# Female Betta and Colisa Lalia (Dwarf Gourami)



## sweng (Jun 27, 2014)

HI,

I have a 35gal tank, I want to know if there is any problem adding Colisa Lalia and some female bettas?

Is not well panted but is middle plant. 

Regards


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## otter (Aug 10, 2012)

I wouldn't do it- since they are related and both territorial, they might fight. Also, since there are multiple bettas they will pick on a single gourami, but two large groups could fight, and since dwarf gourami are larger than bettas, I think that the females might get hurt. Better safe than sorry!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Some people have done ONE female Betta and a Gourami but I would never mix them as they are cousins and will fight to the death or at the very least, injury. I've had no issue with Honey Gouramis and Bettas but it's still not a mix that I would recommend for long term use as they will stress each other out.

Sororities are already stressful enough for the girls and ultimately it will most likely fail so adding more aggression to the mix just isn't going to be good unfortunately so you can just do one or the other but not both.

It's a shame all the pretty fish can't just live in one tank and be happy together haha.


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## sweng (Jun 27, 2014)

Hi again,

Actually I have already in tank one colisa lalia male and two female, also I have a Male Betta, but nothing bad happen for now (5 days), the only thing is that sometimes the betta bother the colisas but only once and the colisa swim around, I was thinking to add like 4 female betta, to get the attention of the male and stop bothering the colisas?

What you think about it? It might works?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

....I highly suggest you separate out that male and the Gourami, this is not going to end well for anyone.

All of those fish are highly territorial and even if you have a super dense planted tank, it's not going to end well. There are reasons there are "rules" set in place for fish compatibility and while yes in that very rare occasion they can be broken, why tempt fate?


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## sweng (Jun 27, 2014)

My question is, I take out the male betta, but the female bettas are ok staying or not?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Certainly! As long as you have more than 3 they should be fine, ideally for a sorority you want at least 5 but again, as long as you have more than 3 you should be fine if the females aren't too aggressive.


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## sweng (Jun 27, 2014)

Ok,

So female betta and colisa Lilia together is fine? 

Thanks


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

It would be preferable if you can take the Dwarf Gourami out. As I said, sororities are very stressful for the females and adding to the stress will only up your chances of your sorority failing.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

sweng said:


> Ok,
> 
> So female betta and colisa Lilia together is fine?
> 
> Thanks


No.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

sweng said:


> Hi again,
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Are you looking to do a second DG/betta combo or are you just asking after the fact? 

I think you shouldn't have done what you've done, and you're asking for big trouble.


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## CrazedHoosier (Mar 18, 2014)

I have kept male and female Bettas with dwarf Gouramis and Kissing Gouramis! Never even one fight, no flares or anything! The only problem I've ever had with it was the female bettas picking on each other! However I did take a pretty big risk, and it just so happened that I had some well tempered fish. You should monitor them to make sure their individual behaviors are compatible. The reason I could keep my Bettas and Gouramis together was because my Kissing Gourami was a big baby (Emotionally and Physically) and my female bettas could easily hold their own, but the bettas did fight pretty badly amongst themselves. My Dwarf Gourami experience was rather short though because he got a disease (which is common with DG's) and died, taking the Kissing Gourami down with it. Dwarf Gouramis are VERY prone to disease and if you have a member from the same family (Betta, Gourami) the disease will just jump to them when the host dies. Dwarf Gouramis themselves are pretty peaceful fish, but throughout years of breeding they have become weak and sick. If you were going to get a Gourami I'd suggest a Honey Gourami because they are smaller in size and hardier, but still their temper can very from very peaceful to very aggressive. If you really want a Gourami technically you can do it, but it's a pretty big risk because of those factors. I myself currently have a male Betta living with a Pearl Gourami peacefully, once again with no problems. ;-)


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Dwarf Gourami + any gender of betta is a NO from my own experience. I added a DG into my 55 back when I had 8 or 10 females in it. It harassed the bettas terribly. They all hid from it because it would creepily follow them around the tank, touching them with its feelers. All the bettas literally hid in/behind/under plants until I returned the Dwarf Gourami to the store 2 or 3 days later.


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## CrazedHoosier (Mar 18, 2014)

The reason I took the risk is because if it didn't work out I had other tanks I could put them in. Just clarifying that, because I don't want to sound evil or anything...


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

CrazedHoosier said:


> The reason I took the risk is because if it didn't work out I had other tanks I could put them in. ...


The most important thing. The best laid plans and all of that. ;-)


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

o.o blegh. Pet store people convinced me it's okay to have a Gourami with my male betta. I've had no issues so far - they avoid each other and have no stand-offs. I was so excited to have a pretty Dwarf Gourami in the community tank :/ And now it seems I'll have to return it.

What are some alternatives? Maybe just go with some larger tetras? I already have Glo-light tetras, I could add in some long-skirts.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I've been told no skirted Tetras as they're really nippy. But Lilnaugrim can better answer that one. I like Rasboras as they're peaceful. Pygmy and Hasbrosus Cories and Otos totally ignore Bettas.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah, larger Tetra's and dime-bodied tetras like White/Black Skirts, Lemons, and Serpae's generally are much more nippy and a little more aggressive than their smaller cousins.

If you can find them and want another schooling fish, Ember Tetras are great. Black Phantom's usually don't bother much but they can be a bit rowdy with themselves which might stress out a Betta depending on what kind of personality he has.

So it depends on if you want more schooling fish or a centerpiece fish.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I have Embers and really like them; not nearly as nippy as Neons.


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## Litzi1964 (Jun 1, 2014)

*Bettas and gouramis*

I have a heavily planted 29 gallon stocked with 3 dwarf gouramis, 1 red flame and 1 honey gourami. I also have 1 male and 1 female betta in there. I gave that a try after having a male betta with 1 honey gourami and 1 dwarf gourami in a 20 long and they got along beautifully. I wound up with the 20 long arrangement unintentionally. I had a divider between the betta and gouramis but the betta escaped. I watched closely for signs of aggression, but since they got along, I left them that way.


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## Litzi1964 (Jun 1, 2014)

*Bettas and gouramis*

Here is my betta Hailstorm, with two gouramis.


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## Litzi1964 (Jun 1, 2014)

*Angkor wat*

My bettas and gouramis, in their Angkor Wat themed tank


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## Litzi1964 (Jun 1, 2014)

*Hailstorm's mate*

This is Sapphire, Hailstorm's significant other


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## Litzi1964 (Jun 1, 2014)

*More bettas and gouramis*

Here is a photo of rescue to rock star Mandarin with Honey the gourami


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

No one is saying it can't be done and there are, of course, exceptions to every rule. However, it's an accident waiting to happen and it is more than likely that someone is going to get spitty and the outcome could well be a badly mangled or dead fish.

I hope it doesn't happen to you and I hope they live together for years in peace and harmony. But I am still going to advise new against housing Gouramis and Bettas together because there's a great chance tragedy will ensue and to me it's just not worth the risk.


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

Kanoa is attacking the poor Gourami. Out he goes!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Wait....Litzi...are all those fish in the same tank?


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## Litzi1964 (Jun 1, 2014)

Mandarin used to be in a 20 long with 2 gouramis. At present he is in a 10 gal because I'm putting dividers in the 20 long so I can have several bettas there. The gouramis went into the 29 gallon. So in the 29 gallon is 1 male betta, 1 female betta and 5 gouramis.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Wow......just know that you were warned...you're really asking for trouble you know.


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## Litzi1964 (Jun 1, 2014)

As I said earlier, I wound up with the betta-gourami combo by accident. I had a divider in there and the betta escaped. I saw them together and panicked. I was going to pull the betta out, and my husband was like "they're fine, if you see problems, separate them, but for now just leave them be." This was on a weekend and I literally checked on them every 10 or 15 minutes, with net and bucket in reach, and...nothing. Believe me, I saw plenty of advice against this, but I kept watching, and watching, and...nothing. Not a nip, not a flare, nothing. I intentionally keep at least 1 empty tank and plenty of large buckets in case I need to separate any fish for any reason and all has been well. Re aggression, my male guppies have by far been the most problematic. We must have something strange in the water here.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Well I'm more worried about the 1 female and 1 male that are together, that's generally much more fatal.

As has been said, it's a rare occurrence but it does happen when they can live together IF the fish have the proper personalities and temperaments. So, good luck with the fish.


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