Betta in community tank?

[ocminpin]

Is it safe to put my female juvenile betta in my community tank with mollies?
I was contemplating trying it and pulling her out if she gets aggressive.
I once had a male in a community tank and he was fine..

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Is it safe to put my female juvenile betta in my community tank with mollies?
I was contemplating trying it and pulling her out if she gets aggressive.
I once had a male in a community tank and he was fine..

It's totally dependent on the betta's personality. Some are nice and some are plain mean. If it doesn't work out prepare to have a back-up plan.

 

[siva]

Bettas are usually great community members. One of the few fish I have dealt with that harassed bettas endlessly is mollies, so I do wonder if you will experience that as well. Keep a close eye on them to make sure they aren't nipping at her.

 

[ocminpin]

Well the test is over... My betta Lucy went after the lyretails and the gold twin bar platy... Thought it might happen, but was worth a shot.. The Dalmatian molly and black Molly were fine... They never went after her, they just continually swam away...
Oh well... Feel sorry for Lucy... Was nice to see her get some nice swimming space that wasn't a gallon bowl

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

wouldnt it be better to find her a beta (lol) home? someone else would be grateful for her and can give her the space these mollies will not xx

 

[redsea]

It didn't work out with me either. He chased my Platys around.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

iv had a male and female short finned betas in with mbuna for 3 odd weeks, no nips nothing. it all depends on the fish. it just inst fair ot keep the fish in a bowl, especialli if it has no heating or is less than 3 gal imo.

 

[ocminpin]

I'd like to upgrade her eventually from her betta bowl and have her in a smaller tank with a light sufficient to heat the water... Last time I got a heater for my 10 gallon my 2 pregnant mollies were dead by morning... They looked mid swim and just frozen in time, yet the heater or separate thermometer didn't register over 80 and water was the same temperature as my other tank... Don't get it... But now I'm afraid to use another heater..
They used to have those heaters the tank sat on didn't they?

 

[Pleco11771]

It's totally dependent on the betta's personality. Some are nice and some are plain mean. If it doesn't work out prepare to have a back-up plan.

BB1997 every time I see a post from you it's "just make sure to ha e a back up plan" lmao sorry I just had to say it

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Sawwy
But seriously, just in case things go wrong, there should always be a plan B. I didn't have a back-up plan once and ended up with dead fish

 

[Retired_AF]

I had 5 female bettas in my community tank until I went on a long trip and came home to only 2. One was the Alpha, but they seemed to get along pretty well. The only time I saw them really aggressive was when one of the guppies had babies. Then they went into full hunting mode.

 

[ashleynicole]

Bettas usually do OK in a community tank with fish that don't have a similar body shape or appearance. I would imagine guppies and mollies are elongated with similar features so they may see them as competition. My two girls are doing great in my community tank. one stays near the top most of the time, the other one spends a lot of time in the plants, although right now I see the opposite, lol. They seem to leave each other alone, I think its because they have plenty of space.

I last had a male betta in a 10 gallon planted with some cories and other misc small fish. In that tank I used a small 50W heater with an aquaclear 30 HOB filter.

I just got two 5 gallon tanks for my female bettas, but hubby is making me wait till christmas to set them up as presents for my kids. So the girls will have to hang out in the big tank until then. and I bought this 25w Submersible heater, it actually has a thermostat and good reviews. Amazon.com: Hydor THEO Submersible Aquarium Heater 25W UL: Pet Supplies

And yes, a betta would appreciate a tank at about 80 degrees. You can't really rely on a light to keep the tank warm, because it would have to be on 24/7 and that isn't good for the fish either, to have bright light on all the time.