# Female Betta with Guppies?



## HelloThere123Betta (Jul 16, 2011)

Hi guys! So tomorrow I'm going up to a pet store and I've kinda been wanting to get a female betta fish! I have a 5 gallon tank that's heated and has a filter on it, and there are 2 male fancy guppies in it, along with a little albino bottom feeder. Could I possibly put one female betta in with them? Would that be okay? The albino doesn't hurt anyone or do anything so I'm not worried about him, but would she be okay with guppies? Thanks!


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

A 5 gallon wouldn't be able to hold the bio-load of that many fish. :/ If you had a 10 gallon it may work. Do you know what kind of bottom feeder it is? Is it a cory catfish or a pleco? 
Hope I Helped!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

cory catfish need small schools, and do best in larger tanks because of that. with guppies, one male to two females is best to keep fighting down(but you end up with alot of babies that way). 

being female doesn't tone down the aggression in bettas. she could just not like the guppies for the same reason a male would. i suggest getting a bigger tank for them all, really. a 10 gallon, or 20, would be better.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Both Maisy and Lumeril are correct. I just want to add: what kind of bottom feeder is it? There are a lot of different species out there. None can live in less than 10 gallons, most need a lot more, and many need schools.


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## BettaGirl290 (Jul 29, 2010)

I agree, but i read that most common plecos grow to a size bigger then a 20 gallon long tank, but i suppose you'd have to move it somewhere else, and yes, that would be a TON of bio load, i suggest moving the pleco, or whatever it is to a bigger tank, and keep it by itself, unless it needs a school.


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## Fishehgobloop (Aug 13, 2011)

Hi. 

A good rule of thumb when you're keeping a community tank is one gallon of water for every inch of fish. You want to think ahead for when your fishes grow, as most fish do, and make sure your accommodations are right for them. Also, keep in mind that female bettas can be just as aggressive toward other brightly colored fish as male bettas are, and guppies usually aren't the best tank mates for bettas at all (i know from personal experience, sadly). 
If you want to put your female betta in a tank with tank mates, I would suggest something more along the lines of mollies, or another non-aggressive community fish. I have personally had tanks where I've had gourami in with my bettas and they co-exist nicely, but bear in mind that gourami are semi-aggressive. 
Make sure you have plenty of plants and hide-aways for your fishies, as female bettas can be extremely territorial. (Or you could end up with a nice docile one, which I've also had the pleasure of having. But the general rule of thumb with bettas is be prepared for aggression and have a back up plan).


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Mollies are actually brackish fish, not freshwater. They can live in freshwater, but it shortens their lifespan.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Fishehgobloop said:


> Hi.
> 
> A good rule of thumb when you're keeping a community tank is one gallon of water for every inch of fish.


This is a very inaccurate rule and can only be used in a minimal amount of situations. For example, a 10 inch Oscar could not live in a 10 gallon tank, you could have more than 15 boraras brigittae in a 10 gallon, but if you went by your suggested rule, you could have that many.

The tank size

The bio load of the fish

Territory issues

Fish's Level in the tank

Filteration 

If its planted with live plants

If its cycled

Aggresion 

Feeding habits

Adult size

Whether or not they are schooling


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## Fishehgobloop (Aug 13, 2011)

You're right, Mo, but there's also a common sense rule that says you don't put a big fish in a small tank. I don't think anyone in their right mind would put a 10 inch Oscar in a 10 gallon. 
Also, it's kind of a beginner's rule, since it isn't recommended that someone new to fish goes out and over stocks their tank and ends up with a disaster. Someone more knowledgeable about fish would know the information you just shared, while a beginner would not. 
What I said stands, and I would advise against putting a betta in with guppies, at least not without lots of good hiding places and back up plan if things do go south.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Still not a rule I'd recommend giving to anyone without a lot of clarification, Fishehgobloop. It just has way too many provisos. Better just to advise people to look at a fish's bioload, potential adult size, territorial and schooling needs.  After all, things don't have to be as dramatic as the oscar in the ten gallon - people use this rule to let them put danios in 5 gallons.


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## Fishehgobloop (Aug 13, 2011)

Well I seem to have been severely misinformed on how to stock my tank. I stand corrected on the one gallon per inch rule. Thank you for clarifying that for me.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

yeah, if you think about it (like someone said of a 10 inch oscar in a 10 gallon), it's more of waste than size  A goldie physically can fit in a smaller tank, but they poop lots :lol:


as for if females can be with guppies...some can some cannot. I had my 4 females with FEMALE guppies...the plain jane ones.... no problem. But there are some females who are just meanies


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

keeping a goldfish in anything smaller than what's recommended is a death sentence for them. :I i had my fancy goldfish in a 10 gallon tank with a friend, because i was told that was okay. kept up with water changes. they still died. my common goldfish would have lived longer than 11 years if i'd had him in a pond, rather than a 29 gallon tank. the recommended size is just that, because it gives the fish room to grow and dilutes the ammonia AND gives them room to grow. a foot-long goldfish isn't going to be happy in a 10 gallon tank. there's no room to swim for them.


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## AnaAngel623 (Apr 9, 2012)

I have two females together with two male fancy guppies and some ghost shrimp and they get alone just well..one female knows the other is boss..she only follows her and leave the guppies alone..same in a 10 gallon tank..but could be just mine..every mind is a different universe


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Just to warn you, Ana, two girls is not a stable sorority and could go wrong very easily.


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## AnaAngel623 (Apr 9, 2012)

Bombalurina said:


> Just to warn you, Ana, two girls is not a stable sorority and could go wrong very easily.


I use to have 4 females together but that one was trouble 3 would bunch up on one 
So I separated them..wother the years I lost one female..now I have the one that would get picked on in a separate tank with some glo light tetras..and the two of the 3 left that would bunch up on her..haven't seen any bitting of missing tails..but I have kept a close eye on them..like you said..they can start trouble..I have read alot here..just hoping they continue to play nice


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Fingers crossed! I hope they continue to get on well.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I don't think the OP ever responded. :/


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I had Marge and Tina together and they were fine. But they've always been oddly close  But I did add two more, also siblings, and it worked :lol: helped they were all more submissive than the new ones I got xD

I've seen one female live in a community tank just fine


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