# Betta Sorority: Thoughts?



## BettaGamer (Feb 13, 2015)

So I've been setting up 10 gallon with live plants, and everything is going great so far, plants are thriving. I've added in a small school of 4 harlequin rasboras,(that was all the store had), and my male betta. The rasboras were in there a couple days before the betta. But I keep watching them and the rasboras just seem so active for this tank and I think this filter is just a bit too strong for my male betta's fins to handle. I'm thinking of moving the rasboras to a much larger 55g and the betta to my 3g. But I'm wondering if I could do a betta sorority of about 5-6 in the 10g heavily planted tank. I've been doing a lot a reading and know that it could work. But I would like to get some thoughts on this. Has anyone ever done this before? I would like to hear your stories.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Sibling ladies who have been together their entire lives seem to work best. It can be done, sure. Odd numbers, lots of hides and places for every gal to go in case it doesnt work out.


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## BettaGamer (Feb 13, 2015)

A little update:
I have moved my male betta to a smaller 3 gallon heated tank. He seems much happier. I have also replaced to strong filter with a weaker one. The one I had was rated for a 5-15 gallon, the new one 2-10. I have also bought a couple more plants and hidey holes in anticipation. But then came a little trouble. I was in the process of moving the rasboras to the 55g, had them all caught, and went to move them to a small quarantine inside the 55 and noticed to my horror IT HAD ICH!!!! Almost every fish had multiple white spots! I couldn't believe it. It was perfectly fine yesterday. So the rasboras went back to the 10g and the 55g is now being treated.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

If you decide to do your female Betta tank let me know. I have greens, blues, purple, matalic (Dragon) light green, pink with blue, lavender fined and molted blue and tan. I have a few subpar blue butterfly as well. I do the DIY Betta Project so pay shipping and there yours. Just P.M. me. I'll have photos if you P.M. with email.


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## BettaGamer (Feb 13, 2015)

Hey thanks for the offer but I found some lively colorful females the other day. Five to be exact. Since I still had rasboras in the tank, I didn't want to get to many. One girl ended up being too aggressive and had to be removed. She now lives alone. Everyone else got along great. I continued to watch them closely the rest of the day and checked on them periodically through the night. Went to work the next day and came home to a disaster. A good third of the tank was on the floor. I thought the tank sprung a leak. So I quickly grabbed the net and unfortunately those little cups and quickly scooped everybody out and then put all the plants and remaining water in a couple buckets. As it turns out, it was the new slow current filter I just bought decided to go haywire, the tank was fine. While the stress of this didn't cause the girls to go after each other, they did take it out on a couple rasboras. It's just been that kind of week for me. On the plus side, I'm going to take this opportunity and do a major overhaul for space and switch over to my 20 gallon. And MAYBE, I'm not sure, get a couple more girls for the tank. I know these 4 can get along so I might just leave it at that.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

I have a female beta in my large tank, and another (a juvenile) in a smaller tank. 

My older female beta has killed numerous shrimp, and last week killed a young killie fish. I have one more killie left. Killies move like betas and occupy the same environmental nitche. They are shallow puddle fish.

I would never move my young female beta in to live with my older. 

I think the only way I would ever do this would be to buy all the female betas at the same time as a school, and buy them all young, maybe an inch to an inch and a half long. 

I really like female betas, but they are still agressive to semi agressive fish. They must be housed with other peaceful fish but nothing that looks or behaves like a beta like the killies. Just take a look at some pictures of killies, you will see what I mean. 

This is a personal observation. I am not an "expert."


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Odd numbers, always. Its easier on them.


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## BettaGamer (Feb 13, 2015)

Quick question. I've never ordered fish online before. How do they get shipped like from aquabid? Although I feel real hesitant on spending so much for one fish, I've seen some beautiful bettas that I'm seriously considering.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Easier if you find from in the states and avoid a transhipper. You would place a bid or click the buy it now, then contact the seller and arrange payment and shipping. 

Where are you located? There are many breeders who I know who would have some females they would not mind to sell for sororities but with the weather its best to get from someone relatively close.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

Aquabid sellers do what I do send them USPS or Express which is more expensive. I typically ship bettas in a small USPS box lined with beadboard and heat pack when necessary. If people want to be safer, I use a medium flat rate box about $14-$16 depending on temps and heat packs.


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## BettaGamer (Feb 13, 2015)

I'm located in PA. Hmm... I didn't realize shipping was so much. Well, back to petsmart. Just gotta keep a lookout for that "gem". (Been naming my girls after gemstones).


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

If you are in PA, why not join the Eastern Betta Society? We have a show we are working on in PA for the club and there will be many fish. You can win some auctions and have great quality fish as well as help the club. Plus, there are several breeders here in the eastern us who could hook you up with some ladies I am sure.


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## BettaGamer (Feb 13, 2015)

Eastern Betta Society? Sounds interesting! I'll definitely look into it! And what do you mean by show? Like a judging show they do with dogs and cats? When and where will it be?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Eastern Betta Society
Here is our website. You can also look us up via Facebook, which is much more active. The people there can go into more details, but yes like a dog show, kinda! You send in your fish and he ( or she ) is judged to standards. You can win ribbons, trophies and other such awards. Right now a date is not set for our show, convention is coming up. Which is like a HUGE show! 

If you get time mosey on over to the site and the facebook page and check it out. You will learn a lot!


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