# Will a baby betta be aggressive?



## Flamas (Sep 23, 2015)

Hello, 
I'm new to this forum and need some help. I currently have a 30 gallon tank and I really want to introduce a male betta. My LFS sells small bettas, probably less than 1 inch in size. Will a baby male betta become aggressive in a community tank when he becomes an adult? Will he eventually become aggressive even though he has been with the same fish all his life?

The fish I currently have in my tank are: 5 male guppies, two balloon mollies, 6 neon tetras, a Mexican dwarf crayfish and 1 Singapore flower shrimp

Thanks for your time


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

It all depends. Most males aren't aggressive towards other fish, though some are. It's all a gamble, you might get a killer baby or you might not, you might get a killer adult or you might not. It is not dependant on whether or not the fish grew up with other fish. Likely though, if you get a baby or adult; they'll just flare at your fish, maybe chase a little in the beginning but they'll settle down after about two weeks.

Baby Betta's need tremendous amount of care and water changes to grow up, so unless you're willing to do that, I would just suggest to get an adult; much easier on you. Here's a care thread on how to grow PetCo babies: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=457330


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## Lilypad (Oct 15, 2014)

I got a baby betta and 2 ghost shrimp. I had a very fat baby betta and 2 dead and rotting shrimp when I came home from work one day :\


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## Flamas (Sep 23, 2015)

Thanks, so in your opinion i would be better to house a female betta or i will have the same result regardless of the gender?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Females can be just as aggressive as males and are just as capable of attacking and killing other fish. Sometimes even more so, as they are not hampered by long fins. 

Bettas do tend to become more aggressive and territorial as they mature, so simply because a young fish is tolerant of other fish, doesn't mean it will remain so as an adult. 

Also, as Lilnaugrim has said, young bettas do require more care and maintenance than adult fish, so this is also something to take into consideration. 

Essentially, it's impossible to predict whether or not a young betta will eventually become hostile towards the other fish in your tank. You basically have to introduce your betta to your community tank and then supervise how it reacts/interacts with the other fish.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Every fish is different. My female is too aggressive for tank mates. My male tolerates them. I have to keep an eye out, though, in case he snaps.


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

They all have their own personalities, like lil said, it's all a gamble. My most aggressive fish I have is a female.


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## Flamas (Sep 23, 2015)

thanks all for your comments, i try to find a docile male and put him in a breeder tank for a couple of days and see how he reacts towards the fish before releasing him in the tank


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

My male just recently decided he didn't want tank mates after living with them for 7 months. I advise you to have a back up tank ready to go!


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## Ishmael (Sep 30, 2015)

It's always a gamble if you ask me. I had a male betta once that was really laid back, so much that it was not even an issue to put two male betta's in one tank. However, I also had a HM once that attacked every other fish in his way. 

On the other hand, my current males do really well with other fish and aren't aggressive at all. The females though, tend to be moody sometimes. 

I think you could try it, and if it doesn't work, maybe try and find another alternative. A second tank or a different fish maybe.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

My female was fine with Hengeli Rasboras until she decided to build a bubble nest then she started harassing them, She would swim above them forcing them to the bottom corner of the tank when they were all bunched up she would attack them. 

Luckily she finds my Kuhli Loaches amusing. As for shrimp she only seems to eat the ones she can catch, Now here's the strange thing, She only chases baby shrimp, She leaves the adults alone.


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## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

Depends on the fish. I have a (no longer) baby and she is fine with her rasboras, but some will decide that they would rather not have tank-mates.
Aren't crayfish a bad idea with bettas?


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> Aren't crayfish a bad idea with bettas?


Way bad idea.


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## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

Flamas said:


> The fish I currently have in my tank are: 5 male guppies, two balloon mollies, 6 neon tetras, a *Mexican dwarf crayfish* and 1 Singapore flower shrimp.


??


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## bandit1994 (Sep 24, 2015)

don't get a gourami they r just as mean as some male bettas although my friend had a gourami with his betta I try one with mine and they could not stand eachother


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## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

I hope you realize that putting a gourami with a betta is pretty much placing 6 guppies (yellow deltas) and a betta in a 5gal tank? 

Gouramais are pretty much bettas in disguise. Some people may be ble to do it, but it's not recommended at all.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Mexican Dwarf Crayfish aren't bad for Betta's. They're only bad if the Betta is stupid and doesn't leave the crayfish alone. I had one in with my giant and they were but fine with each other; respected the other's space.

And guys, can we please stop with that darn myth? Guppies and Gourami/Betta are usually very fine together! It just depends on the fish, if they wreck guppies then they'll likely wreck any other fish you try to put with them as well! Betta's and Gourami do NOT mistake other types of fish as their own. Yes, some are aggressive. If you keep ONE Dwarf Gourami, it usually doesn't have an issue with other fish like livebearers, tetras, small barbs, or corydoras. But yes, do not mix Gourami and Betta, they are cousins who will fight and kill each other. But guppies will do fine with any of them (unless it's a Kissing Gourami and it thinks that the small fish is it's food, that's different)


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## RNHime (Mar 12, 2015)

+1 to dwarf crayfish being okay. _Dwarf_ crayfish only! We kept one in our community tank, so issues with anyone, and the betta left him alone. We loved the little guy!

However, we did have one killer dwarf cray. Kept in a cray-only tank, he was seriously, freakishly aggressive! Killed all but two of his tankmates before we realized it was him! He stayed in solitary after that. He was definitely not the norm of dwarf crays, and lived alone until he died of hate. (We're pretty sure.) He even tried to attack humans and the water change siphon.

Really, there is variation in almost _all_ species. You just have to be willing to try it, watch carefully, and always have a backup plan! Use a floating breeder box to introduce a betta to a community tank. (Awesome to have on hand, and cheap, too. I recommend them for all community keepers.) Fortunately we've never had any issues!


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