Female betta fish need a group tank to be happy. If you’re thinking of adding a female betta to your aquarium, keep in mind that they are much happier keeping company with other female bettas than they are flying solo. This is no small detail; female bettas require companionship daily. In this article, we’ll discuss why female betta fish need a group tank, how to introduce new females to an established sorority, what factors are crucial for a healthy sorority and of course the best Betta friends for your betta. Keeping more than one female betta fish in the same aquarium is not difficult but it does take special consideration.
Why Female Bettas Need a Group Tank
The short answer is that female betta are highly gregarious. The longer answer is that bettas are a species of river fish native to Southeast Asia. Because they naturally inhabit flowing water, they are used to a lot of activity and noise in their surroundings. Their native waters are so loud that scientists theorise that bettas evolved hearing better than most other species of fish.
In their natural habitat, female bettas are used to a lot of activity around them and frequent visits from other fish. It follows then that if female bettas are kept in an isolated tank, they will be constantly stressed. That’s why it’s important to choose an appropriate group tank for your betta. It should be large enough to accommodate the number of fish you want to keep, with enough space for each one to swim comfortably.
How to Introduce New Females to an Established Group
If you’re introducing a new female betta to an established sorority, there are a few things to keep in mind. For best results, you want to keep the new fish confined in a separate tank for a few days before introducing her to the established tank. This gives her time to acclimate to her surroundings, as well as any new tankmates.
If you’re keeping the new betta in a filtered or cycled tank, you can skip this step. Otherwise, you’ll want to keep the new fish in an unfiltered tank with just enough water to cover her fins. This will slow down the newcomer’s metabolism and make her less likely to pick a fight with the established fish. Keeping the new fish in a separate tank also makes it easier to medicate her if she happens to get sick.
What is the Ideal Environment for a Betta Sorority?
The ideal environment for a betta sorority is warm, quiet and dimly lit. Bettas prefer temperatures between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius (72-82 degrees Fahrenheit). The pH should be on the alkaline side, between 7.0 and 8.0. Bettas are very social fish and thrive in groups. Keeping two or three females together is ideal for most people, as even four or five fish may be too much for a smaller aquarium.
Aquarium plants are a great idea for betta sororities. They provide the fish with hiding places and help keep the water clean. Bettas are tropical fish and therefore need a heated aquarium to thrive. A heater set to 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) is ideal for a betta sorority.
The Best betta friends for female bettas
There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing fish for a betta sorority. Betta fish are territorial, meaning that they will likely try to drive away any fish that is not another betta. This includes other species of tropical fish. Betta fish are semi-aggressive towards other bettas. Their aggression level is somewhere between “get out of my face” and “I’m going to fight you.” Betta fish are very social, meaning that they thrive in groups.
If you plan to keep more than one female betta in the same aquarium, you should choose fish that are either very small or large enough to avoid a fight. Smaller fish like guppies, mollies and other small tropical species are not a good choice for a betta sorority. Large fish like gouramis, angelfish and other large tropical species are a good alternative to smaller species.
Conclusion
Female bettas are gregarious fish who prefer the company of other bettas to be alone. Because female bettas are territorial, it’s important to choose fish for their group tank wisely. Betta fish thrive in warm, quiet and dimly lit environments. The ideal environment for a betta sorority contains a few large species of fish large enough to avoid a fight with a territorial betta.
