# Female Bettas?



## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

My tank is rather overstocked at the moment, but I am a few weeks from moving to a larger tank. All my fish are babies, so they are about an inch to an inch and a half. I was looking for fish that bight like my blackwater type set up, and my eye caught the tiny cup of a very small one inch long female betta. A very drab little girl who might be genetically red. I thought why not. I heard female bettas were not aggressive, liked to school and so on. I've read other mentions that they are just as agressive as males. My fish are not very aggressive. I would worry that the yoyo loaches would bother her and she might fight back but I am probably anthromorphising. 

So, I got the little betta, put her in the tank. No aggression so far. A lot of slow swimming, like she is wary of potential threats. She has been in that little plastic cup for a long time. She might be a bit overwhelmed. 

I have 2 cory cats, 5 yoyo loaches, 5 glass cats, 4 mollys, and 2 shrimp in that tank. None seem interested in the female betta. (When I move to the bigger 30 gallon tank I will leave the mollies in the 10, and add some siamese algea eaters to the large tank. )

So. Does the female betta need others of her kind, or is she okay alone in the tank? Each fish is unique, of course. I am going to try to stay away from long tails and such.


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## April R (Nov 13, 2014)

She should be fine alone. I would think rather happy (I anthropomorph ( ? )my fish too  )


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## Marshall (Jul 8, 2013)

I think the yoyos will be too active and stress her out too much, 

besides that, you are overstocked for even the 30 gallon, the inch rule is outdated, yoyos often reach 6" and are very active fish,

check out this site for some guidance on stocking, it's not perfect but its a good place to start
AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

She will be fine alone. If you wanted to add more you would have more aggression and possible deaths. Sororities rarely work unless the girls are siblings.

I agree the yo yos may pose stress for her and will grow way too large, so possbily rehoming them or getting a larger setup for those would be the best course of action. 

Slow swimming is normal, they dont speed about, they come from slow to no water movement so they have no real need to jet about.


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## April R (Nov 13, 2014)

majerah1 said:


> Slow swimming is normal, they dont speed about, they come from slow to no water movement so they have no real need to jet about.


They do dance though,


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

any pics?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

April R said:


> They do dance though,


I have noticed this with all betta species LOL. Even my macrostoma will dance for food, or when flirting.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

Thanks for the replies.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

Marshall said:


> I think the yoyos will be too active and stress her out too much,
> 
> besides that, you are overstocked for even the 30 gallon, the inch rule is outdated, yoyos often reach 6" and are very active fish,


I do understand this. The 4 mollies are staying in the 10 gallon. That leaves me with 5 loaches, 5 glass catfish, and two cory catfish, and one betta female in a 30 gallon. At 3 inches (loaches) they begin to grow more slowly, and a 55 gallon tank is well in the cards when I move to my final destination after my masters degree is done. I need to make a major move, and the fish will go with me, and the 55 gallon tank will be on the other end. Fully cycled. Hope they survive. I see myself in a rental truck with a tupperware container of squirming loaches with a mini air compressor charged by a battery. 

Most likely, the other fish will have died. It will be 5 yoyo loaches, and 5 glass cats in a 55. I might have one or two stragglers... 


See the variable you are not looking at is life span. The fish are getting bigger, but the other fish have shorter life spans. I bought them with this in mind. Yoyo loaches. Six to 16 years. Glass cats 8 years or so. Bettas, one or two years. Mollies, three years tops. Cories, about 3 years. So, by the time the yoyos have reached full size, many of the short lived fish will have died, making room.

So if I do have a female betta that lives 24 years? I doubt it. I am mindful, but not a fanatic. Plus, I like and desire change. Amazing! Not afraid to take on a challenge!


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

if you can find a betta that will live for 24 years then i will make the plunge into saltwater.


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## April R (Nov 13, 2014)

kalyke said:


> I do understand this. The 4 mollies are staying in the 10 gallon. That leaves me with 5 loaches, 5 glass catfish, and two cory catfish, and one betta female in a 30 gallon. At 3 inches (loaches) they begin to grow more slowly, and a 55 gallon tank is well in the cards when I move to my final destination after my masters degree is done. I need to make a major move, and the fish will go with me, and the 55 gallon tank will be on the other end. Fully cycled. Hope they survive. I see myself in a rental truck with a tupperware container of squirming loaches with a mini air compressor charged by a battery.
> 
> Most likely, the other fish will have died. It will be 5 yoyo loaches, and 5 glass cats in a 55. I might have one or two stragglers...
> 
> ...


You aren't accounting for reproduction.  bow chicka bow wow


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

April R said:


> You aren't accounting for reproduction.  bow chicka bow wow


Do you mean "snacks? I have three mollies pregnant right now. The frogs and big male beta will love a tasty little fishie snack. Doobie doobie wah wah.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Also, bettas can live upwards of eight years, with six being the most common


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## April R (Nov 13, 2014)

kalyke said:


> Do you mean "snacks? I have three mollies pregnant right now. The frogs and big male beta will love a tasty little fishie snack. Doobie doobie wah wah.


Oh no. *r2


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