Making my betta happy by letting him fight a little?

[jilly]

I have a betta in a tank with some guppies and platys. He's staked out a corner of it, and it has a lot of plants and rocks. He seems to enjoy his little corner, and when other fish come over, he flares and chases them away - it doesn't seem to exhaust him, and in my mind I think he enjoys it, because it's what is in his nature - and the fighting isnt too much, because it's not another betta, it's just a similar fish - but my friend said he'd be happier in a 1 gallon tank alone... i think he'd actually be bored...

opinions?

[trashion]

Maybe he'd enjoy it, but eventually he will stress the others out and this could possibly kill them. I'd put him in a tank with fish that aren't quite so brightly colored as platys and guppies.

[Willow]

If he's not chasing the other fish all over the tank, just staking out his little corner, I think it's fine. The other fish won't get too stressed as long as he's not hunting them down. My Betta likes to do that, too. I do think it enriches their lives, and keeps them from getting bored. I know that the Bettas I've had in larger community tanks have lived longer than the Bettas I kept in smaller tanks by themselves. For whatever that's worth.

[audzter]

ahhh.. heck.. its better to put it in a 1 gallon tank so it wont be stressed. Betta should be in a solitary cinfinedment. buy 2 male bettas and 1 female betta. what to do with them? here..
1. put each betta in a 1 gallon jar. put the jars beside each other.
2. The bettas should not see each other since they get stress in flaring at each other, so put a card board just enough for the bettas not to see each other.
3. the female betta can be put anywhere just dont put it with the males, for me put it in your community tank, just be sure you can catch the female y? tell you later.
4. once a week water change the jars of the betta.
5. 3 times a week let the bettas flare at each other for 5 min so they can give of the fats in their body.
6. once a week each male betta should chase a female in a small container for like 2 to 4 min so male can stimulate mating since they have no sex drive.
7. check every day if their are bubles in the jar so you can know they are healthy and happy.(they do not need oxygen, they breath atmospheric air)
8. if you do this steps you will have a very nice happy betta and life span will be long to. enjoy

[jilly]

does anyone keep female bettas together? does that work well? I am thinking of trying to breed them..

[shade2dope]

You can.Its better to have the tank heavily planted.When breeding make sure to do just plop the female back in the tank.If she's hurt(most likly yes)You dont want her to get the others sick too.You would need one more tank to set up as a quarantine tank.