2 gallon: M/F Bettas?

[p-lvp]

I have a male Betta in a 2 gallon tank for several years now and would like to add a female Betta to "fill up" the tank instead of the lone Betta.

I wonder if the addition of the female Betta will initiate agressive behavior. I have no interest in raising Betta fry and will remove these fry if the parents decide to mate.

Anyway, will they be ok together?

Thanks.

 

[Coyote]

The owner of my LFS said it's a no no because the male may attack the female after they mate. I heard a big, well-planted tank may solve the problem though. Since you have a 2g, I don't think it's a good idea to keep a pair of bettas. You may consider cory and ghost shrimps as his tankmates.

 

[adamj]

The problem with agression to the female isnt exactly the fry. Before breeding, the male will blow a bubble nest ( betas are a member of whats called labyrinth fish, they have an organ called the labyrinth sack/organ that allows them to breath air, this is their primary mode of respiration, the gills do little work.) The male takes a few breaths of air, then blows a bubble out of his saliva and keeps doing so until hes created a bubble nest.

Then the male and female will breed, as the female drops her eggs and the male fertilizes, the eggs drop the to substrate where the male catches them in his mouth and places them in the nest. The male then chases away the female and guards the nest. In the wild the female would be long gone, but in a tank with little room to escape she would be destroyed by the male.

The only reason you dont technicaly *need* a filter is because of the betas method of respiration, however frequent water changes are suggested. If you'd add any other type of aquatic organism i would suggest some type of filtration. Considering the tank is so small either get a larger tank (10 gallon?) with filtration or purchase a small corner filter or mini undergravel filter system. Im not even sure if they make undergravel filtersystems for a tank that small.

As far as ghost shrimp go, I doubt the beta could even catch one

 

[Coyote]

I had betta before. However, it died before I added ghost shrimps to my tank. (Moral that I learned from this: make sure the tank is cycled before adding more fish) Anyway, betta will be fine with bottomfeeder in a small tank.

I guess you don't have a heater in your 2g, right? Forget about cory then. On the hand hand, ghost shrimps will be fine since it can stand cooler temp. In fact, I keep some of my ghost shrimps between 55 and 60 degree.

As for filter, the main purpose of it is to convert toxic ammonia into less harmful nitrate. Adding few ghost shrimps shouldn't create too much ammonia.

 

[adamj]

well filtration does a few things, the bacteria in the tank turns ammonia into nitrite and then a different type turns the nitrite into nitrates which then plants can absorb for nutrients. The carbon in filters removes excess chemicals in the water, and the filter floss itself removes larger chunks of waste materials.

As i said before p-lvp could get by with regular gravel cleans and water changes. But of cource, the cleaner the water the healther the fish and or inverts

 

[AmazonTankz]

Have you guys ever seen those cute little filters they sell for like, plasic 2 gallons? They are like a small square that is green plastic, inside is filter floss and carbon. They stick to the side of the aqurium and are run by a small air pump. I don't know how good they are but for a small 2g I think it would be perfect. I see them at Wal Mart were I live.

 

[adamj]

Yes, I've seen those before. They work similar to an undergravel filter system. The bubbles raising causes water to be pulled through the fulter media and out the top with the air. It does provide filtration and water movement, but honestly i dont think they aren't worth the money. You can purchase larger corner filters for a few extra dollars that have larger filters and work *MUCH* better than their little suction-cup cousins