# Questions for a Sorority



## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

I have been in the planning process of starting a sorority and been doing lots of research. Right now I have 2 females in separate quarantine tanks and a 10 gallon tank. I will not be introducing the fish to the tank till the beginning of June. My plan is to have 5 or 6 females total. I am a little confused by varying advice. In tanks I have had before (salt water) I would only introduce 1 or maybe 2 fish at a time, and even with sororities I have read that some people will release them 3 at a time while others release them all at once. Is it a matter of having the tank properly cycled? (I have my ammonia ready to do a fishless cycle) 

In the future I plan on posting other questions here too as they come up


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

*subscribed* I'm glad you are taking your time. I am taking tons of time and it is still crazy busy and a lot of work! I am actually curious about the same thing as far as releasing goes.... the day the girls go in the tank is Monday, and I'm a little lost as to how it will go down... Also, I think it's awesome you are doing a fishless cycle, that's what I have been doing and it is so worth it. It has given me time to make sure the tank is how I want it, get rid of any unwanted snails, and get to know the girls.


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

It is taking much more time and money than I originally thought but I think it will be worth it  I am excited for you, please let me know how it goes on Monday. have to admit I am a little anxious about that part. 

Today I put my two females tanks next to each other...One was flaring and excited and the other was very stressed and upset  I hope this will not be a problem in the future. (I ended up putting the tanks in different rooms for now) But then again, I guess that I why you have to have more than 4.

Funny enough, since she seemed so excited to see another fish I put my more aggressive female tank next to my male's. Then he was excited and she was stressed...SO now no one can see anyone for the moment ;P


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

Raincloud said:


> It is taking much more time and money than I originally thought but I think it will be worth it  I am excited for you, please let me know how it goes on Monday. have to admit I am a little anxious about that part.
> 
> Today I put my two females tanks next to each other...One was flaring and excited and the other was very stressed and upset  I hope this will not be a problem in the future. (I ended up putting the tanks in different rooms for now) But then again, I guess that I why you have to have more than 4.
> 
> Funny enough, since she seemed so excited to see another fish I put my more aggressive female tank next to my male's. Then he was excited and she was stressed...SO now no one can see anyone for the moment ;P


One of my females was SO fearful-aggressive. I have to give her her own special environments and she ended up dying but she was sooo crazy. I think it just wasn't meant to be with her and the sorority. It was a shame but everyone will be better off.... And I totally understand the time and money thing, it was taken WAAY more of both than I expected haha.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

I do not even want to think about the time/money factor of my sorority tank or my freshwater community tank, lets just say we will be eating a lot of mac and cheese and ramen noodles for awhile.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

Oh let me answer the question, now this is how I do it it has worked for me so far, I release all the girls at once. well lets say one after the other, but I will usually float them in their cups in the tank for a day or 2 so they can all see each other, if I know who the top girl is I will put her in the middle of everyone and let her go last if not just one at a time and the watching game begins, I have a sorority of 15 girls in a 29 gallon tank that is planted with plenty of hiding spots and a rainbow shark that will chase them around, the idea is the aggression gets spread out one girl can't stay locked onto one girl for long without someone else getting in the line of sight, I have not lost any in my current sorority but when I had a smaller one I lost 2, live and learn, when I add girls to the tank I will float them in their cup for their 9 day qt time so by the time they are released everyone has seen her and she has seen everyone so it is no big deal


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks so much for the clarification Stone. I figured it was better to let them out at once but wasn't positive.  I am so impatient, I can't wait till June to put them together. By the way, do you use terra cotta pots? Sorry it is kind of random but I wanted to get a few for the sorority tank but was wondering if anyone had suggestions for opening up the bottom? I heard its not good to only leave the little hole, and I would feel better with hiding places that had two ways out. Should I just break open the bottom? Should I put something on the edges or can I just sand them down? Or are females small enough to squeeze through?


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

I released mine (after QTing them of course) in 5-10 minute-spaced increments, releasing the weaker/more skiddish/docile of them first. The healthiest, most aggro ones went last. Mine had very little fighting and they get along very well now. It's rare I even see a torn fin at all, and usually it looks like it may have come from decor perhaps, maybe their driftwood? It doesn't look like nips. I never see them flare anymore, no more chasing, they don't have feeding-time aggro. Mine has been set up since mid March. I'd say we had maybe 2 weeks of mild "pecking order" squabbles, mostly flaring and chasing, occasionally a nipped fin.

ETA2_ I floated mine for 1 hour before starting the release process.

ETA- As far as hides, I know it's more expensive, but I bought hollow drifwood pieces off Etsy and it's been great! Also, I positioned my plants to make obstacle-course type layouts and looped my amazon sword runners in such a way as to create little bridges and tunnels.


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks for replying osromatra! I am going to check out Etsy.


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

So this might be a strange question, but I wanted to get all different colored female bettas for my sorority tank, will a more brightly colored one or smaller one be picked on more? Or is it more of a personality thing?


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

The smaller one technically has a greater chance of being picked on more but it is mainly a personality thing.


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks Mattsbettas, I figured size might matter. With the two females I have now one is smaller and the other is pretty big but my plan was to get others with varying sizes so one wouldn't be the only small one or the only giant.  Though my little black ct female is growing.


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

Raincloud said:


> So this might be a strange question, but I wanted to get all different colored female bettas for my sorority tank, will a more brightly colored one or smaller one be picked on more? Or is it more of a personality thing?


I have 3 cambodians (one blue, one red, and one purple/pink), 3 blues (a royal blue, a steel blue, and a teal), and one red. The cambodians are all top dog, and least aggressive. The blues are all bottom dogs and most aggressive. The red is midway. She is more similar in personality to the blues than the cambodians. They get along great regardless, still very little aggression.



MattsBettas said:


> The smaller one technically has a greater chance of being picked on more but it is mainly a personality thing.


I agree. For me, the personalities more curious of the outside-the-tank environment are the least aggressive, yet also most dominant. The ones who are more focused on stuff inside the tank are most aggressive, yet also least dominant. My theory is they are so focused on the immediacy of their surroundings, it makes them more fretful and thus more aggressive. The more observant ones IMO have observed enough to notice that the weird creature outside the tank that creates light tends to feed them regularly, and aren't as worried and therefore, less aggressive. I think human terms, they probably have higher IQ than the others, which is why I feel like they've ended up in the dominant tier, they are more clever/adaptable. I amy be giving them too much credit, but it's just been my experience, brief and limited as it is.

ETA- I did get mine all reasonably similar sizes, I'm sure that matters too. My smallest is also the very least dominant, and she acts like she has the most to prove, hence her aggressive. The others leave her alone, until she picks a fight, and she can never cash the check her mouth decides to write.


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

Raincloud said:


> Thanks Mattsbettas, I figured size might matter. With the two females I have now one is smaller and the other is pretty big but my plan was to get others with varying sizes so one wouldn't be the only small one or the only giant.  Though my little black ct female is growing.



I have a huge size variety in my sorority tank, and you'd be surprised at how it all really plays out. It is true that a smaller fish is more likely to get picked on, but a lot of this really just depends on your set up. If you have a bunch of large fish and only a few/one small one, you may have problems. My fish range from 3/4-1 inch to just over 3 inches. i was fearful that my giant might kill the smaller fish but most of my problems actually came from my average girls who are about the same size. I actually made a detailed release schedule and put them early on it because they seemed the most docile next to the baby. Long story short, they beat the crap out of each other, and all the other fish have been fine.


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

I meant to ask how it went on Monday Bniebetta! I have to admit, so far I am really enjoying the time I have had to get to know the two that I have. I am thinking of getting another one this week (well, if I can find one I really like) so I can really get a feel for their personalities before putting them together later. 

Right now I just have a small black CT and a big Cambodian (with a red tail) CT, originally I wanted some DT and HM but I haven't really seen any females like that T-T

After going on Aqadvisor I am thinking of getting 7 total, too. (according to that site 7 would put my tank at 93% stocked) and I figured the more the merrier...well or at least less beat up.


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

Oh, on another random note ;P I decided to name all my girls off of Downton Abbey characters XD

So far the small black CT is Sybil and the Cambodian is Edith


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## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

ahahaha that's awesome!! At some point I want to do a themed tank like that!! It went well, except for the Tinkerbell and Rue showdown. Many chunks of fin later, everyone seems to be pretty pleased with the arrangements. I really felt the same way, it took me forever to get all the girls I wanted and I spent a lot of time getting to know them and build the tank on their individual needs. I am trying to get some pics/videos up but I am having some technical difficulties so hopefully I can work out the kinks soon  Just be prepared for the violence that will probably occur... my release was nothing short of terrifying but so worth it and everyone is great D I cant wait to see. Btw, my black girl is a crowntail too ;p


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## percyfyshshelley (Feb 26, 2013)

Raincloud said:


> Oh, on another random note ;P I decided to name all my girls off of Downton Abbey characters XD
> 
> So far the small black CT is Sybil and the Cambodian is Edith


Lol. I have a male plakat named Lord Grantham.


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## Raincloud (Apr 10, 2013)

percyfyshshelley said:


> Lol. I have a male plakat named Lord Grantham.


That is such a great name  I think those kinds of names have character. I got a Blue VT and a Turquoise CT(both female) Who I haven't named yet.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

the pots are fine as is I did nothing with the holes and I have had no problems, but so far only one of the girls has claimed one as hers, all the fighting has been over for a good while, the top girl which just happens to be the girl that I have had the longest fins were a mess for a good while but are growing back nicely, she looks like she has been through WW3 and 4. Now they all seem to get along there will always be the flaring and chasing now and then, I enjoy watching the girls very much and they are so cute at feeding time they all huddle up, all 15 in about as little space as they can fit in, some of the girls kind of do their own thing others seem to be more social, size seems not to matter in my tank the smaller girls are pretty much ignored only a few of them have names I did not want to name them in case of some getting killed in the process and they all had the nerve to survive, ponders what to name 12 betta girls........


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## Shadyr (Mar 27, 2012)

As for colors, my original blues did not make it. I did not see any fighting, so I am not sure *why* they did not make it. I now have a teal and a cornflower pair of blue(ish) VTs, and they are fine. I've tried to get as wide a range of colors as I can, so I have a lot of variety: white, cambodian, yellow, orange, red, black, lavender. My teal occasionally tries to boss the others around, and has been put in a timeout a couple of times, but they've by and large all been very well behaved girls. Except at dinnertime, when everyone has to try to get the same pellet even though I scattered over a dozen around


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

i had 3 in a 5g planted tank and they are fine, some chasing, no nipping, no fighting. 2 x 20% WC per week + 1 x 50% vacuum & WC per week in fully cycled tank with 2 Biomax running in the foam block. water is crystal clear.

the smallest one is a PetCo baby now 2 months old. She likes to hang with the big fish but the biggest one Curious Grace hates being followed, so she had to turn around and chase her away. But I can see that Jes needs a mother/sister-figure, just innocent kid.

there is a new gal that I introduced, have not figured out the name, she was trying to be the top betta but CG is much bigger than her. So now, shis is fine being #2. She even let CG eat first when I drop a pellet in even though she gets there before CG.

Both chase Jes when they see her trying to swim near them. But the plants in different heights help break the chase. I take Jes out using a cup at feeding time. She is trained to swim in. When I release her, all the others would swim into the cup to eat the NLS Grow pellets leftovers, including the gluttony amanos....

So far no fights, it's been a month.


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