Add Marine Betta or not?
- Thread starter GSMclowns
- Start date
TheORKINMan
New member
How does a marine betta take out a large tang like a naso? The naso is faster and has a knife that could cut up the betta pretty bad.
Paul B
Premium Member
I had one or maybe two many years ago when I had a fish only. I do keep clown gobies and blue stripe pipefish which I didn't have then but so far everyone said they should be safe. Now in the summer I collect grass shrimp by the thousands If I want to so maybe I will get one.
laga77
New member
THRoewer, My Betta is about 4" and I have had him for about 6 months. He does not come out very often other than feeding times. The LFS has a 3" Betta. I never knew you could more than one and that they all started out female. There are plenty of hiding places in my well stocked 120G mixed reef. Do you think the 3" from the LFS would be a safe addition?
ThRoewer
New member
I would give it a try.
I have right now a 2" and a 3.5" in a 10 gallon quarantine tank (with a lot of rocks). The larger one is chasing the little one out when they meet in a cave but doesn't pursue it any further. The little guy has a slightly ripped tailfin, but that is to expect even between male and female.
With two females you shouldn't expect any coziness, actually not even with "pairs". Females of different size will tolerate each other to some degree but not hang out together like you see with angels or clownfish. The larger one will ultimately become the male. Males tolerate females in their territory but normally not in their breeding cave where they watch over their eggs. Females are only allowed in there for spawning and then chased out.
ThRoewer
New member
I can report now that two females of different size get along, even in a 10 gallon QT if it has enough rocks.
The little one got it's tail fin a bit shredded on the second day but it healed within two days and now the hacking order has been established. The bigger one still come up to the small one once in while to demand submission but when the little one shows submission the big turns away and leaves it alone.
So as long as you put a larger female to a smaller it should work out fine.
Of course it will also work if you pair a female with a larger male.
But since it may for most be a bit difficult to tell males and females apart, pairing two females (specimen under ~4") is easier.
Also, if the tank size permits it, you don't need to stop with two but put a few more (3 to 4) together. Though in that case I would go with several really small ones (below 2", ideally tank raised) and one significantly bigger one.
The little one got it's tail fin a bit shredded on the second day but it healed within two days and now the hacking order has been established. The bigger one still come up to the small one once in while to demand submission but when the little one shows submission the big turns away and leaves it alone.
So as long as you put a larger female to a smaller it should work out fine.
Of course it will also work if you pair a female with a larger male.
But since it may for most be a bit difficult to tell males and females apart, pairing two females (specimen under ~4") is easier.
Also, if the tank size permits it, you don't need to stop with two but put a few more (3 to 4) together. Though in that case I would go with several really small ones (below 2", ideally tank raised) and one significantly bigger one.
laga77
New member
Update: Last trip to LFS and the small Betta was not eating. Staff could not tell me if he had been eating or not so I decided to wait. Last night I had a small rock slide in my 120. So while I was cleaning things up, I pulled a couple of frags that were extra and brought them to the LFS. Betta was eating, so after some dealing with what I brought in it cost me $5. He is in my QT. Hopefully he will start eating black worms soon and into the big tank then.
I picked one up and put it in my mixed reef the other month after a month in quarantine. It was labeled as "Eats Frozen". From the day I got him he'll eat any type of food placed in the tank.
He's left everything that has been in the tank alone. I figured the "sexy shrimp" would be food by now but they are still at their butt wagging.
He's left everything that has been in the tank alone. I figured the "sexy shrimp" would be food by now but they are still at their butt wagging.
ThRoewer
New member
I added this marine Betta today. I took his picture while I was acclimating him because now that he is in my tank, I doubt I will ever see the entire fish again as they are hiders.
If your other fish are not too active and you have enough large overhangs you may see him a lot. Also he will soon learn that you are the one who brings the food and start waiting on the front for it when you enter the room.
lifeoffaith
Member
Man, you guys are really making me want a big reef to put a few of these into. They are awesome!
ThRoewer
New member
100 gallon is actually enough for a pair as long as you have lots of rocks and caves.
