# 2 male bettas?



## monty98 (Aug 3, 2011)

so i got a male betta last month and had him in a 1 gallon tank, now i just got my 20gallon tank set up and bought another betta. the label said female (i know not to 2 males in the same tank) so here is my problem, i put the both in the 20 gallon and they seemed to be aggresive with each other. they where both puffing out there gills and it was looking like they were trying not to let the other one go up for air and jetting at each other. is it possible that i have two males or is this just what they do? also what kind of fish can i put in with them? i have a picasimus fish in there also. thanks for your help anyone!!!!!


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## WildForFish (Aug 5, 2008)

except for a female sorority tank, you normally wouldn't keep two Bettas together unless breeding.

is it a planted tank?


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Bettas of opposite sexes should always be kept apart unless they are breeding. Males and females will fight if they're not ready to spawn. 
Females may be kept together in a "sorority", but usually, putting a female and male together with no protection from each other is a bad idea.


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## monty98 (Aug 3, 2011)

well thats just no good, ok then looks like that other betta is going back to the pet store. but yes, i did put a few plants in there bt there the fake ones. are real ones better? what other fish can i put in the tank? thanks agaiin


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## elitesrock (May 4, 2011)

I know for sure tetras are what other members might say could be okay but they are fin nippers. I know you can have shrimp in there but expect them to be dead. I have seen eels and loaches with them but that's because they are both burrowers and hide most of them. I think you're better putting the betta in the 1.5 because there are so many nice things you can have in a 20.


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## P.senegalus (Aug 18, 2011)

I've had killifish live peacefully with a male betta I had, along with some corys.


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## WildForFish (Aug 5, 2008)

Not all tetras are fin nippers.

I have kept several Tetras, Red Eyes, Black Neon, Glowlights & Blood Fins with a male betta. (short finned types)

Tetras with bright coloring & flowing fins are not a good idea as the Betta will attack them.

In a well planted tank, in my experience, they will do fine.

Wild


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

If you have a divider, it will work. I would think that it would be good for a betta to see another betta and start flaring cause it's mind stimulation and bettas with mind stimulation were proven to live longer.


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## WildForFish (Aug 5, 2008)

***If you have a divider, it will work. I would think that it would be good 
for a betta to see another betta and start flaring cause it's mind stimulation and bettas with mind stimulation were proven to live longer.***


IF in a large enough tank, you can use a divider, it is best if the divider is covered with some type of moss or bordered thickly with plants. 

Exposing two male Bettas for long periods of time will stress them greatly and will cause blown fins!

Wild


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## dracothebichir (Aug 13, 2011)

put one of the bettas in the twenty and get, a ghost catfish five blood fin tetras and seven ghost shrimp


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## monty98 (Aug 3, 2011)

i think im just going to put the male back in the one gallon and put females in the 20 gallon. how many can i put together?


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

It all comes down to the size of tank and amount of foliage/cover. I have successfully kept a 80 gallon tank with 2 male bettas & 3 female bettas. Kept the flow low made sure there was 3-4 visual breaks from one side of the tank to the other. Basically planted the rear of the tank with tall plants with a couple different plants planted toward the front to make a "cove" or visual break. Had a couple nice sized pieces of drift wood put in. Yes they would play grab ass and pester each other, but because of size of tank and amount of cover they would generally stay in their own spots and leave each other alone.


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