Thinking of starting a community tank...

BettaMommy · 09-13-2005, 08:15 PM

I was thinking of starting a community tank and spliting it into two with dividers so I can seperate my two bettas. There are a few things I know I need; heater, filter, substrate, fake/real plants, and a large enough tank. I was thinking of getting a ten gallon tank. I also am not sure how to make a divider and what fish to put in, what fish are compatible with bettas? And is there anything else I need before I research prices and such? Also I am going to put two african dwarf clawed frogs in there, and three bettas, how many more fish can/should I put in there?

fishfreaks · 09-13-2005, 08:34 PM

go to the DIY section for the divider there is a thread in there.

lagorda · 09-13-2005, 10:57 PM

Bettas go along with pretty much any peaceful fish, like guppies, platies, nice tetras like neons, black skirts, glowlights, etc, danios, all corydoras, plecos, and of course the dwarf frogs.

But if you are planning to get a 10 gallon, and have a divider so you can keep both bettas, there's no point to getting the other fish. They like to school and swim around. If you wanted to keep all 3 bettas together in the same tank, without a divider, I would say a 55 gallon would be minimum. You would have to provide lots of plants and decorations so each male has his own territory.

I reccomend just one betta in the 10 gallon, with a dwarf frog or two, a trio of dwarf corydoras, a few neon or glowlight tetras, and a platy or fancy guppy. Just remember that you have to cycle your tank before you put the betta and others in.

Oh yeah you can buy dividers at almost any petstore. They also have little cups that attach to the front of the tank where you can keep a betta too, so one can swim freely while the other is in betta prison. I don't personally like those but I have seen a lot of petstores that use them.

Mr Aquarium · 09-14-2005, 02:32 AM

a 20 long would allow you to divid it and have some fish on each side,
and lagorda is a little off ont he betta n 55g idea, NO Way it will work, not
even with only two betta, I tried this in a 75g with tons of stuff and as soon as they seen ea other th fight was on, on had a huse junk of tale fin in his mouth when i got him out. Betta don;t care about who or what territory they are in, if they even see another better, chances are better then not, it;s going to be a really good fish fight.....
Putting betta's with anything community you have to be very carefull what you get, most fish will pick at the betta's fins and then the look crappy n get stressed out, some things like guppys, betta's will kill, heard it was a tail thing, lol

Jonno · 09-14-2005, 04:53 AM

what i suggest is you get a bigger tank divide some of it of for the male and on the females side keep tetras and stuff in there.

- Jonno

Imbrium · 09-14-2005, 10:52 AM

If this is your first community tank I would recommend not keeping a betta in it. Betta's are kind of hard to keep in communities because a lot of the time they end up either picking on the other fish, or getting picked on themselves.

**Damon** · 09-14-2005, 12:13 PM

I'm still trying to figure out how to have a "community" tank with dividers in it. You can divide a tank 3 ways and house 3 bettas in it, or leave the bettas out and have a community tank. 2 bettas undivided no matter how big the tank is is not a happy community.

lagorda · 09-14-2005, 12:14 PM

I have seen two male bettas living together for a while without a divider in a 15 gallon, and neither fish was beaten up. I totally don't reccomend that, because most of the time they will fight eachother.
Just because putting the bettas together in your tank didn't work for you, doesn't mean it will never work for anyone else. I have seen it done plenty of times, it just depends how aggressive the betta is, and the set up of the tank.

**Damon** · 09-14-2005, 03:43 PM

I didn't say it didn't work for me. Being a breeder for a cpl of years now, and knowing breeders who have done so for 12+ years, none of us reccommend it. There are exceptions to the rule, but as a rule, it shouldn't be done.

Hamm35924 · 09-14-2005, 06:27 PM

i tried to put my betta in my community tank and he didnt attack the other fish but he chased them and made them stressed and always trying to hide. so i had to move him.

BettaMommy · 09-15-2005, 12:15 PM

Thanks for the help. I am going to look into it all.

09-13-2005, 08:15 PM	#1
BettaMommy Owner of Shea's Cavies Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: USA Age: 18 Posts: 243	Thinking of starting a community tank... I was thinking of starting a community tank and spliting it into two with dividers so I can seperate my two bettas. There are a few things I know I need; heater, filter, substrate, fake/real plants, and a large enough tank. I was thinking of getting a ten gallon tank. I also am not sure how to make a divider and what fish to put in, what fish are compatible with bettas? And is there anything else I need before I research prices and such? Also I am going to put two african dwarf clawed frogs in there, and three bettas, how many more fish can/should I put in there? __________________ ...Unfortunately Fishless... 1 Tiel named Freckles 1 Mini-Dachshund named Danny 3 Cats named Molly, Kovu, and Pharah 5 Guinea Pigs named Timothy, Toby, Kadari, Bambi, and London Marie Fuzzbutt 1 soon to be rat named Snuffles

09-13-2005, 08:34 PM	#2
fishfreaks M&F Couple Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: PA Age: 21 Posts: 4,303	go to the DIY section for the divider there is a thread in there. __________________ VOTE FOR FISH FORUMS

09-14-2005, 12:13 PM	#7
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	I'm still trying to figure out how to have a "community" tank with dividers in it. You can divide a tank 3 ways and house 3 bettas in it, or leave the bettas out and have a community tank. 2 bettas undivided no matter how big the tank is is not a happy community. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

09-14-2005, 03:43 PM	#9
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	I didn't say it didn't work for me. Being a breeder for a cpl of years now, and knowing breeders who have done so for 12+ years, none of us reccommend it. There are exceptions to the rule, but as a rule, it shouldn't be done. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

09-15-2005, 12:15 PM	#11
BettaMommy Owner of Shea's Cavies Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: USA Age: 18 Posts: 243	Thanks for the help. I am going to look into it all. __________________ ...Unfortunately Fishless... 1 Tiel named Freckles 1 Mini-Dachshund named Danny 3 Cats named Molly, Kovu, and Pharah 5 Guinea Pigs named Timothy, Toby, Kadari, Bambi, and London Marie Fuzzbutt 1 soon to be rat named Snuffles

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09-13-2005, 10:57 PM	#3
lagorda Fishy Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: california Age: 23 Posts: 10	Bettas go along with pretty much any peaceful fish, like guppies, platies, nice tetras like neons, black skirts, glowlights, etc, danios, all corydoras, plecos, and of course the dwarf frogs. But if you are planning to get a 10 gallon, and have a divider so you can keep both bettas, there's no point to getting the other fish. They like to school and swim around. If you wanted to keep all 3 bettas together in the same tank, without a divider, I would say a 55 gallon would be minimum. You would have to provide lots of plants and decorations so each male has his own territory. I reccomend just one betta in the 10 gallon, with a dwarf frog or two, a trio of dwarf corydoras, a few neon or glowlight tetras, and a platy or fancy guppy. Just remember that you have to cycle your tank before you put the betta and others in. Oh yeah you can buy dividers at almost any petstore. They also have little cups that attach to the front of the tank where you can keep a betta too, so one can swim freely while the other is in betta prison. I don't personally like those but I have seen a lot of petstores that use them.

09-14-2005, 02:32 AM	#4
Mr Aquarium Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Iowa Age: 43 Posts: 499	a 20 long would allow you to divid it and have some fish on each side, and lagorda is a little off ont he betta n 55g idea, NO Way it will work, not even with only two betta, I tried this in a 75g with tons of stuff and as soon as they seen ea other th fight was on, on had a huse junk of tale fin in his mouth when i got him out. Betta don;t care about who or what territory they are in, if they even see another better, chances are better then not, it;s going to be a really good fish fight..... Putting betta's with anything community you have to be very carefull what you get, most fish will pick at the betta's fins and then the look crappy n get stressed out, some things like guppys, betta's will kill, heard it was a tail thing, lol

09-14-2005, 04:53 AM	#5
Jonno Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Devon, UK Age: 20 Posts: 512	what i suggest is you get a bigger tank divide some of it of for the male and on the females side keep tetras and stuff in there. - Jonno

09-14-2005, 10:52 AM	#6
Imbrium Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Charleston, SC Age: 26 Posts: 384	If this is your first community tank I would recommend not keeping a betta in it. Betta's are kind of hard to keep in communities because a lot of the time they end up either picking on the other fish, or getting picked on themselves.

09-14-2005, 12:14 PM	#8
lagorda Fishy Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: california Age: 23 Posts: 10	I have seen two male bettas living together for a while without a divider in a 15 gallon, and neither fish was beaten up. I totally don't reccomend that, because most of the time they will fight eachother. Just because putting the bettas together in your tank didn't work for you, doesn't mean it will never work for anyone else. I have seen it done plenty of times, it just depends how aggressive the betta is, and the set up of the tank.

09-14-2005, 06:27 PM	#10
Hamm35924 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 229	i tried to put my betta in my community tank and he didnt attack the other fish but he chased them and made them stressed and always trying to hide. so i had to move him.

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