I bought my first female Betta yesterday,...

[Papa Red]

After about a year of trying to get my LFS to get in female Bettas, I
finally went to a different shop, one that is far from my home when
you're riding on a scooter [15? miles], and having to deal with Kamikaze
cab drivers, et cetera, but one very close to my brother's home.
I brought her home and placed her in with one older male Betta, but for
the most part, they just ignored each other. Then late last night, I
placed her into my 30 gallon #1 tank, that sits just to my right, less
than an arm's length away. But again, very little interaction between
her and a young male, except for the first few minutes, where it
actually looked like the male was going to mate with her, but she
suddenly swam away, hiding in the nooks and crannies within the large
rocks. After a brief appearance a few minutes ago, she's back in among
the rocks and fake plants. By the way, she looks just like the ones
that I saw when I was in Thailand, sort of basic brownish-black colour,
with root beer brown highlights, and about two inches in length. I have
just now decided to call her, "Fe-ma-lee", which I've spelled
phonetically, after a character in the remake of the movie titled, "Cat
People", starring David Bowie. I am going to try and get the folks at
the newer LFS to order more female Bettas. Question, can I have more
than one per community tank? Would they gang up on the other fish? Or if
I get a bunch of them in one tank by themselves, other than the one inch
one gallon rule, would there be any other restrictions in the number
that can be in one tank? What other species of fish would be compatible
with females Bettas, the same as with the males? Any other info about
female Bettas would be much appreciated. Pax Vobiscum,...~Dean.

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

Papa Red wrote:

> Question, can I have more
> than one per community tank? Would they gang up on the other fish? Or if
> I get a bunch of them in one tank by themselves, other than the one inch
> one gallon rule, would there be any other restrictions in the number
> that can be in one tank? What other species of fish would be compatible
> with females Bettas, the same as with the males?

Bettas make great community fish. Of course you should have only one
male per tank (unless the tank is very big and the critters can
establish territorties). There should be 2-3 females, so that no single
one has to bear the full the attention of the male (harem system). The
females will establish a rank order maintained by flaring and chasing,
but there should be no actual violence. I have mine together with neons
and otos, and that works just fine. Avoid fin-nippers (which might
attack the male) and fish with large red or blue fins (which the male
may attack). Fish preferences should be for soft, warm, acidic water,
just like Bettas. Note however that Bettas can have very different
personalities, so YMMV.

Hint: If you take half a food tablett, make it wet and press it against
the front of your tank, it will stick. Watching males trying to
monopolise it and the females to get to it (especially if there are
several) is great fun.

[Papa Red]

I bought two more Betta females today,... They both look almost
identical to the single female that I purchased yesterday. I also
bought another Bala shark to add to the two that I bought yesterday,
because a Bala shark site stated that one should always purchase at
least three Balas, because they need to school. Oh and one site said
that they get ten inches or more, and that they are slow growers. But
another site agreed to the ten inches, but said that they grow rather
fast,...The largest tanks that I have are only thirty gallon ones. And
being on Social Security Disability, I doubt that I will ever be
'wealthy' enough to buy one any bigger. As it is, it's a true miracle
that I have any tanks at all. Does anyone know about Balas from
personal experience enough to have an idea of just how long before the
inch and a half-sized Balas will be too big for either of my 2 thirty
gallon tanks, so that I will have to trade them in? They're beautiful
fish, I just hope that they are slow growers.
Oh, and one last thing,...Y'all was talking about lies that the folks at
the LFS tell,...A few hours ago the lady at the store told me that
Dragon fish, those long eel-like blackish-coloured fish make good
community fish, and told me nothing at all about their need for a wee
bit o' salt in their water, nor anything about their eventual 'adult'
size. Does anyone know personally about this unusual fish? Is the
Dragon fish really a bad candidate for a community tank, and is the
adding of salt really essential for keeping them good and healthy?
Thanks Alot~Dean.

[Sue]

"Papa Red" > wrote in message
...
>I bought two more Betta females today,... They both look almost
> identical to the single female that I purchased yesterday. I also
> bought another Bala shark to add to the two that I bought yesterday,
> because a Bala shark site stated that one should always purchase at
> least three Balas, because they need to school. Oh and one site said
> that they get ten inches or more, and that they are slow growers. But
> another site agreed to the ten inches, but said that they grow rather
> fast,...The largest tanks that I have are only thirty gallon ones. And
> being on Social Security Disability, I doubt that I will ever be
> 'wealthy' enough to buy one any bigger. As it is, it's a true miracle
> that I have any tanks at all. Does anyone know about Balas from
> personal experience enough to have an idea of just how long before the
> inch and a half-sized Balas will be too big for either of my 2 thirty
> gallon tanks, so that I will have to trade them in? They're beautiful
> fish, I just hope that they are slow growers.
> Oh, and one last thing,...Y'all was talking about lies that the folks at
> the LFS tell,...A few hours ago the lady at the store told me that
> Dragon fish, those long eel-like blackish-coloured fish make good
> community fish, and told me nothing at all about their need for a wee
> bit o' salt in their water, nor anything about their eventual 'adult'
> size. Does anyone know personally about this unusual fish? Is the
> Dragon fish really a bad candidate for a community tank, and is the
> adding of salt really essential for keeping them good and healthy?
> Thanks Alot~Dean.

Bala sharks can get to over fifteen inches - not counting their tails!
They should outgrow a thirty gallon tank in weeks - I've had them from two
to eight inches in less than a year.
Violet gobies are brackish water fish that get to about eighteen inches and
they are sift feeders so have problems getting enough food in a community
tank.
I looked after a group while their owner moved house and they ate mainly
newly hatched brine shrimp or defrosted discus food.
Their tank was mid range brackish.

HTH
Sue

[Papa Red]

Well I guess that I will try and trade the Bala sharks in after they get
a little bigger,...But as far as the Dragonfish, I just don't think that
I would want anything that would ever remind me of either of my two
ex-mother-in-laws.<LOL>~Dean.