is a betta sorority a viable option?

[lavenderbug]

Hey fellow fish enthusiasts, I'm excited to share my thoughts with you all. As you know, I'm a huge betta fan - I've got a male at home and joint custody of another. My dad, @BadgersSong, has a 30-gallon paludarium, but there's a chance he might upgrade to a 55-gallon setup in the future, freeing up the 30-gallon for... well, me. (A little evil laughter never hurt anyone.)

I've been considering trying my hand at breeding betta splendens, and I was wondering if a betta sorority would work in a 30-gallon tank. How many ladies could I safely keep in there? Even if breeding doesn't pan out, I think a sorority would be an amazing setup.

This is all still pretty speculative - my dad hasn't actually said I can have the tank, and it's not like it's going to happen anytime soon. But a guy can dream, right? Thoughts?

[fishing]

I think a beta sorority could work in a 30 gallon, but I've never taken the risk myself. Having 3-5 or possibly more females with one male might be doable, as long as you keep a close eye out for aggression. It's always a good idea to have some extra tanks on standby, just in case things don't go as planned. I'm curious, do you plan on introducing both your males to the sorority, or just the one you mentioned?

[sSjey]

A sorority by definition is an all-female group, so I wouldn't even consider adding a male to the mix, especially in a relatively small tank like 30 gallons.

There have been successes and failures with betta sororities, and the reasons for the failures vary. Some people have unknowingly purchased a short-finned male sold as a female, while others have had an overly aggressive female or females that were so stressed they fell ill and died.

[lavenderbug]

A sorority by definition is an all-female group, so I wouldn't even consider adding a male to the mix, especially in a relatively small tank like 30 gallons.

There have been successes and failures with betta sororities, and the reasons for the failures vary. Some people have unknowingly purchased a short-finned male sold as a female, while others have had an overly aggressive female or females that were so stressed they fell ill and died.

I've been reading up on this and there are so many different opinions, which isn't surprising. I'm totally fine with it not being a good idea, it was just a thought. I definitely wouldn't put a male in with them, the tank is way too small for that.

[juicebox]

Honestly, if you're serious about breeding, I think it'd be smarter to keep the female in a separate smaller tank for spawning and use the 30 for raising the babies.

[juicebox]

Also, just a thought, once the fry grow out and need individual housing, what's your plan for that - are you prepared to set up separate tanks or have a system in place for re-homing them?

[lavenderbug]

Honestly, if you're serious about breeding, I think it'd be smarter to keep the female in a separate smaller tank for spawning and use the 30 for raising the babies.

That's a great point, I didn't think that far ahead. I guess I was just thinking I'd figure it out when the time came, but that's not really a plan. I was vaguely thinking maybe I could take them to the pet store, but I don't actually know how old they'd be when they need to be separated.

[sSjey]

The issue with male fry is they start fighting each other at a pretty young age, necessitating separation. This typically occurs when they're still quite small, often too small for most local fish stores to accept. You've probably seen photos of breeders with rows of jars, each containing a juvenile male betta, waiting for them to grow old enough to be rehomed. This can take anywhere from 6 months to a year, depending on their growth rate and when their tails reach full potential. It's worth researching local stores beforehand, as some might be willing to take them in younger.

[lavenderbug]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I'm glad to hear my LFS might be willing to take the fry at a younger age, but to be honest, breeding bettas is still a pretty distant dream for me. I was mainly curious about keeping a betta sorority in a 30 gallon tank because I think it would be a really cool thing to try - I just love bettas, and having a group of females together sounds like it could be pretty interesting.

I did some reading in the betta care guide on this forum, and it says that conditioning the bettas properly is key to a successful sorority. Does anyone know what that entails, exactly? I feel like I've got a lot to learn before I even think about trying this out.

[BadgersSong]

Considering alternatives for the 30g, I think a different species of betta could thrive in this environment. A small group of imbellis, for instance, might do exceptionally well, given their unique requirements and temperaments. Alternatively, a breeding trio of pearl gouramis could be a fascinating option, or even a school of sparkling gouramis, which are known for their peaceful nature and striking appearance.