I have 4 males and a brand new female. When I bought my two new Bettas a few weeks ago, and just because I was curious, I put each tank next to each other to see who would react how to who. (?) And the two new ones never flared at each other. But they would flare at the two old ones. I have not put them in the same tank. But I was just curious about if they would live together without fighting. I doubt it, but I was just wondering.

As a note: I haven't shown the boys their new female roommate because I think that they might get too excited. Or turn weird on me.


Thanks for any help!!

i wouldnt... i had two boys who at next to each other for the longest time.... and i had had thoughts of putting them together, but that all changed when i was cleaning one day and Rover jumped into his buddies tank... (was cleaning 5 tanks, had them all lidless and ready to go, another thing I'll never do again)

Well, they both were ok, but boy there was a fight!!

only imbellis can go together... and from what ive heard, even some of them are nasty

It is VERY rare that two males will tolerate each other in the same tank, the only times I have ever heard about them living together is in large tanks 10+ gallons with a whole lot of things to hid in. If they do live together and don't fight they still might tear each others fins. But if you ever do try it watch them very closely! They might live with each other okay for a few days then start fighting, they are very territorial fish. You might have two non-aggressive fish you might not. Hope that helps a little. (it's all a guessing game basically!)
Good Luck!!

I have a friend who keeps two males in a small tank, but they are abnormally laid back males and had a divider for a year before that.

I would leave it to the professionals to mess with that, though. Seperate tanks are usually better.

My advice for you would to NOT do it. When my Betta's spawned,I was totally surprised at how young that killer instinct arises. Very rare is it done I'm sure.Why chance injuries,or worse,death?

I'm with Devs 110%. It's definantly NOT a good idea no matter how docile the bettas are.

I wasn't going to try it. I wasa just wondering because when they were in their temp tank (it was divided. Tiny thing) they never flared at each other, never charged or anything.


The temp tank is around 7 inches long, 4 inches tall, 3.5 inches wide. It wasn't very big. But now they're both in one gallon tanks on two different shelves. Marina (my new girl) is in that tank and she looks super tiny in it. I might put her in the 10 gal when the goldies move out . . . . hmmm.

Hi - I just wanted to add, if you don't have one, you may want to cover the tank, too. I had two (apparently docile) males in a 10g with a divider that rose two inches above water level - pne day, Hagen decided he'd had enough and jumped over the divider into Mime's tank! And neither of them survived the fight...
Just thought I would mention it - the boys could get rowdy when they meet their girlfriends...

RIP Mime and Hagen

Aw, I'm sorry about them. Kasem needs a lid. The light in the hood for his tank burned out and I keep forgetting to get a new one! Marina doesn't have a lid. She's actually in a one gallon jar and she can't jump out of it.

Could Hagan and Mime see each other through the divider?

Yes - they could see each other - the divider was glass - it was not a DIY but purchased as an item made specifically for that purpose! So, if an opaque would be safer - not only would I recoomend it - but I personally will feel very offended that the company who sold and marketed such a product would put my fish in jeapordy... maybe it does not make a diffrence?

They were absolutley the biggest most beautiful Bettas I have ever seen!

It's a wonder bettas survive so well in the wild with their attitudes. Must just be lots of places to swim and hide.

There is an experiment that Betty Splendens did where she left the spawn father in with the spawn and the presence of a dominant male kept the young males docile... or at least dad gave them a bit of a chase around and a nip when they started to misbehave.

Perhaps that's what they do in the wild. Establish a pecking order in family groups.