# Advice on choosing betta for peace



## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

Please let me start by saying that of course: I have a backup 5.5gallon, and it's impossible to know for sure until a fish is in a particular environment how it will respond to anything, and things can change at any time and need to be monitored. I've heard many horror stories- no more needed...I'm trying to figure out the probability of things going well.

That said!: Can you please help me decide whether to attempt a betta in a community tank, and how to choose the betta with at least the best chance of peaceful cohabitation?
Or whether I should give up and try to talk my daughter into dwarf gouramis instead?

Our small, awesome lfs would probably be willing to work with me- e.g. "testing" somehow, but I'm not sure if it would even be valuable (given the "of courses" above- e.g. the environment would be so different). Obviously we couldn't determine for sure whether he would be community material, but could we eliminate some that are definitely very aggressive?

Our (very aggressive) betta died last week, my daughter wants another, I reaaaalllly don't want to maintain two tanks, so I'm hoping to have a decent probability the betta will be community-friendly. 

Tank specs: 20long, medium planted (I'm working toward heavily but it's very, very slow growing anything but java moss) with calm, non-nippy nanofish: celestial pearl danios and microdevario kubotai aka green rasboras. Also red cherry shrimp, a nerite snail, trumpet and pond snails.


Thanks!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I would put him in a separate tank and observe for a week so you can get a handle on his personality. Saying that, I thought Woodrow would be awful with other fish because he flared at anything that walked by his tank. Put him in with Habrosus Cory and he ignored them.

That makes me think: Can you get Habrosus Cory? You could put five or six in the 5.5 with a new Betta. IME, a Betta's introduction to bottom dwellers first goes a long way toward easier transition to mid- and top-dwellers.

You have two of my favorite fish in your community.


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## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

That would be a great idea- and a great test. And those cories are cute

My goal is to not start up the (drained a week ago when Robin died- it wasn't planted) 5.5 gallon again (the cleaning. the guilt, as no one ever goes into the room it's in and the fish is so bored etc.). So I told my daughter 'she' could have/pick a betta, as long as we think it's at least possible that it can go in the community 20g.

Any ideas on how to pick one at the store? Or things I might reasonable ask the staff to do?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Ask when they get their new shipments and go in that evening or the next day. That's the only way I know with pet store Betta.


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## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

Go in as soon as they get a shipment... Because? And look for? You always give the best info and advice is why I'm asking specifics! I appreciate your input.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

No problem. I actually meant to explain but forgot so that's for the push.

Usually suppiers/breeders take better care of their Betta than the pet stores. They change water more frequently and keep them at the same temperature. Some pet stores don't change the water often enough and turn turn the heat down at night so fish in unheated tanks have drastic fluctuations.

If you go in that evening or the next day the Betta haven't been subjected to all of the above. I haven't bought local fish in years but that's the way it was when I did.

However, sounds as if you have an awesome lfs so any Betta you buy probably is good no matter when you buy it. I was thinking if you didn't see anything you liked and were going to try a chain.

Can't wait to see photos.

Forgot: When you add your Betta do it in a darkened tank and leave lights off for 30 minutes or more. The other fish will be curious and if the tank is dark he won't notice it as much as he floats in his bag. Makes for easier transition....and thank you for the compliment.


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## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

Ok, thanks for the darkened bag time tip.


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## OddBettaFish (Mar 1, 2016)

Yeah, darkening bag


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## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

And should I choose one that isn't very active, therefore hopefully not aggressive? Or active but doesn't flare at others Bettas? Or wear a colored shirt? Or... I'm trying to learn how to choose a fish that might have a community temoerament (with all the of courses at the top).


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

I don't know if it's accurate, but there's a YouTube video where a lady makes suggestions on just this. Basically she says to pick out several healthy fish you like and then hold them up to each other and pick the least flare happy. That's my plan anyway. I'm also going to avoid a Plaket, because they're quicker. I haven't done this yet or owned enough Betta to say how accurate any of this is. 

I will say my more aggressive Betta is fine with Cory, so that might not be a bad place to start. They can look kind of boring at the store, but they are a blast to watch. Some of my favorite fish and I've had numerous communities. Getting a shoal of 6 in your 20 long shouldn't overload you with your other choices at all. As Russell says, Cory could break him in gently to other fish. I think I'm actually going to stock my Betta last though, as I've read that they are less likely to get aggressive as they haven't claimed that as their territory yet. Again, just what I've read. Still going to read more on that.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It's a craps shoot. Like I said, Woodrow is flare happy. Flares at Boo, our English Setter, my husband, me....anything that passes his tank. In the tank he lives with Habrosus Cory and, now, Dario Dario and ignores them. I moved him to a tank where he can see our Shih Tzu, Russell and Edward. He flares at them.

When I was buying from pet stores (or in the olden days, Woolworths  ), I chose the most active. The one that almost never put down his fins. That was even for my community tanks.


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## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

I guess holding them up to each other and picking the least flare happy makes sense. And no plaket. Do you think putting them in a tank with other fish at the store would be at all informative- maybe the guppies to try to take a likely aggression situation- or is the environment so different it's irrelevant? Lemme know how your choice goes!


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## MadtownD (Aug 29, 2014)

Thanks for the input, Russell. Good to know that high flaring didn't correlate with fish aggression (but dog!) Ok, I'll go for an active one. Probably next week Wed will be the day my small LFS gets their shipment...


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

Russell has a lot more Betta experience than I do! Good luck and let us know how it goes.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

As long as the Betta looks healthy and active you could also go with the less flare-happy one. It's looking for overall health that's important.


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