# do bettas eat live plants?



## 4537256

i just planted some bulbs. i plan to get a betta. i just wanted to know if betta's eat plants or not.
cause years ago, i had a barb tail fish and he kept eating my plants as soon as they would start to grow.

if they do eat it, what if i let the plants grow first, would it be big enough that nibbling it wouldnt hurt the plant?

would snails hurt the plants, i may add a snail to the tank as well.


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## missalyssxs

I've never had a betta pick on any of my plants. Snails on the other hand may eat the plants.


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## TheAquaExpert

No they don't. They're carnivorous. Sometimes they will pick at plants out of curiousity, but they are not eating the them. A betta will only eat plants if he is literally starving.... that's like if you had to resort to eating sticks to stay alive.


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## Chickadee

Bettas are meat eaters not vegetarians and as far as I know they do not eat plants. I have known of them to take a nip of a leaf if they are really hungry but it is mostly spit back out and not repeated. And shame on the owner that lets their betta get that hungry! 

The one exception that I know of is they love defrosted and peeled frozen peas in small chunks the size of half their eye. This is a treat for them that is actually good for them but not to be used as a meal unless they have been determined to be constipated or have been overfed and are very distended in their stomach or swimbladder area.

The thing that got the rumor going about bettas eating plants was the horrid thing that came out a few years ago that showed a betta in a vase with a plant growing out the top and it advertised that the betta would eat the plant for food and the water never needed to be changed just more added as the PLANT needed it. It was inhumane and cruel to the fish. There was no room for oxygen to enter the vase and the fish invariably died of ammonia poisoning or lack of oxygen or food. Cruelty in the name of merchandising.

Bettas do need to have their food controlled as they will eat themselves sick easily. Fish owners need to remember that the stomach of the fish is the same size as their eye. So when you feed them you are in control. The idea that a fish should be allowed to eat what they can stuff into themselves in 2 or 3 minutes is ridiculous. They will have themselves eaten to death in a short time. It puts pressure on their swimbladder and makes it difficult to swim and can eventually actually cause a problem with swimbladder disease or constipation (yes, I said constipation) that will kill your betta. If I had a dollar for every betta that I knew of that died of overkindness and overfeeding leading to those two conditions I would be sitting very well right now.

I realize I did way more than answer your question but thought while I was going on the subject I may as well give the whole answer.

Hope this helps.

Rose


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## TheAquaExpert

Yup The Sanils Will Eat The Plants, But The Bettas Won't.
There Are Some Snails That Don't Eat Live Plants. Those Snails Are Called Nerite Snails.
In Case Your Wondering, the Betta Won't Eat The Snail.
Hope This Helps!!!!! Good Luck!!!! ^_^


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## Chickadee

Please do not put Nerite Snails in with your bettas either. I am sorry to have to disagree with you on that but the only snail I would put in with a betta is a SINGLE Apple or Mystery snail. They will not bother your plants if you want them and are very able to handle the curiousity of Mr/Ms Betta. Just because the betta will not eat them does not mean they will not menace them. But the Apple or Mystery snails are lovely and a single snail is large enough to handle the betta. 

One thing about the snails though is unless your tank is good sized be aware that they produce a large amount of poo and your bioload is going to be large. It is going to increase the number and amount of water changes in percentages of water changes and the frequency of tank cleanings. They are advertised as tank cleaners but they will make your tank and gravel dirtier for the betta and bettas are basically pretty clean fish. (contrary to popular opinion the bettas you buy in stores do not know what living in mud puddles is like) and to put them in filth only increases the chance of finrot or other fin or infection issues.

I really am a serious fan of the idea that bettas are much better being a single tank inhabitant. The idea they need "company" is a notion that is the sentiment of the owner not the fish.

Rose


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## 4537256

thanks everyone, very informative.
while i'm here, i plan to use "beta bites" pellets to feed it...is there a specific amount of pellets to feed so i dont over feed? and how often?.

the tank size is no issue...its a 55 gal.
over kill i know, i used to have angels, algae eaters and some others in the past, but i'm just not too interested in the hassles of more fish atm. I know many people tend to put way too many fish in a tank, i say the fewer the better and what better to have a large tank for a single betta. my g/f says its stupid and a waste to just have 1 betta in a 55 gal.

i like snails but if they'll eat the plants i'll pass. odd i know, but i still have some sea monkeys brine shrimp i thought about using as food for the beta, not sure if the brine shrimp would survive and breed in it but what other living creatures could i put in the tank that would breed and make a good alternative food supply for a betta?


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## Chickadee

ANY shrimp will make a dinner for you betta but not a good idea as one shrimp is a way too big dinner for them and it would be ONE dinner make no mistake. The bettas do not know when to stop until the food is gone. 

Now as far as the pellets go, I will warn you that the deciding factor on betta foods is actually the betta themselves. I have planned to feed many bettas many things based on my studies but the betta puts the brakes on and gets stubborn so be ready for the time of your life. Usually the best course of action is to find out what the betta of your choice is used to eating already. Unfortunately I have never found a betta who is used to one food and likes it that does the honorable thing and changes without a fight if at all. They can be the most stubborn of fish to the point of nearly bankrupting their owners finding the right food unless you are forewarned what they are used to. That is usually the winner if you cannot get them to try anything else. So before you purchase the little fellow be sure you get that information just in case. You can try the food you want to use and if it will not be acceptable to the little mite, you always have an ace up your sleeve. But if you are going the pellet route, I would not feed more than 5 or 6 pellets if they are micro pellets or 3 or 4 if they are larger like poppy seed sized. They swell up in the stomach you see. If you want to know the final size try taking a pellet and soak it for 10 minutes in some water and see what the size is going to be in the fish's stomach. Then look at your fish's eye and remember that most fish from the store are juveniles and not full grown yet. That means small meals 3 times a day instead of a couple larger ones for the first 5 to 6 months. 

I also give them one pellet at a time and make them chew it up before giving a second. That way if they do not eat it you do not have a lot of them to fish back out of the tank or if they are gulpers and do not chew they learn to chew their food so they do not suffer stomach trouble. Don't worry they learn fast that the way to the next bite is to chew up the last one. They also will not starve if they do not eat a meal so don't be concerned and think you have to get them to eat something every time. Stubborn behavior is normal. But if you notice swelling or distention behind their dorsal fins or settling on the bottom and not wanting to move, they need help. That signals a tummy ache or something more serious. Changes in color like paleness or loss of color to a gray or whiteness is also a sign of distress. 

The first thing to check is the tank temperature: 

Needs to be kept 78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit constantly. Fluctuation is dangerous with a betta. Funny they think the fish does not need a heater in the stores.

Next thing to do at that point is suspend all fish foods that are commercial and give no food for one feeding.

If no improvement then you give a pea treat meal and feed nothing but peas for a period of about 3 days with no commercial fish food given at all. Pea treats are as follows:

Take one frozen pea from the bag and put on a saucer in the microwave with no water for 20 seconds on high level just to defrost not to cook.
Remove the outer peel from the pea after all is cooled.
Take one of the pea halves and cut tiny chunks of it about one half the size of your fish's eye and when you have made sure your hands are clean put a tiny pea chunk on the tip of one finger and slowly slide it into the water in front of the fish. 
He should grab at it as he will be hungry by this time and once they try them I have never known a fish that did not love them and would beg for them.

Don't give more than 2 to 3 chunks at a time and the pea will not hold over to the next meal. It dries out so one pea will make one meal even though you will discard most of it.

There is one other thing that I know of that is easy to come by that I know most bettas will eat that can be purchased at the grocery store but is not something most owners want to deal with and that is raw liver. I buy it and cut it in small cubes and and give my guy a little one or two times a month but it is not a staple food. The pieces have to be very tiny.

His staple food is Freeze dried Bloodworms from Hikari and Freeze dried Daphnia from Daphnia for the most part. He does eat pellet food from Ocean Nutrition..Atison's Betta Pro and Atison's Betta Formula alternated as he wants but mainly he eats the bloodworms. He gets pea treats routinely two times a week but they do not replace any meals. They become a third feeding on those days and he does the betta dance for them. He knows the signs of when they are coming and gets very excited and active. He has nipped my finger when I have given them a couple of times but it is not too painful. the only time it has ever gotten serious was when I teased him with a q-tip in the edge of the tank and he yanked it out of my hand. It made him mad!

Also one word of advice, I do not mirror my bettas. A lot of owners do it. I have done it when I take their pictures but as soon as I have the picture the mirror goes away. I do not think it is good for them. It is like making them feel their home is being invaded and they cannot defend against that intruder. The final decision remains with you on your fish but it is just my opinion.

Also I want to thank you for being wise enough to ask the questions first. Your little fellow will be a lot happier for it and you will too. Also I think you are quite right to give the fish a big tank. One of the most beautiful bettas I ever saw was the single fish in a 55 gallon and he was a king of his kingdom for sure. Be sure to post us some pictures when you have things the way you want them. 

Rose
:betta:


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## 4537256

thanks alot chickadee, lot to remember there. i'll bookmark this thread to later review again as i plan to let my tank setup for a couple weeks or so. i still need to buy a new filter.
i also have no intentions of using mirrors, i dont prefer to stress my fish and i learned from years ago to plan ahead well when getting any kind of fish and to let my tank setup well beforehand.

i may get a cheap goldfish first to get the tank cycled...good idea to do so right? i didnt used to do that stuff as i got impatient. i wont make that mistake again.
any other advice is appreciated, i'll review it all again in a few weeks when i'm ready to purchase.

*edit: wait, one more question...when buying the betta, their in those cups and they dont move much or cant, how can i be sure i'm choosing a good young healthy one?


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## Chickadee

I have never used fish of any type to cycle other than my first fish when I had no idea what I was doing or that there was a cycle to begin with. I simply did daily water changes by pure accident as I was afraid it would stink otherwise. The quickest and easiest way that I know of is the pure ammonia cycle with no fish at all, other than to purchase a very expensive product or the one from drsfostersmith.com that advertises that you can add fish immediately. The problem is that the product needs to be shipped refrigerated and that is the expense there. It is expensive but your fish can be added immediately and the cycle is more or less complete at once. The trick is not to be freaked out by the "ammonia" readings that you will get as they are false readings indicating that the filter is establishing itself. The product works but patience is needed during the first week to 10 days and I recommend anyone using it not to do the daily testing.

For beginners I usually recommend highly the ammonia method since it is quicker and leaves the tank very clean as opposed to the other fishless methods. Any method using fish is a great deal of work and water changes to keep the fish alive and takes 4 to 6 weeks to do. Sometimes even longer. 

Ammonia method: (in order to do this it is important to have the liquid reageant tests not the strips for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates as you need accurate results for sure)

Day 1: get Pure ammonia probably from a hardware store (Ace Hardware is where I found mine) It cannot be colored or have additives. Also if you do not have one get an eyedropper or something that measures in drops.

The tank can be set up and the filter must be running and the water filled to the level you want it. All decor and plants can be in the tank everything BUT the fish.

Drop in 7 drops of ammonia for every 10 gallons of water capacity at a time that you can do this every day. (for 55 gallons it would be 39 drops)

Day 2 through 7- in the morning test with your test kit according to directions for Ammonia only

At the appointed time that you set feed the tank with the 7 drops of ammonia for each 10 gallons of water. 

Day 8 through 10 - in the morning you start by testing for both Ammonia and Nitrite and continue with the rest of the day as before.

Day 11 through 14 - in the morning you test for all the parameters Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrates. continue with the additions of the ammonia as before.

When you begin to see Nitrates you watch for the following:

The morning tests should be:

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates Present at any level (may be high at this point)

Do a 40 - 50% water change and your cycle is complete. Test for Nitrates to make sure they are below 20 the next morning and you are ready for a fish.

You will need to put a fish in very soon to sustain the cycle and you will not be able to load the tank heavily but since you have said you only anticipate one fish, it should be no problem.

That is my preferred method if you do not use one of the more expensive methods of instant cycle.

Rose

I am sorry to disagree ,but I think stressing a fish purposely for any reason is not to its advantage. I have known of people who have had bettas in community tanks but on the whole I do not believe them to be community fish. They have definite natures and personalities and most who have owned them have told me it definitely depends on the betta. Some do well and others do not tolerate other fish at all. You roll the dice and take a chance and there is just no way of knowing by looking at them if they will tolerate others or not. I choose to err on the side of caution but others are free to try the other way if they choose. It is always wise to have a back up plan in case it does not work though as there can be a disaster and someone may have to be removed.
I do not think it hurts to allow a betta to see himself but my guy sees himself in reflections in the tank walls and gets to flare and do his prancing and he does not need the extra stimulus of being forced to flare when I want him to do it.


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## Chickadee

You asked one more question about how to make sure you are getting a young and healthy one. I do not think I addressed this properly.

I myself do not get out to the petstores much to buy and do most of my buying direct from breeders I trust over the internet but I have found from friends who do buy in the stores what they do to get the best fish.

1 They call the stores to see when the fish are being brought in or they visit the stores regularly to see when the new supply of fish is being put out. Unfortunately the longer a fish sits in one of the cups on the shelf the less likely it is to be healthy. So when you get the new crop you have a better chance of a healthy fish. So if you know ahead of time when you are wanting your fish, daily trips to the store and a purchase of a small fish bowl to keep one in should you find the right one is ideal. It will mean daily water changes of about 50% (never 100%) to keep the ammonia down and keeping them in a warm place like a draft free room that is sunny but not in the window. To help the fish a small airstone and airpump with a regulator to adjust the airflow will also aid some to stir the surface of the water to add oxygen. The bubbles from the airstone to do not add oxygen but stirring the surface helps to do so.

You want to pick a fish that when you pick the cup up and look into it has some life in their eyes, some action from the movement in the water. They should not just shift with the flow of the water and have a dull look about them. This generally means they have been there too long.

Do not go strictly by whether they are bright colored. I have heard of dull colored fish being bright and beautiful by simply bringing them home and giving them a warm, clean and well fed environment. So if you see a fish with life and spunk and the general healthy points that you are looking for do not just pass it by for color. The fins may drag in that cup but remember the cup is not going to give it much room to stretch so that is not a showplace. Really sick fish will not have spunk and that is what you are looking for.

The best fish stores will have the bettas in small nets or boxes hanging inside the tanks of the other fish but they are few and far between. I have seen stores that put their bettas in small tanks rather than cups but that is alas also rare. Summer is coming and bettas being shipped from aquabid and ebay take a lot of risks of dying in the heat too. As well as it being very expensive but generally that is usually the very best bet to get a really healthy betta. 

The next best thing would be to check for a betta breeder in your area that you could buy direct from. You would have the best of both worlds. Get a 6 pack styrofoam pop cooler and a small cool pack like the ones you put in the fridge and don't freeze it but get it cool and wrap it in a couple paper towels and head off to the breeders to get your fish. Put the baggie with the fish in the cooler to get it home and float it in the tank when you are ready for it and acclimate it properly to the water and let it into its new home.

I know breeders in several areas of the country if you need a reference if you are interested and want to PM me to get a breeder if I have one near you.

Rose
:betta:


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## fishfinder

Chickadee said:


> Get a 6 pack styrofoam pop cooler and a small cool pack like the ones you put in the fridge and don't freeze it but get it cool and wrap it in a couple paper towels and head off to the breeders to get your fish. Put the baggie with the fish in the cooler to get it home and float it in the tank ... Rose
> :betta:


I always adjust the temperature in the car when I bring a new pet home. Turn on the air conditioning or heat, depending on the time of year. So if driving to the breeder is an option, its the easiest solution. If not, that's a great tip Chickadee. One winter I used a hot/cold cooler heated to the proper temperature for a snake with shedding problems on a long trip to the vet. It was plugged into the lighter receptor all the way. He said I got 'A' for effort.


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## Chickadee

I always put them in the cooler as the car gets stopped along the way home somehow always and that way I do not have to worry. I do not drive and do not always have control of whether we go directly home. So that is why I just started taking them in the coolers or putting heat packs in during the winter if that is the case. It works either way.

I have used the styrofoam coolers that the fish I receive in the mail arrive in but for those who do not get them that way, the 6 pack coolers are about the same size. The salespeople in the stores sometimes balk at putting them in there but I insist and in they go.

It is a treat for me to be able to go to the stores so when I do I really make a trip of it. But lately I will have to say that I am still not impressed with the quality of fish I have found there in the larger pet stores. The ones I get through the mail are still so much nicer but the shipping costs are so wildly high that it is very hard to order fish and it takes a lot of thought before making an order.

Rose


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## 4537256

Petsmart in my area is pretty good, very clean with healthy looking animals. i shop there usually, other pet shops here are a bit "iffy". We did have a good breeder shop called dipnet, cheap and healthy fish but he sold out. So now i know to not look at color and just for "spunky". makes sense



interesting. i googled around and its definitly a debatable subject. Some have certain types of fish listed that are ok with betta's.

what do you guys think about bottom feeders like those small orange catfish ones with a betta. they dont move a whole lot and stay at the bottom, i had some before, they may help keep the bottom free of food debri?

i didnt plan at first to get anything except 1 betta. but my g/f is really bugging me with her opinion of lots of fish. so the idea of a small few others with the betta is warming up on me...it is 55 gallons after all, plenty of room but hopefully i'll stick with Plan A and not worry about it.


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## Chickadee

Fish I have had with my bettas and done fine with and some are really remarkable to watch:

Any type of Corydoras catfish in the size tank you have. The thing is with cories that they need to be in groups of at least 3 and like it better in larger groups. If you choose the Pygmy cories they need at least 6 and like it better with 9 or more. They are very entertaining but will not eat just scavenger type food you need to actually supplement them with protein as they eat shrimp pellets, bloodworms and other carnivorous type foods, they are not algae eaters. There are a LOT of kinds of Corydoras and a book I would recommend is Identifying Corydoradinae Catfish by Ian A.M. Fuller & Hans-Georg Evers. It shows the diversity in color ranges and patterns of this lovely fish. We have members who breed the cories so they would probably be easy to find. They are not usually expensive fish but oh so worth the effort. Most can be found on Catfish websites on the internet if you need more information about them. One of the better sites for catfish information is:
PlanetCatfish • the online home of aquarium catfishes

Otocinclus catfish, a bit delicate and nocturnal creatures but never met a betta that did not love their otos. I have pictures of one of my bettas taking an afternoon nap under the heater with his otos. Two little butts under the heater one betta one oto. Darling pic. But if you want entertainment these little guys do not come out during the day much. They can keep brown algae down but do not do much with the green types. They have had rough handling and are wild caught. If you want to hear their sad plight they do have their own website at: www.otocinclus.com - Home of the Dwarf Suckermouth Catfishes I personally love them they are sweet little fish but be cautious when you buy as there are warning signs to get a healthy one. No bright red on belly, no sunken belly should have a rounded belly but not bloated. Eyes should be bright and color should show a definite stripe down the side not be muddy in color.

Dwarf or Chain Loaches - very active and beautifully marked fish. They stay very small in the 2" range and believe me the more of these guys the more activity you will see. A group of 5 or 6 will keep you rolling in your seats. They can go for hours and you wonder where they get their energy. They do not seem to bother the betta as they climb the wall.
My betta would just hang there looking on disdainfully but not bother them and more importantly they never bothered the betta.

Kuhli Loaches - basically the same thing but not so much activity and more nocturnal but kind of fun. Not so nicely marked and not as much activity but some.

Cardinal Tetras - These are the only fish of the tetra variety that I would put in with bettas as they are the only ones that I know of that are NOT fin nippers and would not cause your betta fin problems.

Now for the fish that either I or others that I am aware of have had problems with:

Platies resemble female bettas and for that reason are not good choices. Potential for either fish to have problems.

Mollies are brackish fish and also have long flowing fins and are sometimes mistaken by Mr/Ms Betta as another betta.

Guppies are not good candidates as they have been known to be nippers and can also have long finnage and confusion about being another betta ensues.

Let me just say here to save a lot of time ANY fish with long or flowing fins is not a good candidate for a tank with a betta, no other betta male or female is good, no related fish like a gourami is good, no other potentially semi aggressive fish like sharks, angels, cichlids, puffers, barbs, crabs, lobsters, or fish of obvious diversity in size like discus.

These fish while they may get along in a community setting have not been raised in one and as such need peaceful and non obtrusive fish in their environment. The fish that I have listed are some very active but they generally do not encroach upon the territory of the betta, but it would be my suggestion if you are going to put the betta in with other fish that the betta be the last fish you introduce into the tank. You will have a better chance of him being peaceful with the others if they have established territories and he is entering into a place where he is taking what is left rather than him believing the whole tank is his and seeing THEM as intruders in his territory. There is absolutely no doubt that they betta will fit into what ever he is given. But if you start by giving him the whole tank that is what he is going to see as his. If you give him the part the others have not occupied he will be happy with that too.

Hope this has helped.

Rose


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## TheAquaExpert

To Chickadee:
If You Can Put A Apple Or A Mystery Snail, Why Can't You Put A Nerite???
Nerites Won't Harm Plants And They Don't Lay Eggs As Much As Other Snails Do.
Apple And Myster Snails Do Eat Plants.


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## Oldman

Chickadee, when I see a reference to betta puddles, I like to refer to this thread. It displays quite eloquently why a betta puddle bears little resemblance to the cup at the LFS. 

Aquarium Fish and Coral Reef Forum

Contrary to your concerns about betta tank mates, I have found that my bettas do fine in my community tank settings as long as they are not asked to live with nippy fish like barbs or some tetras. I am sure that some bettas have problems with things like guppies or platies but right now my big blue veiltail is living in an endler tank with no problems on either side and the red veiltail is in my 120 gallon community with no problems. I am well aware that betta personalities vary quite a bit so I watch them the first few days after I get them home to make sure I have not gotten hold of an especially aggressive one. In my experience, somewhat limited, a betta does best in a huge tank where they can really move about and enjoy themselves.


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## Chickadee

1. the reason for Apple or Mystery snails and NOT nerite snails is not so much to do with the snails but the bettas. I have seen them interact with both types and believe me there is a difference. For the most part it has to do with size. The Apple or Mystery snail does not brook any nonsense from the betta and is not one that can be bullied. Even if you have a betta that is ornery it can stand up to the betta purely by being big enough to do it. The bettas can and will knock the nerite off its perch and give if quite a hard time. Also I am of the opinion that most people do not want snails with the capability of production of many snails in their tanks. The Apple or Mystery snail unless given a mate will not produce any more snails, period. You put one snail in your tank and you have one snail. I have had them in my tanks and have never had a plant eaten. They eat algae and things off the substate and glass but maybe I am not putting the types of plants in that they do eat. I just never had a problem with them. And my bettas seemed to love them. I had one betta that liked to "ride" on the shell of the snail and nearly rode it right up out of the surface of the water while I watched one day. I should have grabbed my camera but was frankly too engrossed to do it.

2. I would never have suggested that platies were a threat to bettas but rather the other way around. You see, platies resemble female bettas and as such are in danger of being harmed by the male bettas. He sees the resemblance and can think that there is a female in his tank. Some strange injuries and deaths have occurred this way.

3. Thanks for the link to the explanatory "Betta Puddle" . I have shown pictures of what the actual habitat of wild bettas looks like and we have to remember that none of the bettas that we are getting from the petstores even bears a resemblance to the bettas that live in those habitats either. None of the wonderful fish we now own have even been close to areas where they live in anything but clean water. (until they go to the petstores and are forced to live in those filthy cups) they are born in fish nurseries which if you ever have a chance to see a large one can compete with any hospital nursery easily, they go into clean filtered tanks and until they are grown they have daily water changes. Do you want to know how I know? Nitrites are fin killers. If the nitrites were allowed to build up in those tanks at all, the fins, those beautiful fins on our babies would be deformed and mangled. Wild bettas do not have these lovely flowing and billowing fins and do not need this care but these fish do. Breeders never know which fish is going to be their prize from the spawning so they care for every one of them until it is noticible which fish are going to be profitable and then they do what they call "culling". They kill those fish that are malformed or considered unsalable and continue with the best of care for any they consider to be profitable and any that are considered show quality receive the royal treatment. You may not find this happening in amateur breeders but when you deal with the pros it is the way they are .... it is their business and the way they make their living and they treat the fish they are making it off of well. It is after those fish leave the care of those people that their lives may change. Generally the ones who are show quality will go into the care of dealers who will sell them privately or who have purchased them for their own breeding business. Those who are sold to pet stores and chains will find they have come down a long way in the world and will enter the world of the "dirty cup" and hopefully have either a fast purchase or an early death and not too long to suffer.

4. Bettas can and do get along in SOME community tanks but this has been an exception rather than a rule in my experience. The betta is unfortunately going to be the one who decides the issue. (depending on what other species is in the tank) Also unfortunately, I have found that many beginners try to make fish that just are not going to get along do it because they want those fish in their tanks. Bettas and Gouramis are never going to get along in any tank, it is like the Hatfields and McCoys there is a blood feud in this instance. We can say and do what we want but eventually nature takes over and there is going to be a fight and only one winner. In nature where the fish have an infinite amount of space to fight and get away to safety this may be okay but in my book when you knowingly put two creatures that are incompatible in a limited space, no matter how big and say "this is my will" and then they kill each other or maim each other, you are wrong. I am not able to keep anyone from doing it but at least they will know they are doing it because the information will be there. Sometimes the combination is because of the bettas temperment and sometimes it is because the bettas fins are fair game for the smaller or other fish. Sometimes it is a freak of nature like the platy resembling the female betta. There have been reasons for every clash I have ever had reported to me at any time from any owner in my history of counseling betta owners and I have had to console many owners after the fact. I am simply passing along information and hoping the number of consolation and sympathy posts I have to make in the future will be less.

I will only add this one statement that I consider to be probably the most important thing I have ever said about bettas and community tanks:

IF YOU ARE PUTTING ANY FISH IN A COMMUNITY TANK AND THIS INCLUDES BETTAS, *ALWAYS *HAVE A BACK UP TANK AVAILABLE IF ANY OF THEM ARE SEMI-AGGRESSIVES. THIS WAY IF THERE IS A DISASTER OR IF YOUR FISH BECOMES AGGESSIVE TOWARDS THE OTHERS YOU CAN REMOVE THE ONE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. You can lose a whole tank of fish if you are not prepared and that would be a shame and unnecessary.
Rose


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