Marine Betta Anyone?

Hello, I just received two marine bettas Saturday. They're doing great. Although they are showing signs of agression to each other. They really need lots of caves away from light. They really hate light. Which I knew going into them. I have lots of caves. However, one betta has shown dominance and claimed all the lower level caves for himself. The other has be ostrasized and is hanging out under my HOB power filter. Just enough room to shelter him from direct light. ;)

They do sometimes swim in the open for me so far, surprisingly even with the light on. I have PC lighting though. I doubt they would under T5s or Halides.

I had a goby come with the bettas. The goby is gone, I presume one of the bettas ate him. :(

They are NOT safe with shrimp. Liveaquaria.com has good description of them. I ordered mine from somewhere else though. It says right in there not safe with shrimp.

I would guess within a day or two the cleaner shrimp would be gone and the Fire shrimp not long after that.

They are very Gorgeous fish though. Mine have this awesome blue outline with my lighting, and their main coloration is a brownish color with white dots and then his fake eye is a yellow color.

They're so neat. They shrink down at times and expend themselves. When they're fully expanded they're huge. They look very predatory when they fully expand. Very scary. ;)


Mine have only been in my 55g tank going on 2 days now. In you're 170g I would think 2 would be very happy or 1. Whichever. :)

I might have to get rid of one if the agression continues, we'll see if they work things out. A friend of mine suggested poking the agressor with a stick every time it gets agressive. ;) (yes, it was jokingly.)
 
I believe 2 in a 55g is too much. I've read that they don't tolerate 2 in a tank. I like them but I like shrimps more. I think I'll have to pass on them.
 
They'll be o.k. if they become a mated pair. e.g. if they're juveniles and determine their sex after being introduced to each other. If they're past that stage, then, yes, I would agree.

We'll see. I have a friend that may buy one off me, if they continue being agressive. They may simply be getting used to a new tank. We'll see. 55g is fine based on everything I've read. They're very slow moving fish, and don't move much, they aren't athletic swimmers. They'll sometimes just sit in a cave not moving for an hour or more. I sometimes missed seeing one because it would just float so still.

I think if they tolerate each other, they'd be fine together in a 55g. However, I'm not sure if they'll learn to tolerate each other or not. I'm giving them a week to finish getting acclimated and adapt. If they still are intolerant, I'll sell one off.

Should be pretty easy to catch.
 
^_^ They are very very beautiful fish for sure. the only bad thing is they eat small fish and shrimps. I can't have a tank without Fire Shrimps and Black White clowns.

I think as long as they don't kill each other, it's fine.
 
I've had mine over a year, and he doesn't look twice at my cleaner shrimp or any fish. He started out only eating PE mysis, but now eats I.O gel food, and NLS pellets.
 
even with aproven ( babies) mated pair there will still be aggression. not as bad as 2 of the same sex but its still there.
 
I've had my Betta for about 7 yrs. The fish has never bothered any other fish or shrimp. THey are beautiful fish. Mine eats most all the frozen food and even flake. I don't think it has grown even a millimeter in the entire time I've had it.
 
I've had mine for a couple of years first in my 220, and now in my current tank. There have been shrimp in there the whole time, still have most of them I think. I do like to overfeed though.
 
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