Is it advisable to add a male betta to my community tank?

[maco5]

I really want a betta, but I am not sure if it is better to get him his own tank, or if it is OK to add him to my community tank.
it is a 20 gallon tropical with some tetras, swords, and a couple of gourami's.

 

[Christmasfish]

It can possibly work... bettas are an iffy critter.
But they are not, on average, as aggressive to other fish as each other.
The tetra may nip his fins depending on type, and the gourami, if dwarf gourami, may dislike having another labyrinth fish in house.
so you have to be prepared to move him if things get ugly.... if there is more than 10% or worse fin loss in a two day period he'll need better digs.

If he fits in, he wil be a great addition of color to the community and you will always see him upfront on patrol if he is awake....

 

[CiRXSi]

Yes, make sure that if you do get one, be prepared to move him. But there's always a chance that the rule of thumb will be broken. I've got tetras and gourami's in the same tank as a betta, and there are absolutely no probs. In fact, my opaline and betta get along quite well. But the book says that the two labyrinth fish won't work. You might want to consider building him a close to the surface home. Both Christmasfish and I have done this, and our bettas love them. Let us know how things work.

 

[Menagerie]

When I used to have a male betta, things didn't go so well in the community tank and he was removed the next morning to his own place. However, I also had a spunky female betta and she fit right in to the community tank (she and the male were not in the community tank together). Just be prepared!

 

[maco5]

Thank you all for the advice!
So how do I make him a place close to the top of tank?

I am thinking he may need his own tank because one of my gourami's ( a blue) seems to be somewhat aggressive towards some of the other fish.
He chases them around and they all of course run from him!

At one point I was thinking I should remove him due to this behavior, but then he mellowed out so I didn't.
Every once in awhile he targets someone though.

My tetras are very mellow and never bother anyone.

That is another concern of mine...all my fish seem to get along so well I am apprehensive to add anyone else.

Another problem right now is that one of my swords had babies a couple of weeks ago!
The babies are seperated into one of those fry containers.
I also don't know what to do with them!
If they go to a LFS I am worried they will end up as feeders.

 

[Christmasfish]

But a fast fix..one of those plastic plant mats... trim it to a size that fits adn empty spot in teh tank and instant fry protection. They can grow the natural way..you lose some but not all. Then you can just worry about the ones who thrive and grow to juvie size.

Powder blue, neon blue, rainbow blue..all are colisa color morphs(dwarf gourami) and as such all can be nasty little monsters.
A large blue (the summatran) should be a little less attentive to a betta shaped fish. But if there are just two, he may start setting up house.
I this guy is a fish chaser, your betta will not have the speed to prevent he shredding of his lovely fins or possible fatal damage.

 

[Eoin]

I had a male betta in a community tank a few years back. Before we added him we had been running into a problem of our red-tailed shark chasing the other fish. He had terrorized many of them into hiding.

We added the betta, and he spent his time swimming around quietly, not bothering any of his neighbors. Then a rather funny thing happened. The red-tailed shark started on another one of his tirades around the tank. The male betta swooped (if a fish can swoop) down from his patrol at the top of the tank, flared his gills and fins, and proceeded to lunge at the shark. The shark then hid in a cave at the bottom of the tank, and the betta resumed his quiet patrol.

This occurred several more times until the shark obviously got the hint, and stayed at the bottom. The betta didn’t bother any other fish, and left the shark alone, so long as it wasn’t on a rampage.

That betta was great at keeping the peace.

 

[oscarbreeder]

I have a male Betta in my 55gal community tank and all is well.
The other fish dont even kow he's there.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

I had a different bettas in a 55, in a 30, and in a 35 and i never had any issues at all...like oscarbreeder said it was like the other fish never knew they were there.

 

[Christmasfish]

In my community 40 gal, SHerbert the betta is the beat cop on the take..he patrols constantly, breaks up fights, protects the domain of the BKG from pesty clowns and rummies..... but isn't above stealing or bluffing.
He is very interactive and a prescence in that tank....
He is bold but not bullying, unless you count snatch and grabs of prize ntidbits from the very Knife he usually protects from other fish....
It makes quite a little aqua drama.

then on the whole other side of the scale:

there is my colisa Dragon..who killed all his first tankmates except the ones I saved just in time.... two females. I had bought 7 gourami. Mostly female. HE tolerates the mean botia in his tank.

And the gorgeously perfect female plakat that has killed 5 other betta and some otos, cories, snails, shrimp and her own reflection if she could. plus the many fish she killed in her former home (including one sister, two young oscars, a jewel, a ton of catfish and rams and tetras and others I can't recall except her total was 26 in one week before she was to be executed by large oscar)

see? IFFY I love Sherbert in the one tank..I wish bettas could go in ALL my tanks over 10.