Betta Basics

[crawls]

I have my betta in a 20g tank with 3 ghost shrimp and 6 platies. Anything certain I should know about bettas in a community tank? I've been watching them fairly closely and I haven't seen any problems, everyone seems to be getting along. I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything important.

I couldn't find any good basic betta threads or any stickies so I'm hoping maybe someone could help me out.

Thanks,
-Cory

[~Col~]

Is it a male betta?? If yes, All you can do is keep an eye on the tank and see how it goes. Betta's can change personalities in the blink of an eye. One day they can be happy in a community tank, the next you'll see the betta with the tail end of a shrimp sticking out of his mouth.

Just don't be surprised if they don't get along forever.

My male flared his gills and tried to have a go at my black khuli's in their "home", he quickly backtracked though and now seems to avoid them. I know that can change though. My cherry shrimp have survived, although I did catch him with a red tail sticking out of his mouth the other morning...sigh!!

Good luck!!

[crawls]

They seem to be getting along great. I was concerned at first because the betta kept following the platies around, but he wasn't flaring up or anything. It really seemed like he was just checking them all out and once he was done that was it. No problems at feeding time, he was in a 1 gallon tank with the ghost shrimp for about 6 months and I had two shrimp disappear but that could have been anything. Just wondering if there was any minor details I may have been missing, thanks for the info.

[TypeYourTextHere]

I also have a male betta in my 29 with a few platys and various tetras. He seems to do just fine with all the other fish.

[crawls]

I've seen some things saying that bettas don't like the current from the filter. Mine seems to enjoy it and do it on purpose over and over for a while once he gets started.

Just a personality quirk or abnormal behavior?

[TypeYourTextHere]

I have not noticed my betta avoiding any current in the tank. I have 2 AC 50s running, so i am sure there is enough movement in the tank that it is probably hard to get away from.

[crawls]

Okay good, I'm about to add another filter and I was worried that it may be stressing him or something. There's plenty of room for him to avoid the one filter and this point, and like I said it seems like he really enjoys riding the current down to the bottom.

Each to his own I guess!

[Irish2539]

The problem is people mainly keep betta's in tiny tanks and if they add a filter which they rarely do the betta's can't get away from the current... They have to use alot of energy to swim with those long flowing fins.

With 20gal + You shouldnt worry about the flow that much.

As for betta's in a community tank.... 20gal + is usually ok but A highly aggressive betta may not accept fish in a 20-25gal.... Smaller tanks are more risky and have a higher chance of not working. Bare in mind some betta's will eat shrimp... nothing to do with aggression or territory.

5gal- Very little chance of working
10gal- 40-60 chance
15gal- 50-50
20-25gal- 80-20

Just my opinion

[crawls]

Everyone seems pretty happy. He was in a 1 gal tank and I moved him to the larger 20 gal tank. If he ever starts being a problem I plan on putting him back into the 1 gal but it seems like everything will work out. They've all been in the community tank for about 3 weeks now with no incidents.

[Cyberra]

Some males are more laid back than others... One of my five males is so casual you can do pretty much anything in his tank and he'll just look at you. I call him "the hippie" of the group. And others will attack anything that moves... My white betta Shimmer tries to attack dust motes floating past his tank; look sideways at him and he'll be in full flare. It depends on the personality of the individual betta. Just keep in mind that they can do a "Jekyll and Hyde" at the drop of a pin. That doesn't mean he will, though... Just that it is possible