or a 10 gal tank for the betta (MTS! MTS! MTS! MTS!)

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi pkremer,
I don't have any experience with bettas in community tanks. Sorry I can't help there, but please don't take the betta back! It's so easy to set up their own 5 or 10 gallon tank!

I agree with QTOFFER -- some bettas do well in community tanks, and some don't. If the betta does not like it with the killies, or the killies don't like him, then you should have a backup plan for the betta.

 

[pkremer]

OK, I had it the right way around...

I put the betta in there, and he flared up something fierce at them, but he didn't attack them. The killies, on the other hand, were fascinated by his finnage...and promptly start biting his back fins.

I watched for a few minutes to see what would happen, and the betta was starting to get very very stressed. He was running and hiding, unable to fight back as these killies are extremely fast. His flaring up didn't seem to bother the killies at all. They just looked at him. I'm surprised they were such pansies with the gourami in the 38 when I attempted that! Also, the killies just wouldn't leave him alone. When two of them started to gang up on him, I had enough of it and pulled the betta back out and put him back in his cup (with some fresh water from the 10 gallon instead of that nasty stuff he's probably been in for 2 weeks).

Well, an unsuccessful experiment but the betta didn't get hurt. I'll consider a 5 or a 10 gallon tomorrow, but I'm not certain I have room for another aquarium, not to mention my family will think I'm going crazy (MTS). I hate to take him back, but I don't know what else to do. I know a lot of people that keep them in a gallon bowl, but I'm sure I know what the consensus here will be on that (even though I would change his water a lot more often than they do).

Paul

 

[An t-iasg]

I'm glad the betta is ok! If he did get a few nicks from the killies, just watch him and make sure the fins don't get any white fuzz on them. My betta once got a few small tears in his fins from playing in the sponge filter bubbles. They healed right up in no time.

So, I was just wondering what would happen...I remembered that I saw a betta in with a group of tetras once at a hatchery. The tetras were ganging up on the betta, until the betta was moved. I think fast fish may be inclined to gang up on a slow fish like the betta.

I know you'd keep the water clean in a bowl, but there are other things to consider also, like temperature stability. I would recommend a heater; bettas are most comfortable in 80 degree water. They also need a stable temperature. Without a heater, the temperature drops at night. I had my first betta in a bowl for awhile, and the temperature fluctuation stressed him. For a 5 gallon tank, you'd want a 25 watt heater, and for 10 gallons, a 50 watt.

Filtering is easy; bettas don't like current, so a sponge filter is all you need. I have my sponge filter running through a gang valve to adjust the airflow, so not a lot of current is produced, and also so both sponge filters can run off the same air pump. I have silk plants (plastic may tear their fins) and some java moss.

 

[An t-iasg]

P.S. A 5 gallon tank doesn't take up much room! I have my two 5 gallon tanks on the kitchen counter, and they are not in the way of anything at all.

 

[pkremer]

Well, I haven't decided whether or not to spring for a new tank for my new Betta friend, but I have made a decision that should at the very worst give me a little more time, and I can keep him in the meantime! He's just too great to bring back to Wal-Mart and let some little kid take him and put him in a glass!

I bought a tank divider and gave him I'd say about 1/3 of the 10 gallon all to himself. The killies were none too pleased with the loss of some of their swimming space, but I figure if they'd played nicer, they wouldn't have...

Here are some pics! You can see some killies on the left and my new betta friend on the right. The picture scarcely does him justice, but it was the best one I was able to get. He has a nearly jet black body with bluish and red top and back fins. His bottom fin has sections of green, blue, and red! I love him!

Paul

 

[cheezysquirrelz]

I like your tank, very nice. I had the same problem. I bought a betta for my community tank. I then realized I had a gourami and a fin nipping angel.

 

[An t-iasg]

He's just too great to bring back to Wal-Mart and let some little kid take him and put him in a glass!

I totally agree! He is beautiful! Bettas are easy to fall in love with!

I think that's a good setup. The betta gets the benefit of the heater and filter, and his own little space too. You could put a silk plant in for him. That is fine for now -- or for a longer time. The tank may be more attractive without the divider, but if space for another tank is a problem, then this is fine for the betta. You can "decorate" his little side and it will look nice. He and the killies can't hurt each other in any way, and they all get the benefit of a nice tank!

 

[Aquafriend]

For a divided tank, I think yours looks great! Like others said, though, and you probably know, it would look much more balanced if the betta had some plants (silk) and maybe a nicely positioned rock or ornament for him to hide behind. Kudos to you for not taking him back to WalMart, and for rescuing him in the first place. He's a beauty!

 

[pkremer]

Well, not sure if anyone is interested, but here's a quick update!

Last night I went downstairs and was shocked to find a killifish in with the betta! He must have somehow jumped over the divider even though there's barely any room to accomplish such a task!

Anyway, the tables were certainly turned this time. There was only 1 killifish, and without his buddies, he was being a pansy. The betta was not fast enough to catch him, but the betta was flaring at him, and chasing him around. One time he actually almost nipped the killifish. Maybe I am a horrible person, but I let the betta go after him for a few minutes. I don't know if fish 'learn', but maybe the killie won't try that again now! I scooped the killie out and put him back on his side.

As long as I don't have constant problems with the killies 'jumping the fence', I think I may leave it like this and get some decor for the betta's side. It's actually almost perfect. He has probably about 3-1/3 gallons to swim in, and because of the barrier, there is NO current in his section. When I put food in, it slowly sinks in a straight line all the way to the bottom. However, I assume the holes in the barrier will allow heat and filtration of his water!

I may still buy him a 5 or 10 gallon one day, but this should work for right now!

Paul

 

[An t-iasg]

Sure I'm interested!

Wow, that is something that the killie jumped the divider! I used to have a divider like that. (For my very first bettas, I divided the 5.5 gallon tank. After they went to fishy heaven, I got two more bettas but got the 2nd one his own 5.5 gallon tank.) I cut the 10 gallon divider down to fit the 5.5 gallon, since there are no divider frames for the 5 gallon tanks. I didn't use the clear divider plastic that came with the frame. I got a plastic needlepoint canvas at a craft store. The holes were a little bigger, so a little more water could flow through -- not too much though, no current -- and I got a white one, instead of clear, in the hopes that the two bettas couldn't see each other very easily. I know you're wondering but if you can, go to a craft store and check them out. They come in all different colors.

So, check the sides of the divider -- that they are straight up and down against the sides of the tank. Sometimes it may tip a little from side to side, and not be perfectly straight in the water, especially if you inadvertently bump it. The killie could have gotten over it that way. The holes will still allow for the benefit of heat and filteration. The betta will appreciate that there's no current!

I would have let the killie learn a little lesson too! While watching them closely, of course! I think the setup sounds perfect too!

 

[_dan_]

your betta looks exactly like my girlfriends