Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm thinking of setting up a 55 gallon community tank with a male betta and some other fish. I was wondering, would it be okay to put 3 female bettas in with him, considering the tank size? I plan on adding plenty of plants and structures to provide hiding spots for everyone. I've also heard that keeping multiple female bettas together can be a bit tricky - would 3 females become a "sorority" and get along? I'm new to bigger tanks and community setups, but I'd love to create a tank with a few bettas, and I want to avoid any conflicts if possible.

In short, maybe. I've found that keeping males and females together can be tricky, but with a large enough space, it's doable. The main thing to consider is that they may breed, which is definitely something to keep in mind. However, if your 55-gallon tank is truly spacious, the chances of breeding might be lower. I'm curious, what other fish species are you planning to keep in the tank alongside the bettas?

I've had my fair share of struggles keeping bettas with other fish, and I'd advise you to have a backup plan - or in this case, a separate tank - ready for the betta(s) just in case things don't go as smoothly as you hope.

From my experience, keeping male and female bettas together in a single tank will likely result in them finding each other and breeding, regardless of the tank's size. Once the female lays eggs, the male will chase her away, making a separate tank necessary. However, in a community tank with multiple fish species, I think the chances of betta breeding are slim, as they'll either be too busy harassing or being harassed by other fish to focus on each other.

oceanstar wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 9:36 pm In short, maybe. I've found that keeping males and females together can be tricky, but with a large enough space, it's doable. The main thing to consider is that they may breed, which is definitely something to keep in mind. However, if your 55-gallon tank is truly spacious, the chances of breeding might be lower. I'm curious, what other fish species are you planning to keep in the tank alongside the bettas?

I've got a pretty diverse community in mind - ember tetras, neon tetras, a Bristlenose pleco, some trumpet snails and shrimp, khuli loaches, a few catfish, and harlequin rasboras.

Tigger wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 10:46 pm I've had my fair share of struggles keeping bettas with other fish, and I'd advise you to have a backup plan - or in this case, a separate tank - ready for the betta(s) just in case things don't go as smoothly as you hope.

From my experience, keeping male and female bettas together in a single tank will likely result in them finding each other and breeding, regardless of the tank's size. Once the female lays eggs, the male will chase her away, making a separate tank necessary. However, in a community tank with multiple fish species, I think the chances of betta breeding are slim, as they'll either be too busy harassing or being harassed by other fish to focus on each other.

Thanks for the info, I'll actually get a 10 gallon tank as well just in case I need to separate them, better to be safe than sorry.

I recall when I was part of a fish club, people often discussed breeding betas and I was quite surprised to learn that it's usually the females who would kill the males if they're left together for too long during breeding. So, putting three females and one male in a 55-gallon tank may not be an issue, but it could be a problem if you have an aggressive female. As someone suggested, it's wise to have a separate tank set up just in case you need to move one. Hopefully, you catch it in time and avoid a dead beta. I've had male betas in community tanks before, including a male king beta and a regular female betta in a 75-gallon tank with no issues. They never bred, likely because male king betas are a different species, although no one could identify the exact species, only that they were known as Kings.