AboutChris Robbins Expertise I have 25+ years of personal experience as a pet
store employee and manager in the family pet store
business. The main part of our business was
Freshwater Fish. I can answer questions on; Fish care, diseases,
parasites and fish identification, feeding your
fish, breeding and sexing your fish, setting up
your aquarium, cleaning your aquarium, and
"what`s this weird stuff in my tank/on my
fish" questions. I am not an African Cichlid expert, Plant expert or Brackish Expert. No Pond or Saltwater Questions Please.
Experience I worked in and managed my family's fish and pet and fish store for 26 years and maintained the 35 aquariums. My experience also has included occasional in-home consultation and aquarium maintenance for my clients.
Expert: Chris Robbins Date: 3/25/2008 Subject: betta tank mates
Question I've had a betta for a couple of months in a 10 gallon tank. I did some research online and asked the pet store what tankmates I can put in with them and she said tetras. I bought two tetras, and introduced then into the tank. The betta was fine for about 5 minuites and then he flared and followed one of the tetras around the tank. I put the betta in a 1 gallon tank for right now, but how can i get these guys to live together in peace?
Answer Hi Brandy;
Bettas can be very territorial, even with other fish besides bettas. Some bettas are just relentless in their pursuit of other fish. There really isn't much you can do except help them get used to each other before they are in the same tank again and provide lots of hiding places for the tetras. Put your betta in a tall jar inside the tank for a few days so he can see his tank mates but not get to them. He has to be able to get to the surface for a fresh air bubble every few minutes so be sure what you use isn't sealed up and/or too far submerged or he will drown. A well-rinsed hurricane glass from a hurricane lamp will work too. This gives him visual contact without being able to hurt the tetras, as well as easy to clean out because it's open on both ends. Just lift it to freshen his water every day so he isn't poisoned by his own waste. Do the same if you have to use a jar, dumping and freshening the water daily. Provide plenty of plants for the other fish to hide in and hopefully in a few days you can release the betta back into the tank. If he won't quit it, he will have to remain separated. Some are just true to their common name..."Siamese 'Fighting' Fish"!
