# Mahachai and domestic betta?



## ServalPunch (Jul 12, 2020)

Can I keep a male mahachai and a female domestic betta together in a 43 liters (12 gallons) tank? I don’t expect them to breed.
The female is a bit less then 4months old and is a bit longer than an inch. (3.2 cm)


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## Sergeant Betta (May 16, 2020)

If they get a chance they will breed.


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## ServalPunch (Jul 12, 2020)

Sergeant Betta said:


> If they get a chance they will breed.


Won’t they fight?


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## fishowner550 (Mar 26, 2020)

Yes they will fight I highly recommend that you dont do that, if the male is not in the breeding mood he will hurt or even kill her if he has the chance. If you want to keep them in the same tank you can put a divider in there so they cant see each other. If you do that then you will need a separate heater and filter so that there is a heater and a filter in both sides. That way the temp and water flow is equal throughout the tank.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Moving this to the Wild Betta sub-forum. The people here have experience with both Wilds and domestic Betta. There is a vast difference in how Wilds interact.

If you search through the sub-forum you might even find the answer.

@LittleBettaFish has had both Wilds and domestics for years. Hoping she will answer.


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## fishowner550 (Mar 26, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Moving this to the Wild Betta sub-forum. The people here have experience with both Wilds and domestic Betta. There is a vast difference in how Wilds interact.
> 
> If you search through the sub-forum you might even find the answer.
> 
> @LittleBettaFish has had both Wilds and domestics for years. Hoping she will answer.


I didnt realize it was a wild betta we were talking about.


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## CosmicSyringe (Jul 20, 2013)

fishowner550 said:


> I didnt realize it was a wild betta we were talking about.


The mahachai is wild from what I know.


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## Sergeant Betta (May 16, 2020)

fishowner550 said:


> if the male is not in the breeding mood he will hurt or even kill her if he has the chance.


That happened with my female and other Male when I tried breeding them. 🤦‍♂️ But Yes they can not live together. But if you want them to breed I can give you so advice! Me and my brother have pretty much succeeded in breeding Betta's!  

( Well except when our older inbreed betta beet up Ellie )


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## Fish 4 sale ¢50 a fish. (Sep 30, 2019)

?


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## Fish 4 sale ¢50 a fish. (Sep 30, 2019)

A wild type and spendis will breed?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Yes, they will; except the mouth brooders.

Wilds are not as straight forward as domestic Betta. So unless one has experience with Wilds it is best not to offer breeding advice. They are _not_ the same in behavior.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I would not recommend housing these two fish together. Species from the splendens complex can hybridise with domestic bettas (this along with habitat loss is actually the leading cause of their extinction in the wild), so yes, there is the possibility that they will breed. 

Deliberate hybridisation used to be frowned upon by wild betta purists (such as myself), but sadly seems to becoming much more prevalent. Hybrids risk muddying the purity of captive bloodlines due to mislabelling. 

There's also the real risk that they would fight. Like with domestic bettas, not many breeders of splendens complex species keep them paired together long-term. Outside of breeding, pairs tend to be kept separate due to the risk that they will fight. 

Wild bettas can be just as aggressive as their domestic cousins. I've had wild bettas of various species, maim or even kill their breeding partners and siblings. 

So personally, mixing these two, is not something I would do.


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## ServalPunch (Jul 12, 2020)

LittleBettaFish said:


> I would not recommend housing these two fish together. Species from the splendens complex can hybridise with domestic bettas (this along with habitat loss is actually the leading cause of their extinction in the wild), so yes, there is the possibility that they will breed.
> 
> Deliberate hybridisation used to be frowned upon by wild betta purists (such as myself), but sadly seems to becoming much more prevalent. Hybrids risk muddying the purity of captive bloodlines due to mislabelling.
> 
> ...


All right. Thanks for such a great explanation! 
I guess I’ll just get another tank. Thanks again!


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