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I've been hearing all over the place that bettas are aggressive and have a tendency to attack one another when together...and even their own reflection.

I've been planning to get myself a betta fish for a while now, but I'm afraid of placing my beta fish in a tank since most of the tanks in the pet shop are reflective when water is placed into it. >.< I don't want my fish to be attacking its reflection.

Plus since I have a terrible feeling everytime I see a betta fish in a fish bowl I would really like to put it into something more spacious, like a tank.

Ta Lu Wrote:
S.A_Poppet Wrote:
you still wanting to get a betta?


Yes, I do. But I'm really worried with the potential of an agressive betta that will try to attack his reflection. Since all the tanks that my pet shop sells are reflective when you put water into them.




hmm Ive never had a problem with reflections in my tanks . The only potential problem i could think of with the glass tanks is if you had it against a blackcdrop and the lighting was just rite. I know tanks look reflective from most angles , but look through it from one end to the other and youl see rite through it. Again, Ive never had a problem with the tanks themselves being reflective. So you have nothing to worry about .

Also, male bettas are aggressive ^__^ thats part of the fun of keepig them though because it gives you many options whn entertaining them. Bettas love to flare and patrol their tank. If they finde something interesting or something that is "invading their kingdome" they will flare their fins and gillbeard to intimidate it and show it whos boss. This gives them the exersize they need to build muscle and fight the buildup of fatty tissue that can lead to a very short life( hence why many educated betta owners hate the itty bitty tanks and vases that people use to display their bettas. LIVES. NOT DECORATIONS)

I feel bettas are happyest in tanks from 5 gallons to 10 gallons, with live or silk plants (plastic plants ripp betta tails like no other) .

If yiu have any more questions here is a care sheet by Betta_Momma of Ultimatebettas.com i really reccoment you join if you do get a betta!

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ACCLIMATING A NEW FISH
What to do now that you’ve purchased your new betta? You need to take it home and slowly get him/her acclimated into its new home. To do this, you should prepare the tank the betta will be going into (making sure the temperature of this tank is room temperature (dechlorinated) water), and then slowly introduce water from the new tank into the holding container the betta came home in. Scoop a few tablespoons of water into the cup every 5 – 10 minutes for about 60 minutes.
NOTE: if you brought the fish home in a bag, it is recommended to place it into a cup for easier acclimation. Plastic solo cups work well for this purpose.
After the 60 minutes, the fish is ready to be carefully lowered into its new home and released!

DIET
Pellets:
HBH Betta Bites, Hikari Betta Bio-Gold
Flakes :
Should be specifically designed for bettas – high in proteins
NOTE: For young or very small bettas, flakes OR crushed pellets are a safer option – to avoid choking.
Frozen foods :
Adult Brine Shrimp, Blood Worms, Black Worms, Krill, Mosquito Larvae, Peas (*great for relieving constipation – see below)
Live foods:
Any of the above mentioned frozen foods can be fed live to bettas, but do run the risk of carrying parasites. Other live foods such as crickets, beetles, moths, etc. CAN be fed to bettas, however you must be 100% positive that the bugs have not been exposed to any pesticides, which can harm or kill your betta.

*Frozen pea preparation – place a small amount of dechlorinated water into microwaveable dish. Place a few peas (usually one pea is plenty for one betta) into the dish. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, cool, remove shell, chop. Feed very small pieces to betta. Usually 2 - 3 pieces is plenty. Avoid feeding other foods to betta for 2 – 3 days. This should get things moving pretty quickly.

TANKMATES
It is important to remember that while most of these recommended tankmates may work fine with most bettas, some bettas do not tolerate any moving creatures in their tanks, and therefore caution should be exercised when adding any new creature into a betta tank.

The following are considered possible tankmates for a betta (male or female):
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
African Dwarf Frogs (NOT Clawed Frogs)
Large Snails (large enough so betta can not eat them)

The following are NOT recommended as possible tankmates for a betta:
Guppies, Mollies, Tetras, Gouramis, Platies, Neon Tetras, African Clawed Frogs, Barbs, or any other brightly colored fish that a betta might mistake as another betta.

AT NO POINT SHOULD TWO MALE BETTAS BE IN THE SAME TANK.
AT NO POINT SHOULD A MALE AND FEMALE BETTA BE PLACED IN THE SAME TANK – except when spawning.

It is acceptable for two males to share a DIVIDED tank, so long as the males are not constantly flaring at each other, causing stress. Giving a betta its own tank is generally the best idea.

TANK SPECIFICATIONS
The ideal tank for a betta will consist of silk or live plants to rest on, some sort of “toy” which could include a bridge, arch, cave, or even a makeshift toy such as a piece of pvc pipe. Bettas are extremely curious creatures and will stick their heads into anything. Make sure that any “toys” which are introduced into the tank has are no holes which a betta’s head could get stuck in. This can cause drowning and/or death, should a betta become too curious and stick its head in.

Make certain there are no open gaps anywhere along aquarium lids –bettas WILL jump – right out of their aquarium and onto the floor, if given the chance. Bettas do prefer tropical temperatures, ranging from 75 – 80 degrees. However, it is acceptable to keep a betta at a steady room temperature of 72 degrees or above. Constant temperatures are essential to keeping bettas healthy.

TANK MAINTENANCE
Regardless of tank size, ALL betta tanks require regular cleanings. ALL WATER that is introduced into a betta tank should be dechlorinated by liquid dechlorinator AND/OR aging, no exceptions.

The following water changing schedule is recommended:
1/2 to gallon to 2.5 gallons – 100% water change every 3 - 5 days
2.5 gallons to 4 gallons – 100% water change once per week
Larger, cycled tanks (established tanks that have been running with a filter for several weeks) – replace 20 – 30% of the water once a week, and gravel vacuum the tank every 2 weeks

NOTE: During 100% water changes, betta should be removed into a holding container (cups that bettas are purchased in from chain stores, solo cups, etc. make good choices) during the water change. Be sure to cover the cup to avoid a jumping betta! DO NOT use a net on a betta with very long fins. This can cause tearing and shredding of fins. Rather, use a cup and gently lower it in the water to catch the fish. Some, or most, of the water will need to be removed first to allow for catching of the fish.

Also during 100% water changes, wiping the tank out with a paper towel, rinsing décor and rinsing gravel or marbles is necessary.

NOTE: When changing water, there are 2 ways to prepare dechlorinated water – ideally, water should be dechlorinated and aged for 2 – 3 days in a holding tank before using for water changes. Sometimes aging water is not practical, so simply dechlorinating tap water is acceptable. ALWAYS make sure the water that the fish is going back into matches the temperature and PH of the water they came out of.

BETTA ILLNESSES
Bettas are susceptible to many illnesses. Some are easy to treat, others are virtually impossible. Some common signs of illness include: clamped fins, swollen or bulging eyes, shredded, torn or bloody fins, general listlessness, white spot, gold dustings, swollen belly, pineconing (or puffed out scales), and many more. With any illness, it is a good idea to begin research immediately. There are many great forums on the web which offer great advice and answers to many betta-related questions.

(INFO BY: Betta_Momma of UltimateBettas.com -its a really great sight -)

So, Did ya get that new betta? Pictures are a definite must. lol

" haha, no not yet. After the whole mysterious Goldie deaths I've taken a small break from fish. I'm hoping to get my tank up running again in the fall though. I'll be moving into a new college dorm, with at least one member who is more respectful to my interests and my space. She likes things like fish and plants too so I think the accomodation will be better.

I have all of Poppet's awesome info and the website, I'm going to do a little more research on the fish and it's caring before I actually get one.

Though I've also taken a strange liking to female betta fish. Do they school? Are they aggressive too? I'm assuming they get the same kind of care like males but there's not much about female betas. "

female bettas can be kept together in at least a ten gallon, with atleast 5-6 girlies to spred aggression. Here is a post from a member of Ultimate Bettas called Eudie ,She is an amazing betta keepe so i would memorize this if you want to do a "sorority"

"How to start a Sorority Tank


First of all, what is a sorority tank? It is a tank of all female bettas that will hopefully live together in peace and harmony. Sometimes this is easier said than done because by nature bettas are very aggressive and will attack other bettas as well as other species of fish. Male bettas are never kept in tanks together because they fight to the death in most situations. Females are a little more passive and with some work and special care they can sometimes be kept together in a community type setting. But please remember that each individual fish is different and has its own unique personality and level of aggression. There is no certain tank set up or number of females that will guarantee that your tank will be peaceful and even though you may have a placid easygoing tank one day, you may walk into the room the next day and find half of your females dead or dying because one of them was having a bad day. Now, if you still want to set up a sorority tank, here we go.

Tank Size – I recommend no less than a 10 gallon tank. Mine is a 20 gallon and I personally like that size better because it allows plenty of room for lots of plants and hidey holes. The reason I recommend a minimum of 10 gallons is because I also recommend no less than six girls in your sorority and you will require a 10 gallon to comfortably house that many. Do not try to keep less than four females together. With two, one will become more aggressive and pick on the other. With three, the two dominant females will gang up on the more passive girl and kill her given the opportunity. The more females you have the more the aggression is spread out and six is about the minium number for a fairly peaceful tank.

Keep in mind when you purchase your tank that a lid is a must for female bettas. They are excellent jumpers and without a lid I can guarantee you will have one or two that go flying merrily out of your tank and wind up stuck to your carpet or injured from hitting a hardwood floor. A light is optional if you don’t plan on using live plants, but it is much easier to check those dark corners of your tank with one and they make wellness checks go much easier.

Heater – Yes. A heater is important in a larger tank to keep the temperature stable. I cannot stress how important it is for bettas to be kept warm at a stable temperature. Your tank should stay in the 78-82 degree temperature range for ideal betta conditions. Bettas are tropical fish and although they can survive in lower temperatures, they are not as comfortable and have more health issues. It is best to buy an adjustable heater that is the correct wattage for your tank size. The adjustment on the heater should not just read ‘Higher’ or ‘Lower.’ It should have the actual degrees on the dial and allow you to set it for the temperature you desire. This is important especially when treating illnesses – which everyone encounters from time to time – because some treatments require temperatures to be raised as high as 86 degrees and others recommend lowering the tank temperature to the low 70’s.

Thermometer – If you have a heater a thermometer is a must have as well. Sometimes even the best heaters will malfunction. I recommend the glass ones that go inside the tank and have a suction cup to stick them onto the glass so that they can be easily monitored from outside the tank. I always place my thermometers in the corner of the tank furthest away from the heater so that I know the entire tank is warm. I do not recommend the kind that stick onto the outside of the tank. They are terribly inaccurate. They give you the temperature of the glass that they are stuck on, not the water temperature.

Filter – I know some people with 10 gallon tanks do not use filters and do 100% water changes. If you choose to do this, you have my greatest admiration because it is an incredible amount of work in a female betta tank. If you prefer to use a filter and cycle your tank there are several good brands of filters out there and the type you use is up to you. Just keep in mind that bettas do not like a lot of strong current, although the females can handle it better than the males. I use a Whisper filter rated for a 10-30 gallon tank. It has both the biopad and the charcoal pack insert. The biopad is rinsed off monthly when I do a water change. I use the water from the tank to rinse it out. The charcoal pack is changed bi-monthly with a monthly rinsing. It is a quiet, low current filter that my girls seem to do quite well with.

Substrate – Most aquarium safe substrates will work with your female bettas. I use standard aquarium gravel in mine, but sand, river rock or going bare-bottomed are all acceptable for the girls. Just keep in mind that if you should decide to put other fish in your tank such as cories, you will need a substrate for them that they can sift thru for food.

Decorations - I think the success or failure of many tanks has to do with the amount of cover you provide for your girls. They each need to be able to establish their own little ‘home’ that they will patrol and defend. I use only silk plants in my tanks because the plastic ones tear up delicate fins so badly. Right now I have three large silk plants that run from the bottom to the top of my tank, and at least half a dozen smaller ones. This is in addition to one large tree decoration, one tree stump ‘cave’ decoration, one anchor, three large rocks (aquarium safe – not out of the back yard), two pieces of driftwood, one castle, one bridge, and a half dozen cambomba plants. Sound crowded? It is. I’ve arranged it all as attractively as possible, but I have kept in mind that this tank is for the happiness and comfort of my betta girls, not for my own personal tastes. And the girls like clutter. The more you put into the tank, the better they will like it. It gives them plenty of places to make their own, and they also have many little nooks and crannies to hide in when one of the other girls decides to play Jaws. I’ve found that the more I have in my tank, the fewer problems I have with aggression and fighting,

Ideally, the best chance of success for a peaceful sorority tank would be for all the females to be siblings. They would have been together since they hatched and would be used to each other, however this is not always possible and may not be desirable if you want a variety of color in your tank.

Now that we have the tank set up, cycled if you are running a filter and ready for your girls, I am going to tell you to break one of the cardinal rules of fish keeping. Usually you are told to only add one or two fish a week to a newly cycled tank. This will not work with betta girls since you would have to tear your entire tank down each time you add another girl. You start with your most passive girl, put her in the tank and give her 15 or 20 minutes to nose around and check things out. Then you add the next least aggressive female and watch them closely, always being ready to pull one out immediately if things get too rough. A small amount of fin nipping and body slamming is to be expected, but if you see one aggressively attacking another then it is time to make other arrangements for one of them. Continue to add your females, one every 15 to 20 minutes in the order of most passive to most aggressive with your most aggressive girl going in last. Once all the girls are in the tank, monitor them closely for the next few days. They will n** and chase each other about to a certain extent and this is normal because they will have to work out their pecking order. One betta will become the dominant female and will rule the tank. She gets the choice territory and the other girls will give way to her. She usually remains the dominant one until she dies or a more dominant female is added to the tank.

A 10 gallon tank can comfortably hold up to 10 females. Again another cardinal rule broken! Normally you add one inch of fish per gallon of water. Since female bettas are 2-3 inches long (measured from their eye to the end of their body, tail fins not included), 10 bettas would take a 20-30 gallon tank. But bettas are not normal fish and seem to do better when slightly overcrowded. This also diffuses some of the aggression since there are so many different girls for the more dominant females to pick on. With a heavier bioload like this, be sure to check your tank water readings often and make appropriate water changes when necessary.

If you decide to add other tankmates such as cories, otos (which should only be added to a well established tank of at least six months), snails, ghost shrimp, plecos, etc, you need to consider them in your bioload and reduce the number of female bettas accordingly.

Should you decide to add more females after you initially set up your tank, you will need to remove all the females from your tank and then totally rearrange your decorations. This breaks up the already established territories. Then add your new girl or girls first. Allow them the 15 or 20 minutes to explore before starting to add the other girls back in and then do it in the same way as you did when you first set up the tank. Most passive to most aggressive with short time intervals between each addition. Again, be very much aware of what is going on in your tank for the next few days and be prepared with a backup tank if one is being attacked aggressively.

I have been keeping a sorority tank for a couple of years now and finally seem to have a fairly peaceful tank with no nipped fins or major fighting but it has been a long hard process to get there. However, once you do have an established and peaceful female tank, I think you will find them well worth the effort. We all know how special and intelligent these wonderful fish are and a tank full of sassy girls will bring you many hours of enjoyment and pleasure. " -- Eudie of Ultimate bettas

I hope that helps, i had a sorority for a while, their VERY entertaning.

As in temperature? or depth?

XD that's sweet.

My roommate and I, I guess, saved a betta from being "tossed" when we went on our weekly walmart visit to buy food.

His name is Chronos and he is a real character flares at nearly anything. You wake up and he's right up aginst the glass swimming back and forth as if he's saying,

"biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish, get up and feed me dammit! NOW! UP! UP!"

And my roomie loves to hover her finger over the water, she loves it when he jumps.

And SA I meant depths, but I think I figured it out. Chronos seems to favor high rather than low, he just lathargic when his bowl is less than half full.

Wow... I was going to reply but I think S.A_Poppet has it ALL covered.

If I were you I'd definitely go for a cycled tank for your betta. Those 100% water changes get tiring. And if you start to get lax with them, you can really shock your betta badly by moving them from dirty to clean water.