I went to Petco today, and was planning on buying a bowl and a goldfish. But the guy said goldfish die quickly in bowls, better off with two female bettas. That they would get along and live longer. So that's what I got. And now, I've had quite a few bettas before, but never put two in together, male or female.
So I put the two girls in, and not more than a minute goes by and they start attacking each other, going after fins and coming at one another with mouths open. I thought the males were the fighting fish, not the female? Did I get bad advice today?
(I do have them separated now)
It's not JUST the males that fight ... Females will fight too but just not as likely. Females are likely to fight when it's them and just one other female ... If threes a group of 3 or more, there's a less chance they'll fight. Females really should be kept alone, or in a group of 3 + other females. You did a good thing by separating them!
The guy at petco is a moron and gave you terrible advice.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com You can keep female betta together, but they need to be in a bigger group, and that needs a bigger tank, about 5 fish and 10gal or bigger. Two stuffed in a small container are likely to fight until the weaker one is bullied to death (or being stuck in a bowl kills them)
Bowls are bad news for fish of ANY sort, at least he was correct about the goldfish thing.
Ian
It usually IS the males who fight. My guess is, is that they're competing for space. You did get bad advice today, what the store person should have said was get a bigger tank. Nothing can live in a bowl and be happy! A single betta needs a 5 gallon tank, and you have two so something bigger would be necessary. If you want your Bettas to stop fight get a real tank.
Do a bit of research on Bettas, see proper feeding, heating, filtering, decorating, etc. Because my guess is you don't know if you thought you could put them in a bowl.
Agh! Yes, you did get bad advice. NEVER listen to Petco employees. I try to avoid going there as much as possible.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com (1) Fish should not live in bowls EVER
(2) You can't keep an even number of female bettas. One half will always dominate the other.
(3) I'm glad you have them separated now!
Good luck, and happy fishkeeping!
There not aloud to be in bowls together.
i found out the hard way. the people at the pet store said it was fine. but you have to separate them before one kills the other.
Hope this helps
Cheers:)
You got bad advice. But i no some people who have a sucess of doing that.
Yes, you did.
you should separate them before one dies.
Yes, you got horrible advice today. Honestly, 98% of the advice you receive in PetCo or PetsMart is horrible advice. (I've worked for one of them, I've been through their supposed "training program", and I can speak for how little information is actually given to the employees. I can even say that the majority of information given to the employees is incorrect in the first place.)
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Females are just as vicious as males are, two will fight until they both die from their injuries. In order to keep them together, you must have a group of at least 5, in at least a 10 gallon tank; and fights still break out on occasion.
You shouldn't be keeping them in bowls anyway, not even a single one.
Do not EVER listen to the advice in pet stores. They're only interested in selling you stuff.
Two female bettas will fish and may kill each other. What you want is a sorority of 5-6 of them in a ten gallon tank. All bettas are fighting fish. Not to mention, any betta should NOT be in a bowl. They need properly heated and filtered tanks with lighted hoods. Naturally colored gravel, silk or real plants ... Bowls don't allow for oxygen exchange, heating, or filtering, and constantly changing them causes a lot of stress.
As for goldfish, the smallest of the breeds needs 30 gallons minimum. Those 10 cent goldies grow to be 2 feet long, are are pond fish. They need 300 + gallons. Double filtered and aerated, bare bottom.
