Siamese fighter tank...

[Beano]

Hi guys,

I've had a fighter before so I know that the males like to kill each
other... and I've also read that you should only put a female in the
tank when the male is ready to breed (indicated by the bubble nest).
What I want to know is, if I have a 60L tank, and enough places for a
fish to hide in my tank, is it possible to have a male and several
females in the same tank? Or would I have to get a mesh divider to
separate them?

Thanks in advance

[NetMax]

"Beano" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi guys,
>
> I've had a fighter before so I know that the males like to kill each
> other...

Not to nitpick, but 'like to kill'? They have a strong instinct to secure a
territory against competitors, for the purposes of successfully attracting a
female for spawning. Understanding their motivation makes it much easier to
arrange a successful environment.

> and I've also read that you should only put a female in the
> tank when the male is ready to breed (indicated by the bubble nest).

Not the best advice. I pity the poor female if she is not ready to spawn.
That advice might work for breeders who know their fish.

> What I want to know is, if I have a 60L tank, and enough places for a
> fish to hide in my tank, is it possible to have a male and several
> females in the same tank?

Bettas are notoriously difficult to predict behaviour. I've kept multiple
females with single males in a heavily planted 60g (230L) without any
trouble. Your results will vary as the tank volume gets smaller. Sometimes
it's the female who is the problem.

> Or would I have to get a mesh divider to
> separate them?

Have that divider handy ;~).
--
www.NetMax.tk

> Thanks in advance
>

[Beano]

Thanks for advice!

About the "Like to kill" comment - I was just being flippant.

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

Beano wrote:

> Hi guys,
>
> I've had a fighter before so I know that the males like to kill each
> other...

Not really. In nature the weaker male would just move somewhere else,
often after a flaring match without any actual fighting. Only if
"humans" put them into a situation where evasion is not possible Bettas
(like several other species) will fight to the death.

> and I've also read that you should only put a female in the
> tank when the male is ready to breed (indicated by the bubble nest).

I have here a 100 l (20 gal) tank with one male and 2 female bettas, in
addition to some neon tetras and otos. There is a strict ranking order
male > 1st female > 2nd female, occasionally re-established by flaring
and chasing, never by fighting. That the tank is heavily planted
certainly helps. The tetras actually steel food directly from the mouth
of the betta male, unpunished.