Betta with a Dwarf Gourami

[Neon]

will be ok to add a Dwarf gourami or 2 to my tank with a male betta:goldfish: ?
Tank is 135 litres, and also ocuupied with a shoal of 15:fish: neon tetra:fish: .

thank u all

[Little Embers]

I honestly do not think bettas and gouramis are a good mix...there will probably be aggression issues from both sides and one or the other may end up being seriously injured or even killed. Then again others have kept the two together without problems.....it can come down to their personality types.

I also wouldn't advise keeping guppies and swordtails in with a Betta or the female betta (as in your signature).

[rich311k]

I would recommend against it as well. So many ways it could end badly for the betta.

[Northernguy]

Bettas and gouramis will fight over the same territory!
They both occupy the top of the tank.Not a good idea,get one or the other!
I do have guppies with a betta and I have not had one death.They are even dropping fry.I still have fry in that tank.None have been eaten that I can see.
Some bettas are freindly mellow fish! Not all are killers!
It depends on the fish!
Its not recomended to have a fish with a flashy tail in with a betta.

[Taurus]

Yeah, not a good idea. :22:

[bluebluecow]

i wouldnt, but if you have your heart set on it you could do what ive done, and thats have a breeder tank that hooks tover the side with a lid, so its in main tank you can see it, but seperate. Mine is perspect, its acually one for keeping 3 preg guppy/platys in, with removable partitions so i remived all partitions.

This means i can have and see 2 male siamese in 1 tank, i have small plants in the breeder tank too, works for me.

Myy siamese are with platies and neons and also 1 guppy no fights but 4ft tank well planted

Liz

[Neon]

Thank you all guys ! now I would need to reconsider my plans for stocking my tank ( I will update my signature) . a beginner's mistake to start with a Betta as it is such a limiting factor when it comes to create a community aquarium .

I have been suggested to add platies and mollies , and i would like to go also for a dwarf corydoras as well and maybe a swordtail ( my kid wants it ).

again thank you all !!!( I don't know how it works about points and medals , but I would like give you all a recognition !!! )

[Northernguy]

Mollies have been known to be tail nippers,again it depends on the fish.
Platys and swords should be ok but are you sure you want live bearers?
The fry will be eaten by the betta and probably other platys and swords.Some kids get upset about that!
If you have floating plants in the tank some will survive.
You could always get another tank for the fry!lol

Reps are given by clicking the scales in the top right corner of their post!
Check yours by clicking the User CP in the tool bar.

[Lab_Rat]

If I were you I would add a small school of cories (6-8) and possibly a couple of platies (3f/1m). The betta will keep the fry population in check if you don't mind that (I always like to have a predator in with livebearers for that reason).

If you really want a swordtail I don't see a problem with getting one or a couple instead of platies, though they do get significantly larger than platies. Maybe just get a lone swordtail if you child really really wants one.

As the others have said, a dwarf gourami and betta are likely to fight so it's just best to avoid it. I think bettas make great centerpiece fish, they're not a limiting factor imo.

[mac]

As for Bettas with Dwarf Gouramis IMO that is a no no.

With your stocking, just keep a eye on the Guppies and the Betta. The Bettas are know to attack anything with a flashy tail like Guppies. Mostly because they view it as another Betta.

An option would be to get a 5g tank and cycle it for the male Betta. Then you could have a community tank with no problems, and feed some of the fry to the Betta. Just a thought.

As for as for the other fish like Mollies Swords and Platies, I have seen them from time to time have a go at the Betta's fins. But then again it all depends on the fish.

mac

[AdrienDeLaChicago]

I'm glad I found this thread. I was going to start my own but I found this one so I can contribute. So far I purchased two gouramis. I have three tanks with a betta in each one. I basically held the bag with the dwarf rainbow gourami to the glass with so that my red crown tail could see and he flared up and tried to get at the gourami. I figured this was a "no no."

I then decided to put a gourami in each of the other two tanks. I have a red betta and a dark blue one. They both sort of flared up at the sight of the gourami but not as bad as my crown tail and since the gourami doesn't attack back or flare up the bettas sort of give up and calm down. My red betta and dwarf rainbow gourami actually swim together in a sort of helix DNA pattern up and down, swirling around in a calm fashion. It's like they're buddies. Then at other times they separate and the gourami swims up against the glass as if he wants more room to swim around. Not sure why since I only have two fish in a 37 gallon tall tank. The betta occasionally finds a corner to actually lie down on and naps periodically. Then they reunite and hang out again for a bit.

I guess I've been lucky. :1luvu:

[Nobodynotime]

I have a honey sunset dwarf and a crowntail in together with some guppies right now and the have never had any problems with each other and the have been in that tank for about 7 months.

[Neon]

I have alearned , since I started this tread , that all depends on personality. My Betta ( RIP ) was ok with platies , he just flared now and then but nothing really dangerous.

I had the same experience with a Ram when I put the bag in the tank I understood it was a no-no. so i had to bring him back to the petshop.

[lahlumdi]

I was going to say the same thing, Neon! Like with people, I am discovered that while fish have a certain disposition, it does depend on their personality. Some are more laid back and others are nasty. I'm glad you did a test with the bag first. Sounds like what you did worked for you. I have heard that can change down the road as size changes and stuff.

[Tetra_Ficus]

My experience with a Red Crowntail Betta and a male Dwarf Gourami in a 5 gal planted tank with a number of other fish changed over time. In the beginning, the Betta flared at the Gourami without physical attack and the Gourami ignored the Betta and was not aggressive with the Betta. Then recently I took the Betta out of the 5 gal for observation and returned him to the 5 gal tank after a day. The Gourami was much more aggressive towards the Betta and within hours became vicious, killing the Betta by ripping his belly. The same Dwarf also mauled and ate most of an orphan neon tetra. On the other hand I have two small Red Honey Gourami in a 2.5 gal tank with a half moon Betta and the fish live together peacefully. But I will never mix Bettas with even slightly larger gourami ever again!

[Spartanhockey89]

I've had a betta in a community tank for over 2 years now. Neons, red eyes, rasboras, and rainbows all are pretty fish you can mix with a betta. At least I did and didn't lose anything.

[graceluvsplatys]

dont do it. you may think you are the exeption, and itll work for you, but, honestly it probably wont.

[HorrorShowRot]

Betta will destroy any fish thats brightly colored or has nice fins. Its a matter of time.. Sure you might get the one peacfull betta I had one at one point in time. But they can change. Its best to keep male bettas seperate. Or put somthing like cories in with em somthing not attractivexD